3 reasons why FSU to Big Ten looks inevitable as Seminoles kickstart new wave of conference realignment within ACC

FSU to the Big Ten could become a thing if the Seminoles eventually find their way out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The university is currently locked in a legal battle with the conference in a bid to leave the league without having to pay the huge exit fee of $130 million.

While the Southeastern Conference has been muted as a top destination for the Seminoles, the Big Ten has become a strong option for the university in its realignment plan.

Three reasons why FSU to Big Ten move is inevitable

#1 Broken relationship with ESPN

The controversial exclusion from the College Football Playoff and the ongoing legal battle with the ACC have done a lot of damage to the relationship between FSU and ESPN.

Conspiracies following the Seminoles' exclusion from the playoffs contend that ESPN, which owned the CFP media rights, lobbied to have SEC giant Alabama in the postseason ahead of undefeated FSU for marketing purposes.

ESPN has also teamed up with the ACC in the ongoing legal battle with Florida State, working to scutter the Seminoles’ realignment plan. This could stop the school's move to the SEC, where ESPN owns the media rights, making FSU's move to the Big Ten a real possibility.

#2 Big Ten’s ambition to become much more dominant

The SEC has undoubtedly been one of the most dominant powerhouses in the world of college football over the years. The conference boasts 12 of the last 17 national championship titles.

This places the Big Ten behind in terms of competitiveness within the college football landscape. The SEC is bound to become stronger with the upcoming addition of Texas and Oklahoma to the Big 12.

Without a doubt, the Big Ten has a lot to do in order to pick up the pace. It will be adding USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington ahead of next season. Nonetheless, there's this ambition to become stronger, making FSU to Big Ten a strong possibility in the next phase of expansion.

#3 The Florida market opportunity

The state of Florida is undoubtedly one of the biggest television markets in the United States. The SEC currently has a share of this with the Florida Gators, while the Big Ten currently has no members from the state.

With the addition of USC and UCLA in 2022, the Big Ten has shown that its expansion strategies are not restricted to geographical location. Expanding its market to the state of Florida will be a big upside for the conference, opening the opportunity for FSU to join the Big Ten.