quote:
There's really no way for the SEC to stop the Big 10 from expanding into the South... or at least no way that makes sense for our own financial interests. There are at least three schools from North Carolina that either the SEC or Big 10 could add to enter the NC market. Obviously NC is the best option for either conference but NC State is also viable (and would improve IMO if it entered as a SEC member). Duke is arguably the #1 basketball school in the country (in terms of recent success and national interest) and generates more money on football than I really thought they could given their generally terrible product and small stadium. Virginia has two major schools that the Big 10 and SEC should have interest in and Georgia has a major school in Georgia Tech that makes sense for the Big 10 to invite but not for the SEC (When we're already in Georgia and have programs in all the surrounding states)

The Big Ten isn't going to invite Virginia Tech or NC State because they don't fit the academic profile. Apparently, they also aren't interested in Duke (despite the stellar academics). Therefore, if the SEC landed UVA and UNC, the Big Ten would be effectively blocked from expanding in the south, unless they were willing to take Georgia Tech as an isolated outlier, or bend their criteria to admit a school that heretofore wouldn't have made the cut.

That's why I'm not in favor of expanding unless it involves UNC. I think the SEC could live with the Big Ten in Virginia, but if they get UNC, then they can get all the way down to Atlanta with a real presence in the southeast. I doubt that adding NC State and Va. Tech as a response to UNC and UVA going to the Big Ten would have enough upside to overcome the political turmoil the would come with 16 members (there is no way to have 16 teams and preserve all the football rivalries while playing an 8 game schedule, and it's probably not possible at 9 games, although you could come close).