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After a tumultuous year of conference realignment, some incredible storylines could still play out.
Last season saw the collapse of the Pac-12, the SMU Mustangs becoming a Power Five program, and a lot of programs switching conferences. What are some of the biggest conference realignment storylines heading into the 2024 season?
Top conference realignment storylines ahead of the 2024 season
Health of the Atlantic Coast Conference
After seeing the Pac-12 collapse, the Atlantic Coast Conference could be following a similar trajectory. The next section will explain one major reason why the conference has not been able to provide money to its members that is on par with the SEC, Big Ten or Big 12. That means they cannot compete for the upper-echelon programs. The health of the ACC is critical, as a collapse of the ACC would be significant and spur many ramifications.
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Will the Clemson Tigers and Florida State Seminoles win against the ACC?
The Clemson Tigers and the Florida State Seminoles will continue as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, despite being in a legal battle with it and trying to escape. The decision of these two court cases will be critical to the future of conference realignment.
The ACC could meet a similar fate to the Pac-12 if it loses the lawsuits, as teams will start searching for ways off a sinking ship.
Will Notre Dame join a conference?
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have always been an independent college football program. However, they have been in discussions to get some more money than their individual media rights would net them. In November, the Fighting Irish extended their television deal with NBC. While the details of their rights deal were not disclosed, they were getting $22 million per year in their previous deal.
This feels like they could have gotten more, and the process of the Fighting Irish joining a conference could be in the works. They are locked into a deal with NBC until 2029, but if they join a conference with NBC as a media rights holder, this could happen soon.
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