SEC Conference Re-alignment: What will happen?

What will the SEC look like in 10 years? Better yet, what will it look like in 2 years? That is the big question of the weekend with the rumors swirling that Texas A&M will be joining the SEC by the 2012 season. My humble opinion is that we will see Texas A&M in the SEC by at the latest 2013, I think it is all but done after deciphering all of the rumors over the last two days. But the big question to me is who will be the other team?

I can’t believe the SEC will let A&M in the conference by themselves leaving the conference with 13 teams and there is two reasons why: 1) The conference is too strong to allow an odd number of teams, and 2) Slive gets what he wants. It is hard to believe that the SEC would have an odd number of teams with all of the momentum the league has right now with five national championships in a row in football and four teams projected to be ranked in the top 25 in basketball this upcoming season.

But who will be the team joining A&M? I have no clue, but I can give you a list of teams that have been rumored to be linked to the SEC. The most rumors have involved Florida State, which as everyone knows is a football powerhouse in the ACC. FSU has denied the rumors but the more smoke means the more people who are talking about them. The other school is Virginia Tech, who is another football powerhouse from the ACC. Virginia Tech would be an interesting pick due to their always impressive football team but like FSU they don’t bring much to the basketball side of things. The next school is Missouri, who would appear to be the back up plan for the SEC. I don’t see the SEC going to Missouri unless the previously mentioned schools and Oklahoma and Oklahoma State decline an invite (I see these schools as unlikely without Texas joining). Clemson is another team that has been mentioned for a long time with a SEC expansion, although as of now rumors haven’t linked them to the SEC expansion with Texas A&M.

Possibly the most interesting rumor came late last night, and brace yourself for this one: North Carolina. Obviously UNC would add to the basketball side of the SEC which would immediately put the SEC to the top level with the other top basketball conferences. UNC is struggling with investigations into their football program which was on the rise until the scandals hit them. I can’t see UNC bolting the ACC, leaving the Duke in conference rivalry abandoned. But a Texas A&M site stated on the radio that sources from A&M said UNC was a school in consideration.

Who do I think would be best for UK to join Texas A&M: North Carolina. It would add a natural rival to UK for basketball and a team in football that is on par with UK and after the sanctions that will likely come from the NCAA be a team that UK will beat in football for the foreseeable future. North Carolina would boost the SEC immeasurably in basketball and would add another great conference opponent to UK.

Who do I think is the most likely: Florida State. When rumors are swirling violently about a team, it typically ends up being true. FSU has a great football tradition and seems to fit in with what the SEC is looking wanting. Football is king in the SEC and FSU would be a great team with a great tradition and would add to the mystique of the SEC.

Time will tell what happens, but you can bank on this: There will be a thousand rumors on the SEC expansion and if the SEC accepts Texas A&M, dominoes will fall around the country.

Follow me on Twitter: tyleradkins_

Keep following www.http://wildcatbluenation.com for the best in Kentucky basketball and football news, rumors, and opinions. By Kentucky fans for Kentucky fans