Smoke your cigars and enjoy the band while you can....

[Pete]

Maryland's 247Sports site is reporting that Terps will in fact apply for big 10 membership. Announcement expected to come at 3 p.m. ET.

[CHONGS]

This crap again?

yep :(

[Pete]

Again, the most (only?) significant thing about this Maryland deal is that it will test the strength of the ACC buyout.

[Trim]

Not interested.

[chum1]

This seems like the PAC-12 is kind of screwed, right? Their only options for expansion are Hawaii, Fresno State, San Diego State, Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, and Colorado State, right? That will just tank the conference

And us!  It sort of like a natural fit, I think.  Our bestie, CU, wants us to come, too.

[CNS]

Maryland's 247Sports site is reporting that Terps will in fact apply for big 10 membership. Announcement expected to come at 3 p.m. ET.

Nobody applies unless they have already been told they will get in.

The buyout fight will be fun to watch. 

["storm"nut]

Wonder if Maryland is replacing Penn State. Could it be that Penn State is going to lose accreditation over the Sandusky stuff?

[PowercatPat]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8651934/maryland-terrapins-accept-invitation-join-big-ten

[Rage Against the McKee]

This seems like the PAC-12 is kind of screwed, right? Their only options for expansion are Hawaii, Fresno State, San Diego State, Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, and Colorado State, right? That will just tank the conference

They are in better shape than anybody else because their fans aren't going to get subjected to some garbage 16 team conference schedule.

[Pete]

http://outkickthecoverage.com/reports-maryland-and-rutgers-to-the-big-ten.php

3. That fifty million ACC exit fee must not be very iron clad.

I asked exit fee questions when this measure was passed by the ACC. And so did Florida State. Namely, how enforceable was the exit fee? Remember when everyone said Nebraska, Colorado, Texas A&M, and Missouri would all have huge exit fees to pay? None of those schools paid more than $12.4 million.

Why?

Because as OKTC told you, the bylaws weren't as clear as the Big 12 thought.

Could the same be true of the ACC's $50 million? We don't know for sure because the ACC's bylaw language isn't public, but remember that the chairman of Florida State's board of trustees said this to Warchant when the ACC voted to increase the exit fees:

"President Barron voted against it. I personally think that $50 million is punitive. I'm not sure that holds up," said Bense, who was named the chairman of the Board of Trustees for a two-year term in June. Bense also said that Maryland voted against the increased buyout. "I'm not implying that there's going to be any changes, but $50 million is a lot of money."

If Maryland finds a way out for less than $50 million -- and the Terps' lawyers must think they can -- this opens the floodgates for Florida State to the Big 12.

It might not happen immediately, but it sure as hell becomes a lot more likely.

Others are piling onto this idea now...

[TheHamburglar]

This seems like the PAC-12 is kind of screwed, right? Their only options for expansion are Hawaii, Fresno State, San Diego State, Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, and Colorado State, right? That will just tank the conference

They are in better shape than anybody else because their fans aren't going to get subjected to some garbage 16 team conference schedule.

This.  They already have enough garbage teams that allow 2-3 teams each season to rack up enough power conference wins to be in the top 12-15.  They have this while having a clean-cut 12 team conference scheduling system. Historically they've always had 3-4 garbage teams, even before they added Colorado and Utah.  They already have the conference prestige for their upper teams while giving them a relativly weak schedule every year. 

[CNS]

Could not imagine being a rich alumn and dropping $50M to join a conference.  This is serious cash for anyone.  Absolutely crazy.

Gonna have to rename the entire university after the guy.

[puniraptor]

why would the big1G want maryland again? (other than because they all suck and are awful?)

[TheHamburglar]

One guy tweeted that the ACC might have to accept a $50MM check dated for 2027. No idea what his sources are, but there is already one rumor about a loop-hole in the buyout. 

[Pete]

Huge point again, from OKTC

5. What about the Big 12?

I don't think the Big 12 moves unless Florida State and another school can leave the ACC.

The television money isn't substantial enough to add Louisville or Cincinnati and I'm not sure that the conference wants to add a title game.

Basically, I think the Big 12 stays put unless Florida State comes into play.

And Florida State won't come into play until we get a precedent on what the Maryland exit fee would be.

[TheHamburglar]

why would the big1G want maryland again? (other than because they all suck and are awful?)

The only thing that matters, TV money. 

[Domino]

Florida State that much more valuable than Clemson?

[Mikeyis4dcats]

Florida State that much more valuable than Clemson?

yes.   both in fanbase and prestige.   

[Panjandrum]

To this point, no conference in the current BCS AQ structure has lost more than four teams in one year.

2003: VT, Miami, BC (Big East)
2010: Nebraska, Colorado (Big 12)
2011: Missouri, A&M (Big 12), TCU, WVU, Pitt, Syracuse (Big East...or MWC however you want to look at TCU's affiliation)
2012: Maryland (ACC), Rutgers (Big East)

It would appear, historically, that the death of these conferences is a slow process where you're picked to death. 

If you look what's happened, recently, it looks like people swing for the fences early, get a good member, and then find an underwhelming #12.

2010: Pac-12 goes for most of the Big 12 South + Colorado.  Strikes out.  Gets Colorado and Utah
2011: SEC goes after Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.  A&M says, "Yes."  VT says, "No." SEC goes after Missouri.  Tons of infighting, internal powers split, heavy money donors and fan support push them over the tipping point and they move.  Otherwise, WVU would have been #14.
2012: Big Ten goes after Maryland and, probably, UVA.  They get Maryland.  Have to settle for Rutgers.

The trend is that if you need two, you get one that you want, and you get filler for #12.

Two teams voted against the buyout in the ACC.  One is moving to the Big Ten, the other flirted heavily with us last year.

Take from that what you will.  But I think assumptions that an ACC apocalypse is coming soon are premature.

[Pete]

Florida State that much more valuable than Clemson?

yes.   both in fanbase and prestige.   

TV's

[Ira Hayes]

Would our division be KSU, KU, ISU, WVU, Clemson, and FSU?  That would suck.

[Pete]

To this point, no conference in the current BCS AQ structure has lost more than four teams in one year.

2003: VT, Miami, BC (Big East)
2010: Nebraska, Colorado (Big 12)
2011: Missouri, A&M (Big 12), TCU, WVU, Pitt, Syracuse (Big East...or MWC however you want to look at TCU's affiliation)
2012: Maryland (ACC), Rutgers (Big East)

It would appear, historically, that the death of these conferences is a slow process where you're picked to death. 

If you look what's happened, recently, it looks like people swing for the fences early, get a good member, and then find an underwhelming #12.

2010: Pac-12 goes for most of the Big 12 South + Colorado.  Strikes out.  Gets Colorado and Utah
2011: SEC goes after Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.  A&M says, "Yes."  VT says, "No." SEC goes after Missouri.  Tons of infighting, internal powers split, heavy money donors and fan support push them over the tipping point and they move.  Otherwise, WVU would have been #14.
2012: Big Ten goes after Maryland and, probably, UVA.  They get Maryland.  Have to settle for Rutgers.

The trend is that if you need two, you get one that you want, and you get filler for #12.

Two teams voted against the buyout in the ACC.  One is moving to the Big Ten, the other flirted heavily with us last year.

Take from that what you will.  But I think assumptions that an ACC apocalypse is coming soon are premature.

FSU and UL anyone?  Would take!

[Pete]

Would our division be KSU, KU, ISU, WVU, Clemson Louisville, and FSU?  That would suck.

fyp

[0.42]

[Rage Against the McKee]

Would our division be KSU, KU, ISU, WVU, Clemson, and FSU?  That would suck.

Yeah, Clemson and FSU look good on paper, but that division would be worse than the old Big 12 North.