Utah source dispels ACC rumor: 'No one could come up with any evidence'

Utah leaving the Big 12 for the ACC isn't a rumor with any legs according to KSL Sports' Michelle Bodkin; who questioned where the hypothetical even came from since such a move was on no one's radar until recently.

"...despite perhaps looking feasible on the surface, this latest rumor doesn’t really add up or make a lot of sense when you consider the short and intermediate future of college athletics," Bodkin wrote.

"Obviously, Utah’s statement from the athletic department should be enough to dispel this rumor, but to further compound the message, after talking with three separate, well-placed sources on the matter, no one could come up with any evidence such a move was ever even on the radar let alone being seriously discussed."

Hall of Fame writer Dick Weiss implied that ESPN's TV contract with the ACC could be a factor in Utah leaving the Big 12 almost immediately upon joining it.

"Speculation is circulating about potential shifts in college sports conferences," Weiss prefaced before saying, "There is discussion about Utah possibly moving to the ACC despite its recent move to the Big 12, with some suggesting the ACC might be a better fit due to its ESPN network agreement and potential for increased TV value. However, skepticism exists regarding the stability and attractiveness of the ACC compared to the Big 12."

Utah would've given ACC teams in all four time zones

If the ACC is set to lose FSU and Clemson, it likely has to do something major to make up for it. Adding Utah would've been just that, giving the conference a team in every time zone -- adding the mountain time zone with the Utes.

In the absence of such a move, the ACC can pursue a school like Boise State. That is, if the conference doesn't look to downsize by getting rid of the lowest revenue-producing programs in favor of a less complicated revenue split for the top of the conference.