Is ACC Pac-12 merger next in the conference realignment books? FBS powerhouse summons an urgent meeting to discuss future plans

Can the ACC remain unaffected and uninvolved any longer in the ongoing conference realignment? With the aggressive expansion embarked on by fellow Power 5 conferences, the Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC, the ACC knows the clock is ticking.

A window of opportunity has opened up, given the current state of the Pac-12. A merger with Pac-12 is one of the options being considered by the ACC presidents who met on Friday night.

This would not be an impulsive move like it may seem to many. The truth is that the conference has reportedly been considering an expansion move that would have seen five to seven Pac-12 schools move to its side. But that move is presently out of the available options. All but four Pac-12 schools have made their way to either the Big Ten or the Big 12.

What an ACC merger with Pac-12 could entail

A merger deal with the Pac-12 that would see the remaining four schools play in an expanded ACC is a viable option. This should not be seen as the conference just following the trend. It is a necessity as they now have the fewest members of the new “Power 4” conferences.

It is also a proactive move if you consider the fact that some of its teams, such as Florida State, have expressed unhappiness with its new revenue-sharing format.

A Grant of Rights deal that runs through 2036 imposes a cost running into hundreds of millions of dollars on any team leaving the conference. But reports of Florida State's collaboration with JP Morgan Chase with regard to raising capital for its athletic department have raised suspicions.

If Florida State should decide to secure its buyout from the conference, it would need a numerical shock absorber. That is where a merger with the Pac-12 comes into play.

In other words, it simply cannot afford to be the most vulnerable of the “Power Four” now. With what happened to the Pac-12, anyone can guess the consequence of being weak as a conference going forward.

That being said, if it decides on a merger with the Pac-12, the ACC needs to be quick with it. For one, it is not the only conference positioned for a merger with the Pac-12. The Mountain West has been mentioned as being interested in the same.

Also, there are talks about Stanford and Cal choosing to go independent. It sure is an interesting time in the history of these conferences.