Ready for your unsubstantiated sports mega-rumor of the day? The University of Miami has informally contacted the Big 12 conference to gauge the interest in the possibility of ditching the ACC and joining the Texas-centric conference, according to one report at least. Of course, there are already rumors swirling that some higher ups at FSU are itching to jump conferences, and apparently Virginia Tech and Clemson have made the faintest of overtures to the Big 12 as well.
This comes from OrangeBloods.com, a Texas Longhorns news site that's part of the Rivals.com network (itself a part of the Yahoo! Sports umbrella). The actually story is behind a pay wall, but the 7th Floor Crew blog summarizes the following:
Two sources have apparently said that Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Miami have all reached out to the Big 12 informally to try and gauge interest in expansion. That italicized word is important, because until there is official contact, this is all just puffery. At any rate, one of the sources apparently put the odds at expansion at "55 to 60 percent" and listed the targets as being headed by Notre Dame, followed by FSU, then Clemson, then VT and Miami. It appears as any news on expansion, if at all, would not come until late June once the proposed 4-team playoff structure is finalized.So to put that in prospective, you have two anonymous sources claiming these four schools may or may not have sent what amounts to a nudge or a wink to the Big 12. Miami is apparently at the bottom of the list as well. Which is basically to say, there's nothing really concrete here. It's a theory floating out there in the rumor-sphere basically. But it does make sense that Miami would try to have all their bases covered, and at least reached out to gauge interest.
Though, an anonymous University of Miami Board of Trustees member had told CBS Sports last week that Miami was unlikely to leave the ACC for the Big 12 if FSU jumped ship.
"It's highly unlikely," the Truestee said. "I'm not sure Miami's academic standards are a good fit in the Big 12."
Of course, if FSU, Clemson, and VT did jump ship, Miami would be left in a conference that would become even more identified with the Carolinas and basketball, and even less identified with top tier level football. At that point, academics aside, it would be hard for the school not to look elsewhere. Assuming, that is, that anyone wants a small private school with an off-campus stadium and looming NCAA sanctions. Then again, preserving the yearly ratings bonanza that is FSU and Miami could provide some temptation.
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