re: Speaking of possible expansions (Big XII and SEC) - best attendance non P5

As a young UNC fan/alum, I really have no loyalty to the ACC and would love to join the SEC. Many of our fans would prefer SEC over Big 10 but unfortunately our admin probably probably wouldn't agree.

As many of y'all have mentioned, NC State very much has a little bro complex. I'd hate to think they'd have a chance to be the SEC school in North Carolina when so many are starving for big time football in Chapel Hill.

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Bad Fit
Rutgers to Big Ten
Maryland to Big Ten

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I don't see these as bad fits. If they were going to leave, those are the natural choices, imo. Especially Rutgers. They make a lot of sense in the big ten, considering it's the only power 5 conference near the northeast. That, and they're pussies in football.

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Yea, I think UVA/UNC/Duke have a pretty hardened view of the SEC as beneath them academically and culturally and see themselves as much better fits in the B1G. I doubt they would ever join the SEC.

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Those would be my choices as well but it just won't happen...Would consider OU and VT otherwise frick it...conference is big enough as it is....

I think Cincinnati is by far the best program out there.

Their football program is very up-and-coming

Finished #17 in 2007... #17 in 2008... #8 in 2009.... and #25 in 2011.

As for Basketball, they have two National Titles: 1961, 1962
They have six Final Four appearances: 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1992
As for recent basketball history, they've made the NCAA Tournament six straight seasons, making it to the Sweet 16 in 2012.

As far as television goes, they are a large market: #36 in the nation. It's a bigger TV market than Austin and/or Las Vegas. Additionally, with an enrollment of 44,000, that means there is a large alumni presence inside the television markets of Cleveland (#18), Columbus (#31) and Dayton (#64).

All four of the major Ohio markets all together combine to be a good bit larger than the Chicago market... the #3 market in the country. And the Ohio markets are usually the most football-crazed markets outside the South.

I think that even as a fan in the SEC, I could get excited about the Bearcats coming into our league. I think their upside is greater than all other remaining expansion candidates. They would expand the SEC into the crucial Ohio market. And they would give Kentucky a natural basketball rival that in time could turn into a Duke-North Carolina type of rivalry.

If the SEC expanded to 16 teams, they'd probably be my #2 choice of all the serious contenders behind only Oklahoma. I think the BIG 12 is crazy if they don't add Cincy this round.