Clemson And Other ACC Schools Could Reportedly Be On The Move To The SEC Or Big Ten 'Sooner Than Later'

Post and Courier — School administrators indicate an announcement about a Clemson bolt from its growing financial disadvantage in the ACC relative to SEC and Big Ten schools is coming soon, probably along with Florida State and North Carolina and perhaps another ACC school or more — even as University of South Carolina officials try to block Clemson from the SEC. 

How soon?

“Sooner than later,” a Clemson senior administrator said last week when asked about a timetable.

Sometime in 2023?

“Stay very tuned,” the administrator said.

They finally found a way out of the ACC's grant of rights, huh? Well here we go, then.

I don't know when this round of conference realignment is finally going to come to a halt, but if the ACC schools have found a way to get out of the league's supposedly ironclad rights agreement, it's not going to be anytime soon. That's been the only thing keeping Clemson and whatever other schools the SEC or Big Ten would want from making a jump already, so now every desirable program in the ACC is seemingly up for grabs.

It's unclear right now, however, what conference Clemson, North Carolina and potentially others would join, with both the SEC and Big Ten reportedly possibilities.

While most Clemson administrators and fans prefer a move to the SEC, the Big Ten is a possibility.

The process, perhaps unfolding, might go like this:

• The Big Ten gets serious about adding a Southern tier led by North Carolina — the top non-Notre Dame prize for both the Big Ten and SEC — and also including Clemson and Florida State, with perhaps Georgia Tech and/or Miami.

• The SEC counters, wanting North Carolina primarily, and seeking to block such a major Big Ten (or Big 12) move into its footprint.

While SEC officials this week again declined to talk about specific schools, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was to the point in his annual SEC Media Days address while in Atlanta in July of 2022. Sankey said the SEC is happy with the move to 16 members with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas.

“But we’ll watch what happens around us,” Sankey said, “and be thoughtful but be nimble.”

Culturally, Clemson is a perfect fit for the SEC and UNC is a perfect fit for the Big Ten, but those schools will presumably be a package deal to one or the other. If I had to guess, I can't imagine Greg Sankey would let the Big Ten come down into what is already an SEC state and take one of the top football programs in the country over the last decade — even if that title seems to be fading quickly. And adding the Tar Heels to a conference that has gotten significantly better in basketball over the past few years wouldn't hurt, either.

Regardless of how it all plays out, it's safe to say conference realignment isn't going anywhere. There are more big moves on the horizon.