CFB insider claims 8 ACC schools will leave the conference en masse as another Big Ten expansion tide hits the Power Five
The Atlantic Coast Conference is in a similar position as the Pac-12 in terms of being poached. The conference is dealing with a lot of issues with revenue and each program's distribution share, leading to the potential walkouts.
C.W. Lambert reported on Twitter that there is the potential for eight of the 14 ACC teams toleave the conference.
I'm told, by a reputable source, that 8 ACC schools are considering leaving the conference in mass.
This is something that can be alarming as this would drastically shift the media rights. The conference signed a 20-year media rights deal with ESPN in 2016 despite multiple programs voicing their frustration with the agreement. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips is also looking for additional revenue streams.
Will the Big Ten expansion plans include ACC teams now?
This is definitely a developing story that can be interesting for Power Five conferences looking to expand. Two of the teams likely to be part of the mix of unhappy ACC programs would be the Florida State Seminoles and the Clemson Tigers.
If Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti did not anticipate this happening, then he should change the focus to this. The Big Ten has already shown westward expansion, and heading south to capture a few ACC teams for the conference could help grow the league as a whole in terms of national exposure.
What ACC teams could realistically join the Big Ten?
With the eyeballs out west on what is happening with the Pac-12 media deal, there are some valuable programs that could be taken from the ACC. In the hypothetical world that all 14 teams could want to join the Big Ten, five teams stand out as top of the group: Duke, Miami, Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina.
The reason these five stand out is that they can be competitive in multiple sports. Outside of college football, these programs have strong college basketball programs that can draw well and bring in more money. Adding Duke or North Carolina immediately brings the rivalry and interest on the hardwood with the prestige of UCLA basketball as well.
There are a lot of programs that could be available for the Big Ten, but the ACC has some incredible teams that can draw well for years to come.