in the same pod, then the best compromise is probably 1 of 2 options:

1. Place 2 NC schools in 2 pods; or
2. Place 1 NC school in each of the pods and potentially have some form of protected cross-division game.

The reason I look at it from that angle is because I try to imagine the reaction of our fan base if this were to happen:

North Pod: BC, Syracuse, Pitt, WVU, L'ville, VT
East Pod: Duke, Wake, UNC, NC State, UVA
West Pod: Notre Dame, Texas, OU, and 2 more
South Pod: Clemson, GT, FSU, Miami, and 1 more

Then to complicate matters the Commonwealth Cup no longer becomes an annual conference game and potentially some years not able to be played as an OOC game. If VT isn't willing to sacrifice playing its biggest instate rival, then I don't see how it could vote and expect another school to do the same.

While logically it makes sense to establish the pods based on geography, it may not necessarily be a slam dunk. It may depend on whether the ACC establishes the pods at 16 or wait until 20. If the ACC does it at 16, then I could see the ACC continue using the zipper model and protected cross-division game within the pods. I say that because I don't think the other ACC schools will quietly agree to go 6 years without playing the teams in the South Pod given how valuable those states are for recruiting purposes. If the ACC uses the zipper model at 16, then I could see it continue with it at 20 even though it would mean playing 10 conference games.