Thread: Report: Louisville Wants in SEC and Kentucky is Blocking Them

West Virginia has been turned down by the SEC, and it looks like Louisville wants to be in the mix to join the SEC and flee the deflating Big East.

Well, this report says Kentucky won't let that happen.

In the latest unexpected turn on the twisty, gnarled path that college football conference expansion is taking, Louisville and the University of Kentucky are now steering the SEC’s ship for the time being. The bottom line . . .

If the SEC expands to just 14 teams, the conference prefers that 14^th team to be Louisville. Kentucky does not and it has veto power, in effect, for any school within its borders. This is the same arrangement for Florida, Georgia and South Carolina regarding FSU, Georgia Tech and Clemson. As such, if membership is capped at 14 the league will have to go elsewhere for that final addition.

For many observers the presumed 14^th SEC team was West Virginia. Shocking as this may sound, given the opinion many people have of where the SEC places classroom excellence compared to the on-field product, WVU won’t be invited due to its projected academic standing among the current SEC schools and the reputation it has as a university.

With Louisville and WVU now assumed out of the mix – at least at this time – the SEC’s options are more limited than most of us have thought to this point. A $20 million payoff to the ACC would affect that, but the SEC’s first, second and third priorities are to avoid that. Suddenly, Missouri is back in the discussion as the 14^th conference team.
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I really don't know why the SEC would want Louisville in the SEC. Kentucky already has that market pretty secure, which is why I don't understand turning WVU down.

It looks like it is going to be a free for all from here on out.

Do you want Louisville in the SEC?

I highly doubt Louisville is a top choice for the SEC. I don't see it ever happening.

If Louisville gets the SEC invite, it wont be because of any particular sport. It's because of their "all sports" approach. And they have a very identifiable national brand. It doesn't hurt that they clear $74million a year in athletics revenue either. More than several current SEC schools.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If Louisville gets the SEC invite, it wont be because of any particular sport. It's because of their "all sports" approach. And they have a very identifiable national brand. It doesn't hurt that they clear $74million a year in athletics revenue either. More than several current SEC schools.

They'll be on the outside looking in IMO.

In two or three years Looserville will want to go to another conference. Doesn't look like they are happy in any conference. Let them stay were they are, we don't need them in the SEC and the dirty baggage that Pitino would bring with him.