What? I don't decide who's first or last. The ACC scoffed at WVU multiple times solely because of academics. The "branch campus" narrative seems to satisfies some of you guys but doesn't mean crap to the ACC or the Big Ten. Listen man the the "owning" crap is just messing with the biggest tool I've ever read on Rivals since I joined in 2002. Still5-0 started the Dick Play last year so I just mess with him. Nothing is that serious man. You seem like a legit poster so I definitely don't want to offend you. Stills and Toronto boy on the other can go get a room together.
Once again Mr. Jacobs, your lack of facts and understanding is what I find offensive - not you necessarily but your belief that you know what you are talking about without taking the time to thoroughly investigate what you are told or read. Everything i have debated you to date can verified by you. Here's something you cannot research but perhaps you have a contact somewhere in the Pitt athletic department that can verify what I can tell you about the ACC and WVU.
Pitt and WVU approached the ACC together somewhere in the 2012-2013 time frame. At the time it took 9 votes to be accepted into the ACC. The vote was 8-4 for Pitt and 8-4 for WVU with NC, NC State, Duke, Boston College voting no. To be honest, it may have been WF as a no vote - I simply cannot remember the exact details other than the NC schools were against it and BC (initially). Long story short, BC stated they would change their vote IF Syracuse replaced WVU. The other ACC schools agreed although VT fought vehemently for WVU - imagine that.
Academic ratings - meant absolutely nothing. Academic reputation - meant absolutely nothing. Why? Because of exactly what I have been telling you - it's a much easier sell when you factor in branch campuses and the powers that be understand this as you should be able to as well. Include Pitt's branch campuses in the academic ratings and see what happens.
As for the SEC - they choose TV market over anything else. The academic ratings were NOT a factor. Obviously you can choose whether or not to believe me, but I do hope you for once try and gather facts rather than come on here and spout something you see in a magazine without knowing the rest of the story.
The Big 10 does factor academic ratings much more so than the ACC and the SEC. WVU in the Big 10 - I just dont see that happening. WVU in the SEC or ACC - absolutely it could happen.
Perhaps at some point in our lives one of us will be proven right and one of us proven wrong. I very much like my chances of coming out on the right end but then again, I hope the argument is never settled because I love being in the big 12. Our culture and fan base are much more of a match with the Big 12 than with the ACC.