CFB insider unmasks four ACC schools who stood against Stanford and Cal's move to ACC

Cal and Stanford failed to become the latest members to leave the Pac-12 after the two schools weren’t admitted into the ACC. The league's presidents reportedly had a vote on Wednesday night, but the two programs didn’t get the required number.

The ACC had considered an expansion in a bid to stay competitive in the Power Five landscape. The league saw Cal and Stanford as promising candidates for its plans. However, the decision to include them in the conference hit a snag, falling just one vote shy.

College football insider Nicole Auerbach reports that four schools among the 15 ACC members voted against adding the Pac-12 schools to the league. These four schools were Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina and North Carolina State.

"The four ACC schools that opposed the additions of Stanford and Cal at the Wed. night presidents’ meeting were Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina and North Carolina State, source confirms to @TheAthletic. Would need to flip one of the four to get to 12 yes votes out of 15," Auerbach tweeted on Friday.

The league members haven't formally ruled out the possibility of adding both schools. One of the four universities that voted against the decision will have to reconsider their choice to proceed, as 12 votes are required for ratification. However, there seems to be no indication that this stance will shift.

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Pac-12 might settle for expansion

Ensuring their survival within the Pac-12 seems to emerge as the most practical choice for the four remaining teams going forward. The schools witness their connection to the Power Five diminish over the weeks, and the league survival remains the only option.

Ensuring the Pac-12 stay alive helps retain the school's Power Five status, which holds many benefits in college athletics. It also helps preserve the conference's history, which maintained a presence in the college sports landscape for over 100 years.

Latest reports have it that the four schools have hired seasoned administrators and former West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck to help explore the options for keeping the conference alive. This showcases their commitment to ensuring survival rather than departing the Pacific-12.

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ACC expansion is becoming difficult

The ACC faces the prospect of key members heading out the door due to unsatisfactory revenue agreements. The conference plans to explore the possibility of incorporating new teams to enhance commercial appeal, ultimately leading to increased revenue generation.

However, a couple of members are currently in the way of expanding the league. These are the same teams who are actively working on leaving the conference. It is believed that they won't allow new teams entry into the league till they find their way out.

This is currently placing a level of difficulty in the ACC's plan to expand. Despite having a couple of candidates for expansion, the league might not be able to progress on the move.