Bill Belichick's UNC, UVA Reportedly 'Most Attractive' to SEC, Big Ten in Expansion

A pair of ACC schools reportedly are catching the eye of the SEC and Big Ten in possible conference expansion.

Per On3's Brett McMurphy, North Carolina and Virginia "will be highly contested" between the SEC and Big Ten as the two conferences look to grow in the coming years. McMurphy added that the two schools are "the most attractive to both leagues."

McMurphy's comments come after his previous report stating that the Big Ten plans to expand again in 2030. He added that Maryland athletic director James E. Smith said he could envision the conference moving to 20 teams.

The Big Ten added USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington last year, bringing the conference to 18 members. The SEC also expanded in 2024, adding Texas and Oklahoma to make it 16 teams. The ACC brought in Cal, Stanford and SMU, making it a 17-team league. The Big 12 added BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF in 2023 and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah last year, giving it 16 schools.

From a football perspective, neither North Carolina nor Virginia has had much success in recent years, as the Tar Heels went 6-7 and the Cavaliers went 5-7 last year. Of course, North Carolina's intrigue increased tremendously when the school named NFL legend Bill Belichick as head coach last year.

Though there's no deal in place just yet, The Post and Courier's Scott Hamilton said on The Paul Finebaum Show in July that both North Carolina and Virginia might be quietly working behind the scenes to change conferences.

"I actually had a source today tell me that North Carolina has a handshake agreement with the SEC," Hamilton said (h/t On3's Nick Schultz. "That same source tells me Virginia has one with the Big Ten."

All signs point to the SEC and Big Ten eventually forming a pair of college football super leagues, and it appears North Carolina and Virginia could be a major part of the equation.