[More Cowbell]

I now think that if the SEC does expand, then they will only do so with teams located in new markets. Remember, just last year the SEC signed a couple of huge contracts with CBS and ESPN. But if you still receive the same amount of TV money even after expansion, then all you are doing is dividing by more teams, meaning each school would get less money than they do now. And that's not going to happen.

In order to justify going to ESPN and CBS and demanding more money from the TV deals, they will have to show that the new teams will bring in plenty of new TV viewers. So that may eliminate schools like Clemson, Fla St, or Ga Tech, which are already located close to existing SEC schools. Miami would certainly be a large new TV market and has a national following, but they also bring a lot of baggage. Plus, Florida reportedly doesn't want them in the league.

On the other hand, schools in new states with large cities may be a lot more attractive. Texas A&M, with all those Dallas TV sets, would be a good start. Missouri, although not a power in either football or basketball, would nab the St. Louis and Kansas City markets, so that might be a possibility. The SEC may also consider a school like Maryland, which could bring two large cities in Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Virginia Tech keeps getting mentioned a lot too, which although not attached to a large city, would give the SEC a foot into a new state.

If the SEC expands to 16 teams, how about this for a finished product?

East:

Florida
Kentucky
Georgia
Tennessee
South Carolina
Virginia Tech
Maryland
Vanderbilt

West:

Alabama
Auburn
Ole Miss
Miss State
LSU
Texas A&M
Arkansas
Missouri