There's been increased speculation in the last few days that Texas might be eying the ACC as a landing spot should the Big 12 disintegrate.
With this particular outcome, I've also noticed a slight difference in perception in how this outcome has been discussed by those who regularly follow realignment: from outright dismissal to a "hmmm . . . now that I think about it, it's not such a bad idea after all."
Even with this increased speculation, though, I've noticed little contemplation of how a Texas move to the ACC would play out logistically. We all know, more or less, how a Texas move to the Pac-Whatever would play out -- we'd go with Tech, OU and OSU as the conference expands to 16; we know what the divisions would probably look like; we can guess with reasonable confidence how scheduling would work -- but I've seen little similar speculation with the logistics of a theoretical Texas move to the ACC.
So let's crowdsource this one and figure it out.
Now, as we start trying to figure out how this plays out, let's try and avoid turning this into a general realignment open thread. We've had plenty of those, and we will continue to have plenty in the days and weeks and months and years and decades to follow.Let's also not turn this into a general discussion of the relative merits of moving to the ACC or to another conference (I'm looking at you, Wahoo), since, again, we've had plenty of other discussions on that issue. As you might guess from my avatar, a move east is not my preferred solution at this point. Nevertheless, I'm curious to see if we can figure out how this might play out, as I think there could be a lot more moving parts to this, as well as a number of possible different ways it could be pulled off, were it to happen.
With that in mind, let's explore these issues:
- Would the ACC make this move proactively or reactively? If reactive, would the ACC only seek to add Texas if it were to lose a school to another predatory conference first?
- Would the ACC stop with Texas at 13 (assuming a proactive move by the ACC) or would it seek to add a 14th team or a 15th and 16th teams too? If other schools, who would be the other target(s)?
- Would the ACC use this as an excuse to create more geographically-logical divisions or would they remain as incoherent as they are today? Or would the conference try and move to a pod system?
- What would schedules look like?
- Could Texas head east without Texas Tech? If Tech remained tied politically to Texas, would the ACC accept the Red Raiders as the price of accepting Texas? Are there any other political considerations for Texas for this potential move which wouldn't exist for a move to the Pac-Whatever?
- Assuming OU, in this scenario, headed west, would we still be able to play the RRS the second Saturday in October?
- Would Texas try and insist that the CCG be played regularly in the state of Texas, or would we be content with traveling to Charlotte and Tampa regularly the first Saturday in December?
- And, daydreaming for a second: could the ACC+Texas perhaps be the combination to finally lure Notre Dame into a conference? (Note: I swear to God, the next person who suggests that the Big 12 could simply add the Irish....)
Have at it, folks...