Conference realignment: Can Clemson leave the ACC in 2026? Details of the new settlement agreement

Leaving the ACC has been a goal for Clemson in the last couple of years. The university has established itself as a powerhouse in college football over the years under Dabo Swinney. However, it believes the earnings from the ACC place it at a competitive disadvantage.

The Tigers have been engulfed in a legal battle with the conference for a year in a bid to find its way out. They filed a lawsuit against the league in March 2024 to exit seamlessly. On Tuesday, the university found a breakthrough in its ambition to depart the ACC.

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Can Clemson leave the ACC in 2026?

Clemson and the ACC reached a settlement in their legal battle on Tuesday, which comes as a major win for the Tigers. It means the school can exit the league as early as 2026 if it meets the reduced financial terms agreed in the settlement, which also involves Florida State.

In making their way out of the ACC in 2026, the Tigers will have to pay a discounted exit fee of $165 million, which is a huge reduction from the $700 million fee speculated earlier. The exit fee also decreases by $18 million every year until it balances at $75 million in 2031.

Overall, the agreement helps bring stability to the future of the conference in the collegiate athletics landscape. The legal battles with Clemson and Florida State created some existential threats within the league.

"Today's resolution begins the next chapter of this storied league and further solidifies the ACC as a premier conference," ACC commissioner Phillips said in a statement.

"As we look ahead to our collective long-term future, I want to express my deepest appreciation to the ACC Board of Directors for its ongoing leadership, patience and dedication throughout this process.”

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Will Clemson consider staying in the ACC?

With the agreement on a new revenue distribution model in the settlement reached on Tuesday, there are some chances of Clemson staying in the ACC. The Tigers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries, and its athletic director spoke highly of the league following the agreement.

"The ACC is an excellent fit for Clemson," The Tigers’ athletic director Graham Neff said in a statement following the settlement. "The academic prestige and reputation we so emphasize here at Clemson is a natural fit with other members of the ACC.

“The historic football success the league has had and that Clemson has had in the ACC and access to the College Football Playoff currently - this is a great home for Clemson.”

Furthermore, the Tigers have been the most successful team in the ACC over the past decade. The program has won eight of its last 10 ACC championships, exerting an unbelievable dominance. In an era of 12-team playoffs and potentially increasing, it offers the Tigers a massive advantage annually.