SMU's move to ACC gets final push from ex-President George W. Bush as ACC expansion decision hinges on single vote

George W. Bush is expected to intensify the push to get SMU into the Atlantic Coast Conference this week. The former president of the United States has reportedly been lobbying to get the university admitted into the conference following a failed expansion move.

The ACC leadership has an obvious intention to expand in a bid to keep up in the competitive landscape. However, the move to add Stanford and Cal two weeks ago failed after the two Pac-12 schools didn't get enough votes required for admission into the league.

According to reports, four schools among the 15 members of the conference voted against expansion. ACC rules require 75% of the members to vote in favor of an expansion for it to be ratified. The door is not totally closed on Stanford, Cal and SMU, however, one of the four universities will have to flip its vote.

This week is expected to be crucial in the move

According to multiple sources familiar with the situation, this week is expected to be crucial in the ACC expansion process. As the expansion candidates continue to lobby with high-profile personalities, the belief is that if it's not done this week, it might not become a reality.

Should the four ACC schools hold on to their decisions on the league expansion move, this could lead to the possibility of rebuilding the Pac-12. Stanford and Cal evidently want to keep their Power Five status, and having the Pac-12 rebuilt might be the only option left.

SMU, on the other hand, is expected to be a candidate for the expansion of the Pac-12 should it work out. The Pac-12 has reportedly employed the service of seasoned administrator Oliver Luck to explore the options of keeping the Pac-12 alive in the landscape.

SMU continues to push to achieve its Power Five dream

SMU has for some time held the ambition to become a Power Five school. The Mustangs have reportedly discussed extensively with several Power Five conferences the possibility of realignment over the last few years. It doesn't appear they are giving up on that.

The university is ready to sacrifice a portion of its conference distribution for at least five years to ensure the move to the ACC is completed. It is also working alongside Stanford and Cal to ensure one of the four ACC schools negating expansion flips their decision.

Nonetheless, SMU will also be open to joining the Pac-12 should the ACC expansion fail to occur, which also help achieve its Power Five dream.