transportation as an issue and, in fact, it most likely was a very strong marker in UVA's favor in December 1953. The original 7 schools that split in May 1953 left because of what they had watched happen with their previous conference brethren now in the SEC and a stark disagreement within existing SoCon membership over post season play and some other athletic rules. Clemson's Frank Howard was one of the driving forces. There were some other schools Virginia and Virginia Tech to name two that had been in those discussions but, were not ready to pull the trigger in May 1953. Your reference to the Ivy leaning by UVA may have been a factor in their hesitancy. However, things quickly changed and by the fall of 1953 some that had been in those previous discussions were now having second thoughts and looking to jump. With 7 already, 8 was the desirable number, UVA entered in December 1953 and their sitting directly on the US29 corridor was no doubt an asset in their favor.