Remember the movie “War Games?”

It’s the one in which Matthew Broderick accidentally brings the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation by hacking into a military computer and playing what he thinks is a harmless simulation.

The crisis is averted only when the computer figures out that the only winning move is not to play the game at all.

That sums up where the ACC appeared to be on Sunday afternoon.

Through all of Florida State’s bluster, the pillaging of the Pac-12 by the Big Ten and Big 12, the ACC remained intact and unscathed.

And then, just when it seemed safe to start preparing for actual football games again, we’re right back at DEFCON 1.

Late Monday, news began to break that the ACC’s athletic directors and presidents will hold separate meetings on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of adding Stanford and California as new members.

Nothing is set in stone at this point. But there seems to be growing momentum toward transforming the Atlantic Coast Conference into the All Coast Conference.

The question is why?

There’s a reason Stanford and Cal weren’t invited into the life raft sailing to safety in the Big 12.

If the ACC was really serious about opening a second front and expanding into the Pacific Time Zone, it should have fired a preemptive strike and beat the Big 12 to Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, to go with the Cardinal and Bears.

As it is, the conference is left to pick over the carcasses of the prey the other vultures didn’t want.

A day late and a few million dollars short.

Again.

It’s hard to understand what value Stanford and Cal can add to a league whose most prominent  members would already be on their way out the door if not for the piece of paper they signed back in 2013.

Certainly there has to be a logical explanation for the ACC’s sudden change of direction when it comes to expansion. 

Something more than just adding teams just to keep up with the competition.

Sure, the addition of 2 new members might bring in some added revenue from a reworked deal with ESPN, which will need some added inventory in the 10 p.m. Eastern window on Saturday nights now that rival Fox now has access to most of its West Coast properties.

But will that money be enough to satisfy the folks in Tallahassee? Especially when there’s 2 more mouths to feed sitting at the table.

And what would a modification to the ACC’s television deal do to the grant of media rights that serves as the bubblegum and duct tape holding the league together?

It could turn out to be a get out of jail free card for Florida State. Or anyone else dreaming of a potential gold mine on the conference free agent market?

The only possible way for the addition of 2 West Coast schools better known for their academics, swimming and volleyball than football is if its somehow connected to a plan that brings Notre Dame along for the ride.

It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds.

As much as the Irish value their football independence, the latest round of conference misalignment may finally be the event that forces them to at least consider giving it up.

They’re already having trouble filling out their schedule as it is. With the Big Ten having gone to 9 conference games and adding traditional rival Southern Cal starting in 2024, there are fewer and fewer options available for Notre Dame. Stanford, by the way, is a traditional rival. They’ve played annually since 1988, excluding the 2020 COVID season.

No matter how valuable a television commodity the Irish might be, it’s doubtful NBC will want to pay top dollar in its upcoming contract renewal to air blowouts against the likes of Toledo, UNLV, Tennessee Tech and Central Michigan – all teams Notre Dame has either played since 2021 or will play this year.

With the Irish already contracted to play 5-6 games a year against ACC teams and Stanford already on the schedule, they’d only need to add 1 or 2 more to play a full 8-game conference slate that would give them a more direct path to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

The ACC games now scheduled to be shown on The CW could also be rolled into Notre Dame’s next TV package, further enhancing its value for everyone involved.

Value is the key word to whatever the ACC’s top brass decides on Tuesday.

Whatever expansion options they explore must be beneficial to all involved and produce a financial windfall significant enough to offset the inherent challenges of managing a bi-coastal conference.

Otherwise they should take the advice of that “War Games” computer and realize that the only winning move when it comes to adding Stanford, Cal or any other remnants of the dying Pac-12 is to not play the game at all.