I've already made my stance on extensive conference expansion talk known, but I'd be remiss if I didn't post at least the relevant chunk from Gene Wojciechowski's Texas A&M/SEC primer from yesterday.
If A&M is the 13th team, who is No. 14?
If I had to bet a nickel, I'd say Louisville. SEC member Kentucky might not like it, but the Wildcats are already playing the Cardinals in football and basketball. And I don't think UK has enough political juice to stop it.
But let's be clear about this: A&M is the candy, Louisville is only the wrapper. The Big 12 could be an option for Louisville, but the SEC would be U of L's first choice.
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Wasn't the SEC pushing reform agendas not long ago? But now it might trigger expansion chaos?
Hold on there a minute, Sparky.
If it just adds A&M and Louisville, there's a good chance the dust would settle quickly. The Big 12 would take a shot to the gut, but could maybe convince football independent BYU to join up, or get TCU to ditch the Big East. The Big East would be weakened, but not mortally wounded.
But if the SEC has other ideas, then we've got apocalypse now. It could sign A&M and then try to raid the Atlantic Coast Conference for Florida State, Clemson and Georgia Tech for a 16-team super-conference. I don't think Florida, which has a lot of clout in the SEC, would go for FSU in the same conference, but these are strange times.
But let's say Slive is able to convince Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to give the thumbs-up to adding in-state rivals. Oh, boy.
Then the ACC might have hand-to-hand combat with the Big East and make runs at, say, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and West Virginia. That might cause Notre Dame, which is a basketball and Olympics sports partner of the Big East, to re-examine its football independent status.
If the Big East goes away or is disfigured beyond recognition, then anything is possible. Even the Big Ten, which has publicly said it has no plans to expand past 12 members, would be compelled to consider a change in policy.
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Your best guess on what happens?
A&M bolts to the SEC. Louisville happily follows. Expansion peace ensues.
Until the next move.
Discuss. I mean I'm not going to, but you all feel free.