Hypothethical addition to the SEC

[615dawg]

This would probably never happen, but if we were to add Texas A&M, and could not add Virginia Tech to the East, and had to go with a team within the current footprint, why would we not consider South Florida?

USF is the 9th largest college in the U.S. (between Michigan State and Penn State) with an enrollment of 46,612. In 20-30 years, that alumni base will be huge. You add SEC football to their offerings and that's a 50k student enrollment overnight
They are a current member of a BCS conference.
Yes, they play in an off-campus stadium, but it is one of the nicest in America (Raymond James). Their student section is among the best in the country.
Tampa would be an awesome fanbase,
USF has been to five straight bowl games (40-24 over last five years)
They are a mainstay in the Top 25, reaching as high as #2 in the last three years

Basketball is getting much better under Stan Heath. They did pretty decent in the Big East last year, pulling a couple of major upsets. They would be in the top half of the SEC.

Women's basketball is a 20-game winner usually. They would have a tough transition

Baseball would be near the bottom of the SEC.

 

[captaindawg]

the SEC does not have to expand and adding South Florida would be a filler at best considering we have the Florida market with the University of Florida. I would love to add Texas A&M due to the Texas market and the additional ties it already has with the SEC. The problem I have with South Florida is the same I have with Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech and Louisville...we already have a presence in that state. If we needed to add another team with TAM then I would much rather have expansion into another market with teams such as Virginia Tech, Maryland, orNorth Carolina. I also wouldn't mind Oklahoma due to their following and their exposure for us in the Texas area. Adding TAM with any of the above mentioned schools significantly increases our foot print in the TV market.