SEC Expansion: Texas A&M Is the 13th Member, Could Florida State Be Next?

And so it begins.  The first domino to fall in the plot to change the landscape of college football is now official. 

With Texas A&M off to the SEC as their 13th member, who will be the 14th team?  Or will the league expand to 16 teams?

The Big 12 as we know it is on the brink of extinction with only nine members left.  Additionally, the bell cow of the league, Texas, is still on the expansion wish list of the Pac-12 and others.  Missouri also figures to be a valuable commodity that will search for a new long-term home.

The biggest question is what criteria will the SEC go by in looking for potential universities to join the most powerful league in college athletics?

Most believe their number one priority is expanding the TV footprint of the league to attract bigger markets.  Adding the Aggies gets them into Texas, and Missouri could be another option to add to the SEC West because of the St. Louis and Kansas City markets. 

When looking at their options to the East, their model of chasing TV dollars could dilute their on-field product, and in the process, trump adding schools who contribute to building their reputation on the gridiron.

Virginia Tech seems to make the most sense, but pulling them away from Virginia, who staunchly fought for their addition to the ACC, figures to be make that scenario unlikely.  ACC pioneer North Carolina is a pipe dream.  West Virginia and Louisville wouldn’t add any substance from a competition or revenue standpoint.   

Let’s face it, even their latest addition struggled mightily in the Big 12 for the last decade.  Missouri is not exactly a powerhouse with a dominant football tradition. 

If the SEC wants to maintain its standard as the best conference in the land, it should aggressively pursue teams that fit from a branding and recognition standpoint. 

With that criterion in mind, Florida State would be the most logical choice.  Regardless of the alleged gentleman’s agreement between Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina to not let their in-state rivals into the league, FSU fits the SEC for a number of reasons.

One, the Seminoles are still one of the biggest TV draws in the country, which serves as a counter to the footprint argument.  The ‘Noles appear prominently among the most watched college games in the sport’s history. 

Two, think of the geographical rivalries that could make the SEC schedule even more attractive to TV partners.  On National Signing Day in February, FSU finished in the top three in the recruiting rankings next to Alabama and Auburn. 

With mentor Nick Saban patrolling the sidelines in Tuscaloosa, going up against the Tide on the field would add a high level of intrigue for Jimbo Fisher’s squad.

FSU also engaged in thrilling contests with Auburn and LSU in the 80’s, and a border war with Georgia is a natural fit for a potential rivalry. 

Finally, when you look at the potential candidates and the status of their athletic programs as a whole, none fit the SEC model better than FSU. 

The ‘Noles have finished in the Top 10 of the directors cup standings the past two years.  By comparison, the only other SEC members who can say the same are Florida, and newbie Texas A&M. 

The SEC chased the ‘Noles in the early 90’s because they saw the potential in their program.  The same reasons it made sense back then still apply years later, only with the added benefit of a championship tradition making their resume even stronger this time around.