The Atlantic Coast Conference has received application letters from Pittsburgh, and Syracuse to join the league (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-acctalks).
You can believe the application is a mere formality, as those schools would not be applying had they not received assurances that they would be approved.
In Football, the ACC is currently divided as follows:
ACC Atlantic:
Maryland
FSU
Wake Forest
Clemson
NCST
Boston College
ACC Coastal:
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech
Virginia
North Carolina
Duke
Miami
Would you just add Pitt to one Division, and Syracuse to the other? Or would you reshuffle the Divisions into North and South?
Perhaps Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Maryland, Virginia, and Virginia Tech in the ‘North’?
Between 2000-10, Pittsburgh went to 8 bowl games including the Fiesta Bowl in 2004. During that same period, Syracuse went to just 3 bowls. That said, the Orange do have a proud history, and some of their success is not too far removed. During the period of 1987 through 1999, Syracuse went to Bowls 11 out of 13 seasons. Those Bowl games included two visits to the Fiesta Bowl, as well as trips to the Sugar and Orange Bowls.
Obviously both schools are basketball powers. Jim Boeheim is a true legend in the College game. Syracuse was a founding member of the Big East in ’79, and the Orange have had 8 trips to the Elite Eight, 4 visits to the Final Four, and won the National Championship in 2003. The Panthers have emerged as well, with Pittsburgh having made the Tournament in 10 consecutive seasons, and wining the Conference four times since 2002. The Panthers have also made the Sweet 16 five times since that year, with current Head Coach Jamie Dixon leading them to the Elite 8 in 2009.
I’m happy to see the ACC move forward with these additions, and it is my opinion that the league should be moving to 16 right away. I’m not sure how serious the flirtations from Texas are, but even without the Longhorns; I think Connecticut and West Virginia make a lot of sense for the league.
EDIT: The more I read, the more I am convinced Texas to the ACC is just extremely unlikely. Most stories indicate Texas would want to take Texas Tech with them, and I do not see that happening. The Long Horn Network will remain an issue for a league like the ACC committed to equal revenue sharing. Despite the concerns of some within the ACC about the academic standing of West Virginia, I continue to believe they would improve the league. I think the benefits of their addition, are greater than the potential opening of the NYC market with the addition of Rutgers. That said, it is currently clear that West Virgina is the leading candidate to join the SEC as their 14th member (after the addition of Texas A&M).
If the ACC were to add WVU, and UConn; the league could look like this:
North: BC, UConn, ‘Cuse, Pitt, MD, UVA, VaTech, WVU
South: UNC, NCST, Wake, Duke, Clem, GaTech, FSU, Miami
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