Ex-North Carolina chancellor: Tar Heels ‘could have gone to the SEC if we wanted to’
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Ex-North Carolina chancellor Holden Thorp made some interesting comments during a radio appearance this week.
As college football realignment continues to make headlines, many are wondering if the ACC will survive as the Big Ten and SEC expand.
During an appearance on 99.9 The Fan, Thorp said North Carolina probably could have joined the SEC several years ago if it had wanted to:
“Pretty sure we could’ve gone to the SEC if we wanted to.” — @hholdenthorp
If you missed it, the former UNC chancellor joined me and @giglio_OG to discuss ACC grant of rights, the political mess of a Triangle school leaving another behind, and more. https://t.co/yQzVoOGGV7 pic.twitter.com/QpFPMpSi4v
— Joe Ovies (@joeovies) July 7, 2022
“Look, Carolina’s a good partner to have,” Thorp said. “So I certainly didn’t have any official conversations with the commissioner or anything like that. But, you know, some of those presidents were good friends of mine and yeah, you know, presidents get together and talk about stuff. And yes, I’m pretty sure we could have gone to the SEC if we wanted to. … I feel OK saying Carolina could’ve gone to the SEC if we wanted to.”
What will happen with the Tar Heels during this round of realignment? It seems plenty is on the table. The ACC, Big Ten and SEC could all be realistic future options for the school.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
