Back in 2004, rumors abounded for months about the Atlantic Coast Conference expanding to a 12-team conference. In 2005,  the ACC seemed complete with the additions of Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College – all programs from the Big East conference.

In 2011, the ACC once again stripped two teams from the Big East, Pittsburgh and Syracuse. But this time, ACC Commissioner John Swofford wasted no time.

“I was surprised because it happened a little quicker than last time,” football coach Tom O’Brien said Monday during his weekly press conference. “Having been through this (at Boston College in 2005), there’s all those false rumors out there going back and conference.”

Redshirt senior linebacker Audie Cole said the addition of the two teams will not only add to the excitement, but also to the depth of the teams in the conference overall.

“I think adding Syracuse and Pitt will make things a lot tougher,” Cole said. “It’s not just two more teams being added to the schedule, they are two teams that will increase the playing level for the