Eleven Warriors

we'll see what becomes of Va Tech in football, after Beamer retires.  He is 65.  I wouldn't be shocked if Va Tech slides down some after Beamer goes.

If Maryland joins the B1G, I will invest in Terps football season tickets. Only a 30 minute drive to College Park to see the B1G's best visit, I think so!

I am surprised by the number of people that are only thinking in terms of football.  What we want are academic institutes with large fan bases.  Top choices are BC and UNC for academics, alumni and expansion of geographic footprint.  I would place Duke, UVA, and UMD in third.  Duke for academics and sports, but not a large alumni base and no expansion beyond UNC.  UVA is excellent academically and gives a small geographic expansion, but doesn't really have a large/active alumni.  UMD is the best geographic choice and has a more active alumni base, I believe, than UVA or Duke.  In my opinion, we would take 3 ACC and ND. We want ND.

Va tech is really the only team I would want out of the ACC and like someone said when beamer retires who knows how good they will be. Maryland is awful awful at football and their basketball isn't any good either anymore. UVA not sold on them either. I said this before this isnt about academics its about football. Sure a school needs to have decent academics but it can't be about that or else the Big10 will get screwed with all this expansion. I would have said UNC but who knows what their football program is going to be in the coming years. Duke academics good basketball awesome football terrible so no go. I would like the idea of Va tech and notre dame. Honestly both have good academics for the people who care, and their football and basektball programs are very good virginia isn't that far either. That would go to 14 and add value to the conference. If the big 10 is giving out a recrod 26.4 mill this year imagine what they would get with those two over 30 mill a year.

Bud Foster will keep VaTech tough. He's a great recruiter, players love him. He'll be an excellent HC. He's been the guy in waiting for a while now.

Won't happen, for many reason, but if we take four to go to 16 the ones I would take are Rutgers, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. None are really football powers, but it isnt important who is a power right now- recruiting will change when there are 4 super-conferences of 16 teams. It will change majorly. There will be 64 teams in those conferences. The other 50+ schools that are currently D-1 will become non-factors. It'll get much easier for teams like Indiana, Rutgers, Maryland, Vanderbilt, Iowa State, or Colorado to recruit.

Those four teams fit the academic profile, and each brings a major TV market. That's what really matters. It isn't about football. Its about the dollars. Rutgers brings NJ/NY (and a little Philly), Maryland brings Baltimore/DC, Virginia brings DC (maybe a little Richmond or Norfolk-which is a much, much bigger TV market than people realize), and UNC brings Raleigh-Durham.

Again, no need to tell me why it won't happen- I understand UNC is never leaving Duke, etc. If I had my choice, though, those are the four I'd take.

There are 8 legitamite options for the B1G expansion... I will list them from least to most likely:

1) BC

Academics: Good, but it's a private, christian university.  Would stick out like a sore thumb among the large state institutions.  Yes, we have Northwestern, but they are not religiously based.  Much of the sticking points exist here as they do with ND, just with less appeal overall.

Athletics: Boston is a pro sports town, just look at their spring game numbers, pitiful.  The university has never shown a dedication to any sport except hockey.  As a last ditch 16th member, I guess, but BC will be there at the end if we have to resort to it, no need to make an offer early.

2) NCSt

Academics: Midiling.  Worst out of the big 4 in NC and possibly worse than ECU.  Not a university that we would be thrilled to have in the CIC.

Athletics: See BC.  They only really care about basketball, but not enough to really upgrade their facilities to compete with UNC and Duke.  Have some history, but the fanbase support is TINY compared to UNC or Duke.  Not really the gateway to the state.  Won't get an offer.  Might have issues taking UNC if NCSt doesn't have a place to land.  If that is the case, we may have to bite the bullet and take them as a package with Duke/UNC.  Think the relationship of TAMU and UT.

3) Virginia Tech

Academics: Good.  Not as good as GT, but a solid engineering school.

Athletics: Decent.  Football has been good under Beamer but that is about it.  They have become the dominant force in the DC area, but this team is SEC bound, count on it.

4) Georgia Tech

Acdemics: Excellent.  Would fit in VERY well with the rest of the CIC, Purdue's kindred spirit of the South.

Athletics: Decent.  Don't dominate the state, or even their market of Atlanta, but there is some alumni support.  Would suffer in most sports in the B1G, becoming very Iowa-like (minus wrestling).  Might get an offer, but would be contigent on landing UVA and UNC to provide some geographic continuity.

5) Maryland

Academics: Excellent and improving rapidly.  UMD has pumped some SERIOUS money into their research and it is showing.  They have shot up the ranks rather quickly but have a good foundation where it seems they are here to stay as an elite state flagship institution (on the same level as a Penn St).

Althetics: Eh. Facilities are crummy, fan support is crummy, don't even dominate their own market (VT owns most of the DC market and that would only go up if they go to the SEC).  I say they get an offer to help geographically with some promises made to use the money to really push facilities upgrades.  The UnderArmour connection should not be overlooked here.

6) Duke

Academics: Well, you know, they're Duke.  Top notch.

Athletics: Better than you would expect.  Many believe that the football team could get to ok from dismall, but it's the rest that intrigues.  Most people forget that the BTN works so well because we have such good winter programming with nearly nightly basketball games, most that are actually REALLY good.  Imagine what adding Duke to that would do?  You bet your ass that people would be tuning in to see that.  Get an offer contingent with UNC coming.

7) North Carolina

Academics: See Duke.

Athletics:  Really the prize of the ACC.  Very large fanbase, and a football program just waiting to dominate.  They are in VERY fertile recruiting areas.  If UNC can put up a fence like Tress did with Ohio, this could be an elite team in a matter of seasons.  Add in top notch basketball and baseball, this is a no brainer.  They WILL get an offer, probably from all 3 of SEC, B12, B1G.

8) Virginia

Academics: I always thought of UVA as the south's version of Michigan, just not full of assholes.  VERY proud university with excellent academics.  Anybody who is high-acheiving in the DC area wants to go here for school.

Athletics:  Much like UNC, this is a sleeping giant.  Right now the athletic department isn't putting the money where it needs to go, but one could argue that the ACC isn't really providing them with enough money to fight off VT.  Another prime recruiting area that if UVA can dominate (the DC area), they will quickly become a solid program. I expect this to be the first offer the B1G makes.

The Cavs are a founding member and if they leave, that will truly be the end of the ACC.  I expect FSU and Clemson to go making the ACC VERY weak.  If the SEC grabs VT and NCSt (which I expect) then UVA may make the decision to leave.  I could very well see ESPN coming in and stabilizing the ACC much like they did the B12 and allowing the ACC to add RU and UConn to get back to 12 (in addition to Cuse and Pitt).  If that is the case, the ACC will survive. BUT, if UVA goes, then all bets are off.  I personally thing that the SEC and B12 will go to 16 while the B1G and Pac12 stay at 12.  No need to change.  Let the dominoes fall a bit.

Rampage, where did you get your info on NC State? Their academics aren't middling, and are FAR better than ECU's. Their football fan-base is better than UNC's, Wake Forest's and Duke's, (ECU probably takes the top spot in the state in that area). They have the best football program in the state right now, and their basketball will be top notch, not to mention they're excellent in baseball as well and have some history in wrestling too. I've been to NC State and UNC football games seeing as I grew up in NC. Another thing, in regards to drawing in the Raleigh-Durham market, NC State has a larger alumni base and would draw in just as much viewership as UNC. Another point that really has nothing to do with the school itself, but have you met UNC fans? They're the definition of "Wal-Mart fans", most of them have nowhere near the mental capacity to get into UNC yet they preach about it like it is Cambridge in comparison to even Duke. They're a delirious fan-base, one that makes "Wal-Mart Wolverines" look like a wine and cheese type crowd.

I wonder about adding BC,  would nd follow ?  1 in each division, keep

the religious rivalry going.  Don't know, just thinking.  O-H

@rampage- very interesting write up. Just a small quibble- UVA is similar to Michigan not only academically but in pretentiousness also. However, the main reason students and alumni give a crap about football is so that they can tailgate in their sperries and bow ties, and sundresses. They fit in far better with the more southern/SEC style than Big 10 style. They are strong in a number of other athletics though. I think most Hoos fans would believe that the Big 10 is beneath them to join, big money or not.

@pcon- Va Tech does love its football-it is a very, very big deal there, with a great game day atmosphere. It is fun to go to a VT game. I think they pretty much sell out evey game, even though they are hours from civilization. They are decent in a number of other sports. The school has a very loyal and large alumni base. But I am biased, as I am married to a VT alum who got into both UVA and VT, and chose VT. He loves his Hokies.

I'm against the B1G starting a Tobacco Road pod. There just would be too much culture clash. Not one of UNC, UVA, Duke, or Maryland would I be thrilled about being in the Big Ten. Don't get me wrong, they are terrific academic instutions. But people down here in the Bible Belt are different.

I've lived in Raleigh since 2001. Prior to that, I lived in Richmond for three years. And my sister has lived in Baltimore since 1998; I visit about twice a year. So I have a little bit of background to go on.

Rampage, I think William's take on NCState is closer to what I've observed. WolfPack fans want you to know they are WolfPack fans. Tarheels not so much. He's also right that ECU fans are pretty vocal in their support. (Although there are more NCState fans, on gameday you see just as many people showing their Pirate colors.)

UNC and UVA actually remind me alot of each other. They are both very exclusive STATE schools whose students and alums are very snobby and judgemental about your pathetic degree from tOSU. Eff them.

Most people in central VA are Va Tech fans. Hokie alums I've met are good folk. Va Tech is the sort of school from the ACC that I could get on board with adding. But... is Va Tech tied to UVA? Don't forget that UVA forced the ACC to take Va Tech and not Syracuse originally. So it might be the case where one isn't going anywhere without the other.

Maryland, every fan I've met wants to talk about basketball. And when was the last time they were good in basketball. Their football program is going nowhere and they know it. Meh.

IMO, if we had to add two teams from the ACC. I want BC and Va Tech. (With the priority on BC because of my hockey leanings.) If we could add ND and an ACC school, I guess I would want ND and Va Tech. (ND gives us a hockey school.) But like I said above, Va Tech might be tied to UVA. So ND and BC to give us 14.

And I don't think anything more than 14 is manageable without breaking conference cohesion.

Just to give some background i grew up in MD so I understand ACC dynamics pretty well.

Nc St: they are the tamu of the acc with worse facilities. They should be successful bit arent. maybe comparing their academics to ecu was a bit of hyperbole but they are still not on the same level as unc/duke/wf.

UVA: Yes their fans are apathetic about fball but a fiercely loyal to the school. This is a sleeping giant waiting for a football conference to put some energy in. The Hoos actually should be decent next year...

VT: I think that the hokies are a bit of a flash in the pan. Before Miami left the BE they were hardly a blimp on the radar. then the Canes left and skins and terps started sucking something awful. VT quickly rose up with Beamer and took the market. I think they suffer in the SEC becoming a less intetestingsouth carolina at best

Give me UNC, UVA, UMD, Duke and tale yo the bank tje most rounded conference in all sports in the country.

If we cherry pick anyone from the ACC why not the newest edition in Syracuse would be a better fit culturally and geographically than most and it is a good school with tradition. 

@Rampage, aren't all of those ACC founder schools? I think the B1G needs less snottiness not more. (Looking at you Michigan.) Plus football-wise none of those schools add anything. Maybe UNC... but without Butch Davis, UNC football is going to revert to Purdue levels.

Agree to disagree.

Im not sure how the ACC will collapse, If anything I'd say the BigEast would after the ACC taking Uconn, Cincitucky, Louisville, and USF. Just my guess.  I think the Little East is all but done for.... Maybe Boise can get into the big12.