Information on WVU site.

“I apologize I was not very clear in my PM about Bowlsby and Clemson. Bowlsby knew Clemson was having second thoughts. He told them to hold off on a decision for the immediate future. Right after this rumors of UL and BYU start to surface (they surfaced here as well) and Clemson started to worry their window of opportunity was closing.

Also, if you did not receive PM and you requested one it is because you are not accepting PMs.

Clemson was told to wait until the playoff format is known and ND makes up their mind. It made them angry and they said no thanks we’re not waiting.

FSU decided to leave anyway with the understanding that Clemson would be left in the corpse of the ACC without them.

FSU was partly bluffing to get their friend to come along.

In the meantime the Big 12 started floating Louisville’s name as a reminder to Clemson they had to change their mind again or be left behind.

Clemson’s board was also on the fence about the move and they lacked the votes. The hope was the knowledge of the playoff formats and FSU intentions would force Clemson’s BoT members on the fence to approve the move when it happens.

Neither FSU or Clemson have received invitations just yet. Neither will announce anything without one.

The SEC wants to go to 16 to correct their scheduling problems. The Big 12 may hit 12.5 for a while and then jump up to 16 quickly as well.”

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s…9087832&p=3

Here’s the deal.

Had the BCS been structured for conference champs only, which is what Swafford was pushing for, ND’s hand would have been forced and they were prepared to join the ACC as a full member.  The ACC needed ND as a full member to have any chance to match the Big 12’s TV money and is already behind the 8-ball due to the Champions Bowl.

It apparently is clear that whatever system is come up with, it will allow ND to play in.  Thus, ND does not need to give up football independence and can move its Olympic sports to the Big 12 and start a TV network.

If ND’s hand should be forced in the future (2016 BCS restructuring), the Big 12 will be the only place it can go because it will have a network and the other leagues have singed away their Tier 3 to conference networks.”

Notre Dame looking good as partial to the Big 12.

http://www.irishcentral.com/story/sport/inside-notre-dames-fighting-irish/big-12-looking-like-a-nice-fit-for-irish-159560415.html

Notre Dame olympic sports headed for the Big 12.

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1377426

Bowlsby is a very smart guy, he knows taking Notre Dame destroys any chance of survival of the ACC, at least any form worth mentioning financially if the ACC can’t get ND, and it looks like they can’t. They are going to be settling on a pretty low budget. They are also going to be looking at teams bolting for the Big 12.

It looks to me like the some of these people may be right about an announcement this weekend. It is very possible. FSU needs Clemson to go and it looks like they are back on board for the Big 12 and one half. Notre Dame only wants a partial. FSU wants Clemson but would probably go without them. I can’t believe Clemson would pass this up even though they may be irritated at this point.

I am not sure the Big 12 wants this sixteen team deal. One guy mentioned and I agree they want to maximize TV money and Bowlsby and Dodd seem to think that 12 does this. Some enterprising network is going to have to pay for the rights to watch match ups with OU, FSU, Texas, OSU, Clemson etc with Notre Dame thrown in for six games or so. Right now TCU, KSU and WVU are top 25 preseason. This is a pretty serious array of talent.

The figures we hear of 24 million are beginning to sound very reasonable, think about it! Throwing FSU, Clemson and ND in there, what league has better talent than this? The answer is none and it will pull serious money. Plus there is tier 3 money, 6 to 10 million for FSU. Only the Big 12 has been clever enough to hold onto tier 3 rights.

Remember even as a partial ND agreeing to 6 games or so, means more eyes on the Big 12 and more money in the TV contract, they don’t have to be a full member at this point. If FSU and Clemson, ND as a partial were in the Big 12 now there would be 8 teams in the top 25 preseason. That would be incredible and demand serious money.

We have heard all about the markets in different areas, up north etc. The fact is the networks told the SEC that the aggies and Missouri did not do anything to raise the pay out. Now their hands are in the till for 25 million a year with the SEC channel coming up which absorbs all tier 3 rights.  Possibly the Big 12 is not buying this. No way of knowing if they go to 14 or 16 but it is possible they do not.

More from the WVU site
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s…9087816&p=4

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=16&f=2947&t=9089240

Wait, the ACC actually will have more access to a potential playoff scenario than the Big 12? How can that be? That doesn’t fit my narrative. That is not what was said on WVUmountaineerillustrated.com….

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-blog/dp-teel-time-playoff-revenue-sharing,0,2079293.story