Conference realignment has completely changed the landscape of college football, and that change continued with the news that Oregon and Washington will depart from the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten.
Before this news was released, SEC expert and ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum and ESPN star Stephen A. Smith discussed whether FSU and possibly other ACC teams should depart the conference for the SEC. According to Finebaum, both Clemson and Florida State would be perfect fits for the SEC as they continue their expansion.
“If you look at Clemson and Florida State, there are no two better fits in the world to the SEC than those two,” Finebaum said on First Take. “I mean they’ve won national championships in the last 10 years. They recruit at the highest level. They have good coaches. They have phenomenal traditions. And they’re both in states with SEC schools.”
Love it or hate it, this is the direction college football is trending toward, and looking at Clemson and FSU, these are two of the top programs in the country. While the Seminoles have been far more vocal about their displeasure with the ACC and the need for change, the Tigers have moved in silence.
Even so, that doesn’t mean Athletic Director Graham Neff and Clemson aren’t exploring every option they have.
When it comes down to it, Clemson is one of the premier college football programs in the country, and they will do whatever they will work to do whatever they feel puts the program in the best situation to succeed. It will be interesting to see how things play out from here.
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