ACC Basketball: Best realignment scenarios for each team if conference breaks up

Duke

While their football program has had a few nice moments in recent years, it’s all about basketball at Duke. The Blue Devils had a pretty good season in their first year after Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement and Jon Scheyer is ready to lead this program to even higher heights. If the ACC becomes unsustainable and a move is necessary, the next landing spot is very interesting for this program.

First and foremost, the Blue Devils would likely stick in the same conference as rival North Carolina, though might not stick with the other schools from their state. We’re not saying Duke and North Carolina are a package deal, but the Big Ten might make the most sense for the Blue Devils specifically. Their academics would fit right in with Northwestern and a few other schools, while it would also further expand the Big Ten’s ever-growing footprint.

A basketball conference with Duke, Michigan State, and UCLA all together sounds insane but it’s certainly realistic. The Blue Devils would also be reunited with former conference rival Maryland and would greatly elevate an already impressive basketball profile for the Big Ten. From a football standpoint, Duke would likely struggle, but a majority of the Big Ten football teams have been struggling recently as it is.