ACC Expansion: Virginia Tech's Place in the New-Look Conference

Remember the days when Donovan McNabb played in Lane Stadium, DeAngelo Hall lined up across from Larry Fitzgerald or even the day when the Hokie Bird juiced Otto the Orange? It seems so long ago, but these sorts of events could happen again in the near future.

The ACC just accepted two new members, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. These acquisitions are going to make the ACC look like the new Big East, rather than the old guard of the ACC.

The two new members are joining Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College as Big East detractors in the new-look Atlantic Coast Conference, and UConn and Rutgers are rumored to follow suit. These moves would make the ACC a 16-team superconference.

This is assuming that there aren’t any ACC departures in the near future.

The acquisitions of the Orange and Panthers mean big things for ACC basketball, but they will do a few things for football as well. Pittsburgh football has fallen off in the past couple of years, but Syracuse is slowly getting better. Joining a better football conference could help them rebuild quicker.

So what does this mean for Virginia Tech football? Neither program will be able to knock the Hokies off their perch of the ACC elite. The move will provide some positives for the Hokies, though.

It will give Virginia Tech two new (old) rivalry games. One could argue that Virginia Tech’s biggest rival since joining the ACC is Georgia Tech, rather than UVA or Miami. Adding two old rivalries could open Pennsylvania and New York for recruiting. New York isn’t the greatest state for football recruiting, but there is a lot to gain from Pennsylvania.

Adding two more programs will also bring greater revenue to all ACC teams through revenue sharing. The extra revenue can be put into recruiting and building more facilities. This extra revenue has helped renovate Lane Stadium, build an excellent practice facility and make the Hokies’ locker room one of the best in the country. All of these upgrades help with recruiting.

I, personally, don’t agree with Syracuse’s decision to leave the Big East (I am an Orangeman). Syracuse is a founding member of the Big East, but I do see the positives of this new marriage. My feelings aside, this acquisition is a major coup, one that has a great upside.

Everyone will benefit from the memberships of these two teams. It may take a couple of years for Syracuse and Pittsburgh to become competitive in ACC football, but it will happen. These are two historic football schools that can rebuild under the right leadership. Syracuse seems to be on its way under head coach Doug Marrone, and I don’t doubt that Pittsburgh will follow.

Virginia Tech and the rest of the ACC will gain from the two new members. Assuming there isn’t drastic division realignment, it is a safe bet that the Hokies will continue to dominate the Coastal. The ACC football landscape will stay the same for a few years, but there is no telling how these two teams will perform in the future.

Let me be one of the first to welcome my Alma Mater (Syracuse) and Pittsburgh to the ACC. Now that we know who is joining the conference, the only question left is when?