CFB insider drops deadline for ACC fallout as Clemson and Florida State find new home; conference realignment becomes a major success for Big 12

Clemson and Florida State have been pushing to leave the ACC in the last few years. The two universities have made a couple of moves to navigate the conference's airtight grant of rights agreement and hope to find a solution to making their way out of the league soon.

College football insider Greg Swaim reported that the Tigers and Seminoles will almost certainly leave the conference in 2026. They won’t be alone as a couple of other teams in the conference, including North Carolina, could decide to join either the Southeastern Conference or Big Ten.

The remaining teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference willing to leave may find new homes in the Big 12. The implosion may also result in some teams facing challenges similar to Washington State and Oregon State if the conference does not embark on expansion soon enough.

Clemson and Florida State to trigger an implosion in the ACC

The departures of Florida State and Clemson from the ACC are expected to trigger the exit of several other teams from the conference, The exact number of schools that may leave remains uncertain, but there is a belief that many members are inclined to sever their ties.

The specific teams that might depart remain uncertain, but it's apparent that several programs have intentions to exit the conference. In May, seven members engaged in private discussions to explore strategies for dealing with the conference's stringent contractual obligations.

This could lead to the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 accumulating over 20 members each, which could necessitate dividing these conferences into subdivisions. This approach would help manage the larger number of teams effectively and maintain a competitive balance.

Realignment has become a major success of the Big 12 under the leadership of Brett Yormark. The conference was thought to be on the verge of collapse after the exit of Texas and Oklahoma. However, it has become stronger within the Power Five landscape.

The potential danger for the conference

The potential departures of numerous teams from the ACC could pose a challenge to the conference's long-term television deal with ESPN. This agreement grants the network the right to renegotiate the contract terms if the conference's membership falls below 15 teams.

The league brought in Stanford, Cal and SMU during the recent offseason. If more teams exit the conference than anticipated, it may necessitate the league to seek additional members from the Group of Five conferences to maintain its membership numbers and competitive standing.