Paul Finebaum predicts future SEC, Big Ten expansion, hints at ACC involvement

The path we’ve taken towards conference expansion and realignment has been a winding one. We started in the SEC with the additions of Oklahoma and Texas. The latest stop has taken the Big Ten out west for additions of USC and UCLA. Although there are vague ideas of where it goes from here, no one knows where it travels next. Paul Finebaum’s map keeps the next stop on this path for the SEC and Big Ten going through the ACC.

The ESPN commentator joined Monday’s episode of ‘McElroy & Cubelic In The Morning‘ to discuss the latest on realignments. Paul Finebaum said both Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey are having conversations with the best in order to win the college athletic’s arms race.

“I don’t think it’s wait and see. I think right now you’re looking at two super powers in a survival of the fittest contest. This didn’t look like it was an active contest a year ago when the SEC took over college football, or so it seemed. The dynamics have changed now with USC and UCLA and the domino effect that it’s had,” said Finebaum. “I don’t know where Kevin Warren has been the last week or two and I have a pretty good idea of where Greg Sankey has been. I don’t have any doubt that, either directly or indirectly, he has been talking to the biggest and the brightest people in the industry trying to figure out the moves.”

The logistics of the travel plans for USC and UCLA make more west coast teams both a possibility and a question mark. That leaves the teams out east, specifically in the ACC, as prime targets. Notre Dame remains the prize as an independent school slash partial ACC member. However, the rest of the ACC could be up for grabs. Finebaum says they are treacherous waters to sail but all parties involved are battening down the hatches to explore these proposals.

“If you’re a member of the ACC, you can’t just pick up the phone because you run into tortious interference. So you have intermediaries. That’s the way this really works. It’s through lawyers so there’s plausible deniability,” Finebaum said. “I have no doubt that representatives of schools in the ACC have at least discussed certain circumstances. I have no doubt in my mind communication has been at the highest level with Notre Dame (with) the SEC and the Big Ten.”

At the end of the day, no one is for certain where the roller coaster will loop next. We could see no more movement at all or a mass exodus from across the country. While some want to see college sports remain the same, this is the beauty of these realignment discussions. No one knows where or when the next domino will fall. If you do know, Paul Finebaum wants you to know you’re a flat out liar.

“All these people that claim to know what’s going on? I don’t think they really do. These conversations are not held where anybody knows what’s going on. We found out last year when Oklahoma and Texas came over to the SEC (that) very few people knew about it. I don’t think even ADs know”