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Former Commissioner Mike Tranghese On WFAN: Big East In Survival Mode

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) – Former Big East commissioner Michael Tranghese said the league was in "survival mode" after losing Syracuse and Pitt to the ACC, the second time in six years the ACC has poached teams from the Big East.

Tranghese joined Mike Francesa on Monday for a frank interview regarding the state of college athletics.

Listen: Michael Tranghese with Mike Francesa on WFAN

"College athletics is controlled by football and controlled by money," Tranghese said. "We've lost all senses of loyalty."

"The ACC has its reasons for expanding. They want to get better in football, so they take Syracuse and Pitt for their football."

The trend toward 16-team superconferences picked up steam when the ACC announced it was officially picking off the two longtime Big East schools to continue cannibalizing its northern neighbor. Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College had already left the league for the ACC in recent years, and now the Big East is left trying to hang on to its remaining football members and find a way to survive in an ever-changing college sports landscape.

And it could get even worse for the conference.

The Big East will be down to six football schools, most of which are actively seeking another conference. UConn and Rutgers will likely be additional targets of the ACC.

"The ACC is going to come for two more teams," said Tranghese.

Tranghese was not happy that ACC commissioner John Swofford, shortly after snagging Syracuse and Pittsburgh, openly discussed moving his league's basketball tournament to Madison Square Garden, where the Big East Tournament has been a staple for 27 years.

"The idea [of bringing the ACC tourney to MSG] makes me want to throw up."

How do you feel about the move and the state of college athletics?

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