Big Ten expansion sees FSU calling for Board of Trustees meeting as Seminoles' ACC exit seems inevitable

In the wake of the next phase of Big Ten expansion, FSU has summoned a Board of Trustees meeting on Friday to discuss the future of the university's conference alignment. This follows the controversial exclusion of the Seminoles from the College Football Playoff.

The university has long harbored the ambition to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference and its officials have been vocal about it. This is due to the conference's revenue distribution model and the stagnation in television revenue for the next 13 years due to the long-term deal with ESPN.

It appears that FSU is ready to take full action toward the move to exit the ACC. However, leaving the conference won't come easy as a result of the binding Grant of Rights agreement, which does not expire until 2036.

FSU's exit from ACC now seems inevitable

Going by all indications, FSU's days in the ACC are numbered. It's likely only a matter of time before it finds its way out of the conference, despite the difficulty attached to it. The process of an exit is expected to be initiated in the next couple of weeks by the university.

While the university has long held the ambition to leave the conference, the perceived unjust exclusion from the College Football Playoff is thought to have heightened the desire to part ways with the ACC. They became the first unbeaten Power Five team to miss out on the playoffs.

Furthermore, Ross Dellenger reports that the expansion of the conference, against FSU's preferences, has also played a role in prompting the decision to make a move. The ACC notably added Stanford, Cal and SMU prior to the commencement of the 2023 season.

Will the Seminoles move to the Big Ten?

Given its stature as one of the prominent television brands in college football, FSU stands a good chance of landing in either the Big Ten or Southeastern Conference. There’ve reportedly been discussions indicating that both conferences have expressed interest in the Seminoles.

However, all signs point towards the Big Ten as the probable destination for the Seminoles once they depart from the ACC. This inclination stems from the conference's strong interest in recruiting a couple of ACC powerhouses, aiming to sustain competitiveness and financial viability in the landscape of college football.

With the university’s athletic director, Michael Alford, explicitly noting that the option of becoming an independent athletic program has been definitively ruled out, a future in the Big Ten could become a reality for the Seminoles.