He Said / He Said - The State of the ACC

With Maryland and Rutgers leaving their respective conferences to join the Big Ten Conference, the entire country ends up shaken. What conferences win from this move? What do we expect in the future? Much is unsure, and that's why we debate. In our latest version of "He Said / He Said" our collegiate sports experts Dellav and Dotson debate the future of the ACC with the latest conference realignment in college sports.


Dellav: 

So help me God, if the ACC adds a stupid school like South Florida or Cincinnati instead of decent one like Louisville, then the conference might actually be screwed.

Try not to think I'm crazy, just hear me out.

I honestly think the only reasonable move at this point in time is to add Louisville. If they don't, then the Big 12 might scoop them up. Now people are wondering why they just won't add UConn, but I'm telling you that they can not afford to add another "basketball only" school. FSU, Clemson, and VT were not happy last summer and there were heavy credible rumors that the Seminoles were trying to find a way out of the conference. It's all about dominoes baby. If the 'Noles leave, then say goodbye to Clemson and VT. I'm sure they want the conference to add another football school.

And you can bet that ACC Commish John Swofford is talking to the Athletic Directors of those schools and trying to keep them happy as we speak.

Louisville would be an EXCELLENT addition to the conference because the Cards have come alive in football and are always an annual contender in hoops. It would be the perfect fit. Do not get me wrong, having another basketball school like UConn would be great, but the conference NEEDS a football school if it wants to stay stable. If the Huskies come aboard, don't be surprised if newcomers, Pitt, 'Cuse, and Notre Dame pull a "TCU" sometime in the near future.



Dotson:

I'm not nearly as cynical as my compatriot here. I truly think the ACC is in shape to make a HUGE step FORWARD with Maryland leaving the conference.

In the big sports, Maryland has been less than stellar. They've never made a BCS bowl, haven't won a national title since 1953 in football, and other than their Final Four appearances in 2001 and 2002 (won the title in '02), they have been less than stellar. It's teams like Maryland that have caused much trouble in BCS strength of schedule rankings.

So, now that Maryland is gone, the ACC has one more spot to fill. Which route do they go?

If they go Louisville, they get a recent success story in hoops and a consistent player in football. But remember, that football success is in the hapless Big East. I don't see the addition of the Cardinals being any help in football. Honestly, I don't see any team on the ACC's radar being anything near a powerhouse in football.

Connecticut is another possibility. The only thing that they give that Louisville lacks is the "Atlantic Coast" geography. I think they are just as relevant in football, and thanks to Jim Calhoun they are equally (if not more) competitive in hoops. I think UConn is the more natural choice due to balance of power in all sports (especially women's sports).

One other thing I want to mention...teams like Georgetown, Villanova, and St. John's compete in the Big East conference in sports other than football. Don't be surprised if the ACC looks to boost their resume in all sports by bringing in a team like Villanova to fill Maryland's spot (or even as an extra participant). I can even see them taking in Villanova for football as well (have had many FCS championships recently). The ACC will not survive as a football conference, and the ACC commissioner John Swofford knows that. He's going to keep the "football schools" like Florida State because they will compete (and the Seminoles compete in hoops just as well recently) each year. FSU is a top five school with a terrible strength of schedule this year, and adding Pitt and UConn/Louisville (and a half time ND) will HELP, no matter what my Nittany Panther thinks.