Big Ten expansion rumors: Will Florida leave the SEC for the Big Ten? Latest CFB conference realignment rumors & updates

With the rumors of expansion in college football, the Florida Gators are one of the programs said to leave the SEC and head to the Big Ten Conference. There are a lot of rumors swirling around about college football conferences having some sort of realignment in the sport.

But is Florida leaving the SEC realistic? What are the biggest rumors going forward? Let's take a deep dive into things.

Will the Florida Gators leave the SEC for the Big Ten?

The Florida Gators have been one of the original teams to form the SEC all the way back in 1932.

Their conference schedule has been very rigid as they play the six other Eastern Division teams in the SEC (Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt) as well as playing an annual game against LSU and rotate playing each team in the Western Division.

The Florida Gators have been one of the biggest draws in the SEC, but ESPN analyst Greg McElroy speculated that the Big Ten could expand into the state of Florida on the 'Always College Football Podcast':

"I don't get the sense that the SEC is really mobilizing to expand, the Big Ten, however, would be very open to expanding, but the place that they would be most open to would be in the state of Florida." h/t SI.com

Now, there are a lot of programs that he could be referring to and many people have speculated Florida State and Miami being more likely to move than the Florida Gators. However, the Gators could still be on the radar of the Big Ten Conference.

The biggest thing though is the fact that the Gators are getting a lot of revenue from being part of the SEC. The conference is currently in the midst of a 10-year, $3 billion contract with ESPN, and leaving the conference would mean the Gators are forfeiting their share of the deal.

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The Gators are an excellent program in other sports as well but are currently seen as a middle-of-the-pack program on the football field. However, people are intrigued whenever they are playing on a Saturday.

There are obvious benefits from being with the SEC as the marquee talent is going to fill the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium every game.

They also offer the SEC a lot which makes the Gators a valuable asset. They have won five national championships and have been one of the historic teams in the conference. That possibly plays a lot into the decision, so it is unlikely that the Florida Gators make the move for now.