entertained during these slow times when there's not much actual news to talk about. I actually believe that 5 16-team conferences is more likely to happen that 4 16-team conferences - and that's not even the most likely endgame. I could see both the SEC and Big Ten deciding to go to 16 if the right candidates presented themselves, but I don't think the ACC really cares that much with increasing from 14 to 16 unless Notre Dame decided they wanted to become a football member as well. Even then, I get the impression that the ACC only went to 14 as a buffer in case they end up getting raided again. For example - if the Big Ten were to expand again and add a couple of ACC schools, then I don't see the ACC expanding from 12 back up to 14. I think they'd stay at 12 in that case. I also don't see the Pac-12 deciding to expand past 12 unless a school like Texas or Oklahoma came calling. That leaves the Big 12. I do think they'll eventually expand. However, I don't see how those schools would be willing to go any larger than 12 schools at this time.

One plausible expansion scenario would be for the Big Ten to add Virginia and Georgia Tech. the SEC decides they also want to go to 16 and add NC State and Virginia Tech. The ACC loses 4 members and respond by adding UConn and convincing Notre Dame to become a football member which still keeps them at 12 schools. The Big 12 decides to add 2 schools to get to 12 (2 out of BYU, Cincinnati, Memphis, and UCF). The Pac-12 decides to stay put at 12 schools (I don't think they expand unless a school like Texas or Oklahoma comes calling). That leaves us with 2 16-team conferences and 3 12-team conferences.