With the Target Suddenly on Their Backs, the ACC Needs to Think Bigger to Save Itself From More Defections

I’ll start this off by saying, yes, I’m well aware of just how unlikely it is that the ACC will be adding any of the schools listed in the title of this article. Notre Dame was willing to come aboard because the conference was willing to allow them a partial membership, and I doubt the Irish will suddenly have a change of heart now that they (as an independent) are one game away from playing for a national championship. Northwestern and Penn State are part of the Big Ten — you know, the league that just poached Maryland away in the name of potential revenues. And Vanderbilt is part of the never-ending cash cow that is the SEC. So again, I know what the ACC is up against here. But with our backs to the wall right now, why not at least throw up a Haily Mary and see what happens?

The school-by-school pitches

Notre Dame: “The league’s value would be grow immensely if you were in the fold. Why wouldn’t you want to make your conference more valuable? Along with your desired non-conference rivalries with Pac-12 schools, the ACC just hands you yearly traditional rivalries with Pitt and Boston College, and allows you primetime matchups with the likes of Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Virginia Tech. Worried about staying relevant in New York City? Syracuse has shown it’s more than willing to play a home game in East Rutherford every year. Didn’t want to lose D.C. with Maryland’s departure? Virginia Tech or Virginia can head on up there every so often, to make sure you get exposure in that market. Plus, if you come on-board full-time, it’ll be much easier to convince other “bigger” programs to join up as well. Really.”

Penn State: “We know the Big Ten has it out for you. That fumble call against Nebraska was part of a much larger conspiracy by the league and the NCAA to truly stick it to you in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. They’re going to continue to do so. Oh, and remember when Penn State was able to claim a good chunk of the New York market due to its proximity and affiliation to the B1G? Well that’s gone too, now that Rutgers has joined the conference. Speaking of the Scarlet Knights, we have a proposition for you: trade matchups with them and the Terps at noon for games against FSU, Notre Dame and Miami. We’ll even let you restart your old, bitter rivalries against Syracuse and Pitt. And we’ll let you win games and compete for a national championship. Seriously.”

Continue reading →