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May 24, 2012
MY TAKE: On B12's possible expansion
Chip Brown
Orangebloods.com I will have more on this in the coming days, but I think there is a sense in the Big 12 right now that if some schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference want out of the ACC and into the Big 12 such as Florida State, Clemson or Georgia Tech, there is going to be enough momentum to add two of those while still trying to lure Notre Dame's non-football sports to the Big 12.
I'm just not hearing any talk of the Big 12 going to 14 initially.
One my best sources put the percentages at "55 to 60 percent" likely the Big 12 would expand. The timetable is most likely mid- to late June, when the four-team playoff format for college football is finalized. That source said the Big 12 was likely to grow to "twelve and a half."
I'm told nothing will really get hot in terms of any serious decision making or negotiating until mid- to late June because the league wants to have all the information about what the college football landscape is going to look like before making such sweeping decisions.
There's no question the Big 12 - led by Texas - has an interest in adding Notre Dame's non-football sports and allowing the Irish to remain independent in football. There seems to be unanimity in the league for this. Although, West Virginia will certainly have some thoughts about what it was like to have Notre Dame as a partial member in the Big East.
There also seems to be a strong interest in Florida State. After that, it could get interesting. Initially, it seemed like Clemson would be the natural second ACC team to add. But if Georgia Tech were to make serious overtures to the Big 12, it could get interesting.
There are some in the ACC who think Florida State would make a strong push for Miami.
As one source told me, "The Big 12 is going to have some hard decisions to make."
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