ACC conference realignment: FSU & Clemson reportedly in line to reach landmark settlement

The ACC conference realignment was seemingly on the back burner for some time but has gained momentum once again. The Florida State Seminoles, Clemson Tigers, and the conference are discussing a framework to settle all four lawsuits, per Front Office Sports on Monday.

This would be a massive turnaround from 12 months ago as the health of the ACC seemed potentially bleak. On Tuesday, the ACC presidents will discuss the matter and potentially vote on the settlement framework. The FSU and Clemson board members will then vote in their separate meetings.

The ACC earned $600 million in additional media rights revenue by adding the Stanford Cardinal, SMU Mustangs and California Golden Bears. The conference also has a new "success incentive" program where $20-$25 million in extra revenue is given to schools based on their college football success.

It will be interesting to see what this settlement offer officially looks like and if Florida State and Clemson are immediately free to join another conference or have a reduced exit fee. Per the grant of rights, teams would have to wait for it to expire in 2036.

ACC conference realignment: What conference would Clemson and FSU join?

The Clemson Tigers and Florida State Seminoles are likely going to be a package deal in conference realignment. Out of the power conferences, the Big Ten seemingly makes the most sense as the SEC and Big 12 don't seem to want to expand soon.

Florida State and Clemson leaving the ACC would have an immediate impact on any conference, but if the Big Ten can take these schools from the ACC, it would give the Big Ten a footprint in the southeastern portion of the United States and potentially take some market share from the SEC going forward.

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