The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has some issues, and conference realignment may be one of them. They have more than a couple of issues at once, including the legal battle between themselves and one of its biggest programs in the Florida State Seminoles.
With the conference on the brink of collapsing due to the potential nullification of the grant of rights deal in place, there are only a few options remaining for these Power Five programs to remain in top-tier conferences.
With the bigger programs potentially leaving and another significant round of conference realignment on the table, things can get very interesting. With the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference being possible options for teams looking for a new home, can they really house all these ACC programs going forward?
The answer is likely not, and some will get picked while a majority either continue in a new-look ACC or try to find different homes. However, conference realignment could happen once again this upcoming offseason.
Will conference realignment continue after the 2024 National Championship Game?
Conference realignment seems like something that is going to be happening a lot over the next few years as some conferences with established brands, like the ACC and Pac-12, are getting destroyed. The top programs (Big Ten, SEC, Big 12) are going to gain more power as a result and eliminate the lesser conferences going forward.
The idea of conference realignment continuing will be if the Atlantic Coast Conference loses their upcoming lawsuit with the Florida State Seminoles. If the court rules in favor of the university and nullifies the grant of rights, there are going to be significant programs available. Think of the additions to major conferences with schools such as the Clemson Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels and Miami Hurricanes, just to name a few.
Even if the ACC wins the legal battle, there are some schools that could become free outside of that conference. Look at programs like the Liberty Flames, who finished the season 18th in the AP Poll but are not really getting respected, or the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who want a significant increase in media rights and may only get that by removing their independent status.
There is going to be the potential for conference realignment in college sports for a while, and that will change the future of the NCAA as well.
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