Conferences in college athletics will look a little different starting with the upcoming college football season as the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 have added programs. The ACC added three programs with Stanford, SMU and Cal joining but there continues to be talk of teams leaving and joining other conferences.
The latest centered around Florida State and Clemson, with rumors swirling that the Big 12 was set to pursue them. But the latest from Brett McMurphy of Action Network suggests that the Big Ten and SEC aren’t interested in adding the Seminoles and instead, it would be the Tar Heels and Virginia that would be the programs “highly sought after” by the Big Ten and SEC.
Here is what McMurphy wrote on the situation:
If the ACC no longer exists and the floodgates open, allowing a mass exodus from the ACC, North Carolina and Virginia would be highly sought after by the SEC and Big Ten, sources said.
Several sources added they weren’t convinced they could “trust” Florida State as a new member.
“Look what they did: getting the attorney general involved, accusing [former ACC commissioner] John Swofford of rigging the television rights to help his son, filing a suit to expose ESPN’s TV deals — something the other three power leagues are against, by the way,” the source said. “They’re not a good partner. There’s no congeniality. No one wants that.
This lines up with previous reports that North Carolina’s national brand in basketball, as well as football, would make them a top target for conferences if the ACC were to disband.
But for now, the ACC is moving forward as is with the rumors of Clemson and Florida State, and the Big 12 continues to swirl.
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