Syracuse May Leave Big East For ACC
By: Thad Brown
Updated: September 17, 2011
The chaos of colleges changing conferences has finally swept up Syracuse and possibly will leave the Orange in a new league.
Saturday, multiple reports surfaced that Syracuse and Pitt have applied for membership to the ACC. A source told ESPN.com that 10 schools have applied to get in the ACC, but Syracuse and Pitt seem to be schools the ACC most desire.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that Pitt's move is a done deal and an announcement is imminent. Officials from Pitt, Syracuse, the Big East and the ACC would not comment.
The Big East recently lost Boston College and Miami to the ACC and this move would leave the conference in dire straits. To help increase league stability, the ACC changed its rules to require a 20 million dollar payment by any school wishing to leave. The Big East only charges a five million dollar penalty.
Although Syracuse would lose basketball rivalries with schools like Georgetown and Villanova, it would gain a much stronger slate of football opponents. In addition, annual contests with Duke and North Carolina would more than make up for anything subtracted on the basketball side.
Saturday, multiple reports surfaced that Syracuse and Pitt have applied for membership to the ACC. A source told ESPN.com that 10 schools have applied to get in the ACC, but Syracuse and Pitt seem to be schools the ACC most desire.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that Pitt's move is a done deal and an announcement is imminent. Officials from Pitt, Syracuse, the Big East and the ACC would not comment.
The Big East recently lost Boston College and Miami to the ACC and this move would leave the conference in dire straits. To help increase league stability, the ACC changed its rules to require a 20 million dollar payment by any school wishing to leave. The Big East only charges a five million dollar penalty.
Although Syracuse would lose basketball rivalries with schools like Georgetown and Villanova, it would gain a much stronger slate of football opponents. In addition, annual contests with Duke and North Carolina would more than make up for anything subtracted on the basketball side.
