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Michigan AD Warde Manuel explains benefits of a potential B1G alliance with Pac-12, ACC
By Rolando Rosa
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As Texas and Oklahoma get set to reportedly eventually transition to the SEC, there’s been reports about a potential alliance with the B1G, ACC, and Pac-12.
Michigan AD Warde Manuel discussed his thoughts on the MGoBlue podcast. Manuel praises B1G commissioner Kevin Warren for taking an active stance by open to the possibility. Manuel believes there’s a sense of urgency from the three conferences in the wake of the SEC’s movement.
Jon Jansen: There’s a lot going on in the conferences across the country, especially the Power 5 conferences. There was talk about an alliance between the Big Ten, the Pac-12 and the ACC. Any update or truth to the alliance that we were hearing about?
Warde Manuel: There’s been great conversations between the commissioners. Commissioner Warren has done a great job in talking with the Pac-12 commissioner and the ACC commissioner. I don’t have anything to share, other than, I think, in general, I’m excited about that potential and what it would bring under the leadership of Kevin Warren. I just think he made the right decision to have that conversation. And it’s not just about games, we have a lot in common with the Pac-12 schools and the ACC schools.
It’s about being like institutions, looking at governance, how we think about those kind of things … There’s a lot of great colleagues that I have in the SEC, this is no down on them. But given some of the movement that occurred, I think this is the right decision to be made to have that conversation amongst the three of us and to really form this alliance that sort of thinks about things on a more consistent basis than just waiting for our annual NCAA meeting.
If that turns out to be great games and great schedules, football, basketball and Olympic sports, I love it. It’s great for sports
The landscape is rapidly changing in college football, so this potential alliance is just another example of that.
Michigan kicks off the season on Sept. 4 with a home contest vs. Western Michigan (12 p.m. EST/ESPN).
Rolando Rosa brings his experience covering college football to Saturday Tradition. Follow him on Twitter @RolandoRosa3.