Florida State: 95/1
The Seminoles would be a great fit but, like most things in relation to conference expansion and realignment, what makes most sense doesn’t happen. Florida State would fit in perfectly with the rest of the SEC: It’s a football school with great tradition and a history of championships located in the South. But according to multiple reports, there are SEC teams who have agreed to vote against the inclusion of teams who play in the same state as a current SEC member. We know Florida wouldn’t want to compete against FSU more than it already does. So, this one is a long shot.
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Maryland: 75/1
There isn’t another SEC team in Maryland, but we think the Terps are almost as long a shot to head to the powerhouse football league as Florida State. Sure, things are changing in College Park – did you see those uniforms? – but let’s be honest: Maryland is a basketball school with tradition in the ACC. We know that football is always a cash cow, but we see the Terps making decisions based on what’s best for their bread-and-butter sport. On the hardwood, they should be playing Duke and North Carolina, not Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.
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Georgia Tech: 60/1
Georgia Tech has two problems: It shares a state with Georgia, a strong member of the SEC, and it doesn’t have a great football identity. The Yellow Jackets have had their moments – and would likely jump at a move to the SEC – but we’re not sure that the league wants them. The pending addition of Texas A&M is attractive to the SEC because it would introduce the league to Texas, home of frenzied football fans in a new television market. Georgia Tech, while it fits the league’s Southeastern profile, is more of the same. And that’s not a good thing.
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Clemson: 50/1
We don’t want to beat a dead horse, but in-state rival South Carolina might not allow Clemson’s entrance. But we think that, if the SEC sat back and thought about it, the league would realize that adding Clemson would strengthen the conference. The Tigers already have a Southern fanbase that rivals any in the SEC. Translation: They would fit right in. They already have a rabid rivalry with South Carolina that could be a positive for the SEC. Sure, the league wouldn’t be expanding its reach if it added Clemson, but there’s something to be said for adding a school that just feels like it belongs.
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Oklahoma: 45/1
We know this: The SEC would love to add the Sooners. They are a big fish that would make its home an increasingly large pond. However, OU looks to be leaning toward the Pac-12 if it leaves the Big 12. Coach Bob Stoops doesn’t seem to be as sentimental as those at Baylor, which is trying desperately to keep the Big 12 together. Stoops believes that super-conferences are the next big thing. It seems like he’d have no problem lumping his school in with teams in either the South or West. If the Big 12 does indeed break up, both Texas and Oklahoma likely would head to the left coast.
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