UConn's chances of an exodus to the ACC took a severe (if not fatal) blow today when it was reported that the ACC is set to sign a grant of rights deal that will all but keep its existing schools together until 2026-27.

That means that all of the ACC programs turn over their media rights to the conference. If any school were to leave for a new conference, the ACC would receive the school's media rights payments from the new league.

In other words, leaving the ACC for, say, the Big 10 (as schools like North Carolina and Virginia have been rumored to be considering) is now extremely cost-prohibitive and, really, all but impossible. And obviously, that means now new openings will likely be coming in the ACC for UConn (or Cincinnati, for that matter).

Do those schools now have to really get used to the American Athletic Conference? Most likely. Maybe the Big 10 could still come calling, we'll see. Hey, it took Rutgers, after all. Or maybe the Big 12, which only currently has 10 teams and may want to make inroads on the East Coast (and make West Virginia's travel regimen a little easier).

I highly doubt conference realignment is even close to being over. But UConn's options just got a little narrower -- and a little less sexy, as well.