Tag: conference re-alignment

Conference expansion: Five bold predictions for the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and the SEC

A look at how conference re-alignment could play out in 2024.

For the college football world in 2024, only one thing is certain: There will be more change. And that means for the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and the SEC, that conference re-alignment is likely not slowing down.

Oh yea, and Notre Dame. Can’t forget Notre Dame.

Now, with the ACC likely to change substantially due to Florida State’s lawsuit (one way or another, something is going to break), there is likely to be another domino effect in place in the college sports landscape. The ACC won’t fall part (more on that later) but will likely have to shift and morph in the next few months to keep up.

What will that look like? And how will the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC respond?

Scroll down and find out five bold predictions for conference re-alignment in 2024! 

Conference expansion and re-alignment: Who does the Big Ten poach from the ACC if Florida State leaves?

What ACC programs might the Big Ten target in conference expansion?

Florida State appears to be heading out of the ACC. If Florida State leaves the conference, it could well set off another round of conference expansion and re-alignment for the Big Ten, the Big 12 and the SEC.

And it could well mean the implosion of the ACC…at least as we know it. Florida State’s lawsuit is another seismic shift in the college sports landscape.

The ACC, which has a terrible media deal, isn’t on life support at this point. But there is no denying that the conference is struggling to keep up as a Power Five conference. The media deal is limiting the ACC’s ability to keep up and compete in the college sports arms race, especially with regard to facilities needed in football and basketball.

Staff hiring and retention is also an issue.

Now, is the Big Ten, or any conference for that matter, ready to expand? Who knows. But conferences have to be proactive and expand with the idea of the next media rights deals.

So the Big Ten or the SEC or even the Big 12 might need to act sooner rather than later if Florida State does bolt!

Scroll down and check out how the ACC’s top programs rank for Big Ten conference expansion! (Spoiler alert: Notre Dame is not on this list)