If that is true, then the SEC should absolutely, unequivocally, without a shadow of a doubt - take Florida State and Clemson next when alignment comes due.
The only question would be, who is 19 and 20. I don't care about TV footprint of UNC and UVA, as time goes by, that will dwindle. It will become about football brands more than anything. Of course, after FSU/CU, the best of the rest is probably UNC, NC State or Va Tech. But truth be known, I don't know that I'd want the B1G getting Miami and Georgia Tech either (if I'm the SEC). That's like dropping troops right into the SEC's homeland.
100% Florida State should be the first team off the board, academics be damned. Clemson might be a good #2, but I'd have to see where Clemson is in the next 5-7 years.
What's going to get ratings?
Alabama vs Florida State
or
Alabama vs Virginia?
It really comes down to who the networks will pay for and that's going to mean matchups against your upper tier of the conference, so who would you want to see Texas, OU, LSU, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida play? You could go ahead and throw Tennessee and Auburn and maybe Texas A&M in there too. If we're talking Big Ten, who do you want to see go up against Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, USC, Washington, Oregon, and maybe Wisconsin and Iowa. Once you answer that question, that gives you your answers on who's going to be next.
I'm not sure anybody is clamoring for Penn State vs Georgia Tech. Penn State vs Miami? That actually sounds like good TV regardless of Miami's recent football history. Penn State vs Pitt? That could be a fun in state rivalry if marketed correctly.
Another thing to consider with the potential demise of the ACC is where Notre Dame is going to land. They may be content with their Men's basketball and non-revenue sports in a depleted ACC, but you have to believe they're going to really have to consider if they want 5 football games to continue to be vs Syracuse, Boston College, Louisville, SMU, and whoever gets poached from the AAC or Conference USA.
