Big 12 Football: 4 expansion options among schools wanting to leave ACC

North Carolina

Two of the seven schools that are looking for a way out of the ACC are out of North Carolina. The North Carolina Tar Heels and North Carolina State Wolfpack are looking for a way out of their current rights deal with the ACC.

And if there is one school of the bunch in North Carolina that would be worth the Big 12 shooting its shot with, it’s definitely UNC.

A piece from Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic this week detailed a quote from a Big Ten source saying that UNC is one of the “schools where the real value is”. UNC is also one of the schools in the ACC that brings value to the table in more than one area athletically.

The Tar Heels pose one of the most formidable athletic programs in the entire country. UNC is a sleeping giant on the east coast in football and is one of the biggest and most valuable brands in men’s basketball. Even UNC baseball is a profit sport that could be attractive to the Big 12.

Last but not least, UNC would bring in a valuable TV market and another solid academic school to the fold in the Big 12.

UNC checks almost every box you could want in terms of bringing in a really valuable and well-rounded school into the fold athletically and academically. If the Tar Heels would have any level of interest in talking with the Big 12 in the next round of conference expansion, it would be a no brainer to come to the table.