Conference Shuffle: ACC

The ACC has been aggressive in 2011 adding two teams, bringing their total to 14, after adding Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech from the Big East in 2004/05. The only thing I still find strange about this conference is the reasoning for the divisions, why not just do North and South instead of Atlantic and Coastal? The answer is in basketball they want the North Carolina schools separated and in football they would not mind a Miami/Florida State championship game annually. So knowing they will never have conferences that make sense, I will not change that as they surely won't!

Current
Atlantic
Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Maryland
North Carolina State
Wake Forest

Coastal
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami
North Carolina
Virginia
Virginia Tech

Syracuse and Pittsburgh are joining the ACC as well, unfortunately due to the buyout and waiting period it is unknown when they will join the conference, but somehow they will get it worked out for them to start football in 2012. The ACC has been up front about needing to improve their football product so that should influence who they would bring into the conference moving forward too. Also, as a reminder I have Florida State leaving the conference for the SEC, so we will have to add 3 more teams to get the ACC to 16, here we go.

Atlantic
Boston College
Clemson
*Connecticut
Maryland
North Carolina State
*Notre Dame
*Syracuse
Wake Forest

Coastal
*Central Florida
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami
North Carolina
*Pittsburgh
Virginia
Virginia Tech

The biggest stretch here is Notre Dame, but they have expressed interest according to many sources and they definitely want to get into a conference before it is too late. Also, with the Big East looking weaker and weaker by the day, they cannot afford to get stuck there in the long run. They already compete in the Big East in all other sports other than football. I also do not believe they truly want to be in the Big Ten. Central Florida is an up and coming program with a new on campus stadium and would greatly improve the football product and add a decent television market in Orlando. The other option instead of UCF to me would be South Florida, but I think they would lean UCFs way.

These moves no doubt improve the football that would be played in the ACC, not to mention it would shift the basketball power back as well from the Big East.