9 Atlantic schools likely pivot ACC collapse as more teams rumored to follow FSU and Clemson amid rumors of Big Ten and SEC expansion
The ACC has been dealing with many issues surrounding its members, and college football insiders suggest movement in the league. The Atlantic Coast Conference is in a legal battle with the Florida State Seminoles, and there have been rumors for the last year that the Clemson Tigers are also looking for an exit.
College insider C.W. Lambert reported Monday that "eight or nine schools" are considering leaving the ACC and creating their own conference.
With this many disgruntled members, the ACC seems to be on the brink of a huge internal turmoil. With early rumors of FBS powerhouses the SEC and Big Ten looking toward expansion, teams being prized away is a possibility the Atlantic Coast Conference will have to consider.
Also Read: How does the future look for Atlantic Coast Conference if FSU wins the ongoing legal battle? Look at potential alternatives for Seminoles
What can these ACC teams do if they leave the conference?
While this "talk" is interesting, we do not know which programs are allegedly looking into this possibility. There are some powerful teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference: Florida State Seminoles, Clemson Tigers, NC State Wolfpack, Louisville Cardinals, North Carolina Tar Heels, Duke Blue Devils and Miami Hurricanes.
These members are significant names in multiple sports and would garner attention from any rival conference.
One thing a group of former ACC schools could do to legitimize this opportunity would be to partner with an existing conference. With the Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars being the two teams in the Pac-12 and owning the name, why not establish a new version of that conference with all its history?
This seems to be the biggest play these schools can do if many of them leave the Atlantic Coast Conference. They would have the history and the name power to attract viewers to their new conference while having incredible resources available that many start-ups do not have.
The major issue would be figuring out the next commissioner and then a media rights deal because they will not immediately have one similar to the Big Ten or the Southeastern Conference. However, this could be a fantastic start to a new conference in college sports.
Also Read: $14 million loss for remaining ACC schools if FSU leaves in the upcoming wave of conference realignment