Report: Syracuse, Pittsburgh talking to ACC

[September 17, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Syracuse and Pittsburgh are in talks with the Atlantic Coast Conference about leaving the Big East to join the league, The New York Times reported Friday night.

The story posted on the newspaper's website cited an unidentified source with direct knowledge of the talks. Officials at Pittsburgh, Syracuse and the ACC declined comment when reached by the Times.

If Syracuse and Pittsburgh decide to leave the Big East, it could lead to another dramatic shuffle in college athletics. Texas A&M has announced its intention to join the Southeastern Conference, leaving the future of the Big 12 in doubt.

Syracuse is a founding member of the Big East, and Pittsburgh joined the league in 1982.

"We've been dealing with the fluidity of the conference landscape on multiple levels for a week," Amy Yakola, the ACC's associate commissioner for public relations and marketing, told the newspaper, "and at this point we wouldn't be able to comment on speculation."

Mike Finn, the ACC's associate commissioner for football communications, told The Associated Press late Friday night he was unaware of any such talks and didn't know anything about the Times report.

[Associated Press]

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