Expansion Talk 2021

yeti92

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,577
the real question is IF Miami, or any other ACC team were in the SEC where would they finish in the standings ?

as it is now, Clemson finishes 3rd or 4th ( playing an all SEC schedule ), North Carolina would be 5th to 7th and the rest would fall in line. The battle for last would be between Vandy, Arkansas ( right now ), Wake and Duke I dont really know what Ole Miss and Miss St have this year in the way of returning players. Tech, South Carolina and Tenn will be better than they have been of late And Kentucky is a .500 team playing the ACC.
I don't think anyone is asking that question (except you), everyone knows the top 4 or so teams of the SEC are consistently stronger than the top 4 in every other conference. We are talking about the rest of the conference that rides their coattails and claims to be super tough too when in reality they aren't.
 

Pointer

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,801
I don't think anyone is asking that question (except you), everyone knows the top 4 or so teams of the SEC are consistently stronger than the top 4 in every other conference. We are talking about the rest of the conference that rides their coattails and claims to be super tough too when in reality they aren't.
I would even say top two, but you're right.
 
Messages
2,034
I don't think anyone is asking that question (except you), everyone knows the top 4 or so teams of the SEC are consistently stronger than the top 4 in every other conference. We are talking about the rest of the conference that rides their coattails and claims to be super tough too when in reality they aren't.
Exactly, and not sure why Clemson would be 3rd or 4th. Alabama beat Clemson as did LSU, but Clemson beat Alabama and in recent years has beaten every other SEC team they have played.

I guess we will find out 9/4.
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,950
Location
Auburn, AL
And this is why Collins will have trouble. Saban, great example, changes his offense last year because of what his players could do.
And I did not imply running a CPJ option and no we run very little zone read. Sims in a press interview even said that the coaches told him to stop running the ball so much. He is not a pro style drop back QB.
There’s a great interview with Saban, and he made changes, but not because of players. He said it was due to changes in rules on defense. His current thinking is that winning ball games is all offense now. Score 50 and it’s a W.
 

GoJacketsInRaleigh

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
965
McMurphy tweeted this a few minutes ago. Not sure the context but I'm sure Texas A&M has does just fine for itself by joining the SEC



@Brett_McMurphy

League records at their new conference A&M 42-31 (57.5%) Pitt 36-30 (54.5) TCU 44-37 (54.3) Utah 45-41 (52.3) Nebraska 43-41 (51.2) WVU 40-40 (50.0) Louisville 29-29 (50.0) Mizzou 35-39 (47.3) Syracuse 20-46 (30.3) Maryland 16-41 (28.1) Colorado 23-62 (27.1) Rutgers 10-51 (16.4)
 

MidtownJacket

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,800
Nobody cares. Bill Bellicheck said it best ... “We look at how the best talent plays against the best talent.” The SEC has the highest percentage of 4&5 stars In the country. He could care less how Bama does against Wake Forest. He’s interested in the Bama - Georgia game. Regardless of the outcome.

As to ESPN, they are selling eyeballs. And nothing turns out like SEC games. In football, the ACC will never replace the SEC as they have neither eyeballs or the talent matchups.

THAT is why the realignments are occurring.
This is why I think a merge of SEC and ACC could be so enjoyable. Also lucrative.
It brings the best college football and the beat college basketball teams together and those are the money makers for media deals. Let’s not fight each other for eyeballs..

Throw in the geographic footprints making sense and return of instate rivals impacting league standing.

Also, also the NCAA loses more and more control with these groupings and that’s a good thing for everyone.
 

BleedingWhiteNGold

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
9
If the ACC does expand do we have to get two? I would take WV, but I'm not a fan of the other teams out there. I don't want any more teams named after the city they are located in. Everyone says the ACC could possibly take WV, but my question is how do you just take WV and keep the sides of the conference equitable.
 

GoJacketsInRaleigh

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
965
If the ACC does expand do we have to get two? I would take WV, but I'm not a fan of the other teams out there. I don't want any more teams named after the city they are located in. Everyone says the ACC could possibly take WV, but my question is how do you just take WV and keep the sides of the conference equitable.
First, no one wants WVU. They would suck up money and provide nothing.

Second, if ND wanted to join full time and it was 15 teams, you could go to 3 pods of 5 teams. For example:

South - GT, FSU, Clemson, Louisville, VT
Mid-ATL - UNC, Duke, NC State, Wake, UVA
ND POD - ND, Miami, Pitt, BC, Syracuse

Play your POD every year. Have a permanent in each of the other PODs. Play 2 each from the other 2 PODs on a rotating basis. That's 10 conference games. Best two teams play in the ACCCG.

The permanents in other PODs allows Miami vs FSU (with separate PODs), UVA vs VT, Clemson vs NC State, probably ND vs GT (so they can play in Atlanta every other year).

ND's schedule would become Miami, Pitt, BC, Syracuse, GT, and UNC (or whoever the hell they wanted their other permanent to be). Then they could play FSU, Louisville, Duke, and Virginia for two years and then Clemson, VT, NCSU, and Wake for two years. They get 2 non-conference games for USC and Navy.
 

mts315

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
919
If the ACC does expand do we have to get two? I would take WV, but I'm not a fan of the other teams out there. I don't want any more teams named after the city they are located in. Everyone says the ACC could possibly take WV, but my question is how do you just take WV and keep the sides of the conference equitable.
The ACC only expands if ND becomes a full football member. As long as we are playing that fish we keep reeling until we get it on the boat or it breaks the line.

ND football is driven by the potential to play for National Titles. It is becoming apparent that being independent is going to make that more difficult. If all the conference are going to 16 teams who will ND be able to schedule? The big name teams will not want to schedule them as there is no benefit for them. When the Clemsons, Alabamas, OSUs, etc are playing 9 conference games a year, they are going ot want to schedule lesser teams to warm-up on or guarantee a win. ND needs to join a conference in this round of expansion/reorganization.
 

forensicbuzz

Helluva Engineer
Messages
8,008
Location
North Shore, Chicago
You know what is interesting, one of the best D lines we had was 2008.
Derrick Morgan
Vance Walker
Michael Johnson
Darryl Richard

All went on to the NFL
Recruits
Morgan 4 star
Walker 2 star
Johnson 3 star
Richard 3 star

Some times it is how they develop and mature.
Johnson was a 4* Tight End. Darryl Richard was a 3*/4* depending on service. Morgan was a 6.0 high 4*, #1 recruit in Pennsylvania (great football up there). The services didn't slouch on those guys. Walker did grow into a great interior DL.
 

Technut1990

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
960
I don't think anyone is asking that question (except you), everyone knows the top 4 or so teams of the SEC are consistently stronger than the top 4 in every other conference. We are talking about the rest of the conference that rides their coattails and claims to be super tough too when in reality they aren't.

I would think that to determine who’s super tough and who isn’t you would have to compare the teams from top to bottom, if they were all playing a comparable schedule. I think If a majority of the ACC teams would finish in the bottom half of a merged conference it would be a very good indication of where the ACC lines up compared to the SEC. That would be an indication of which teams are super tough. I don’t know how you would prove or disprove whose super tough and whose riding coattails and who isn’t unless you have a resonable comparison. In a merger I suspect the lower finishing ACC teams would be making the exact same statement, that they are indeed tough but they are just in a tough conference.
 

Lee

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
841
I hope you are correct. My opinion is there will never be enough to be able to compete for an NC a few times a decade. I have known a few kids that had what it took (grades, SAT scores) but did not want to do the work. One went on to be a starting OL for UGA, his brother went to Tech and got an engineering degree. Its a numbers game We also struggle to keep them. slack off a bit here and you are hosed. We have had trouble keeping them available as well.

I remember those conversations as well and the school is never going to cooperate. That is why I always felt we needed some kind of schematic advantage on O and/or D to help the odds. I dont care what it is, just something that makes Tech harder to prepare for.
Couple things.

How many teams can compete for a NC multiple times in a decade? Bama, Clemson, OSU, dwags, LSU, OU. That’s about it. Maybe one or two more.

2nd, when did the examples you listed happen? Within the last 10 years? 20? Longer?

It’s not as hard to get into GT as many think it is for athletes and it’s not as hard to stay in as many like to think.

There is a small percentage of kids that can’t get in, same for those that wouldn’t make it. Our own fans do more to scare kids away from the school than opposing coaches.

We will never recruit like Bama, but we can get plenty of elite kids in here to be perennially in the top 20 in recruiting.

As @Techster said, once we start winning, it will only get better.
 

augustabuzz

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,401
I would think that to determine who’s super tough and who isn’t you would have to compare the teams from top to bottom, if they were all playing a comparable schedule. I think If a majority of the ACC teams would finish in the bottom half of a merged conference it would be a very good indication of where the ACC lines up compared to the SEC. That would be an indication of which teams are super tough. I don’t know how you would prove or disprove whose super tough and whose riding coattails and who isn’t unless you have a resonable comparison. In a merger I suspect the lower finishing ACC teams would be making the exact same statement, that they are indeed tough but they are just in a tough conference.
If the Coastal matched the East, then UGa, UF, UNC and UM would have a fight at the top, while Duke and Vandy would scrap at the bottom. Everyone else is participating in the pier six brawl in the middle.
 

Technut1990

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
960
All this talk is going on and it fun but I am most interested in Tech. Has anyone heard any info as to Techs position in all this, from their perspective. I’m assuming they would say they are all in with The ACC but just for thought, what is Techs official and secondary wishes
 

gtyj18jr

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
153
Not a prove it year for A&M. Losing a 4 year starter at QB puts you a step back except for Alabama. Fischer has A&M on very solid ground now where they will be in the hunt for the SEC West title with LSU & Bama every year.

it’s never a now or never against Bama with Saban. It’s we actually have a chance or not. Their new QB play will determine how far they go. They have recruited top ten talent for several years. Jumbo is a very proven coach.

Sure it is. Jimbo arguably has only slightly improved A&M from the Sumlin years that didn’t have Manzel at qb. A bunch of A&M fans think that last season was the breakthrough, but in the two games that were actually important, the barely beat Florida at home and got destroyed by Bama. The rest of their sec schedule was against garbage or teams in down years, e.g. Auburn and LSU. They didn’t impress in those games either.

Bama is coming into this season with alot of unknowns at the skill positions and qb. Plus they have Billy Obrian valley plays. Sure their D will be good, as usual. The rest of the west is down and their sec schedule is pathetic. Jimbo needs to win the west this season because he won’t be there until saban retires if he keeps putting up 2nd place or worse finishes in the west.
 
Top