SI reports that the ACC is considering expansion. They are wooing this year's NCAA basketball champion, Syracuse, and last year's football champion (and this year's runner up) Miami, who are both members of the Big East. To further damage the conference, Miami is insisting that Boston College be invited to tag along. That would essentially gut the Big East conference, and leave my beloved Virginia Tech behind. Sports Illustrated columnist Stuart Mandel envisions what the resulting picture would look like.

The battle for who gets admitted, if there is an expansion, is heating up the political scene as well, with Virginia Governor Mark Warner entering the fray.

"I believe very strongly that any realignment of the Big East or the ACC needs to include Virginia Tech in a major conference," Warner told a small group of reporters outside the Executive Mansion.

"If the ACC chooses to expand -- particularly if they choose to expand [by] three members -- it should include Virginia Tech. I'm doing all I can to make that happen," he said.

I wonder if Virginia Senator and UVA alumnus George Allen can enter the fracas as well? John Casteen, the President of UVA supports the addition of Virginia Tech to the ACC. Since Duke and UNC both voted against expansion, Virginia may hold the crucial third veto vote to stave off expansion altogether if VT is left behind.

So, would VT become the next great independent? A Notre Dame of sorts? Probably not. Stewart Mandel notes:

Imagine the potential plight of Virginia Tech, which could conceivably play in the BCS title game this season, then get kicked out of the BCS the next. In that scenario, the Hokies might become the East Coast equivalent of BYU, nationally respected but essentially ostracized from the national championship picture.

This doesn't sound encouraging.

UPDATE: It looks like the ACC will destroy the Big East. ESPN reports that today the ACC voted to invite Syracuse, BC, and Miami, leaving VT "on the outside, looking in." BC's untapped TV market was just too much to pass up. I guess it's time for VT to start shopping around.