CFB insider claims FSU leaving ACC will have a domino effect as several Atlantic teams reportedly target Big Ten, SEC and Big 12 expansion 

FSU has wanted to mvoe out of the Atlantic Coast Conference for a while. Following a couple of years in which its officials have been vocal about the move, the university officially began the process of exiting the conference this offseason.

The move to leave at this time is believed to have been ignited by the Seminoles’ controversial exclusion from the College Football Playoff. Should the university succeed in its bid, college football insider Greg Swaim reckons it will create a domino effect in the landscape.

According to Swaim, FSU’s exit will create a pathway out of the league for other schools in the ACC. That will see many teams move to the Big Ten, SEC and the Big 12. Nonetheless, there will be a couple of teams left out of the waves, just like the Pac-12.

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Which teams are likely to exit the ACC?

A couple of ACC teams already harbor the intention to leave the league, considering the financial situation the long-term media deal with ESPN places them in. The members of the league are locked to earning $30 million in media revenue until the deal expires in 2036.

FSU and Clemson are believed to be championing the move to leave the SEC. The Seminoles are locked in a legal battle with the conference and hope to find an easy way out rather than choose one that will cost over $600 million in damages.

There has also been significant interest in North Carolina and Virginia from both the Big Ten and the SEC. Both leagues are looking to expand their market to the location of the two universities. In the same vein, NC State and Georgia Tech are also under consideration.

Miami, Louisville and Duke are other teams that could leave the ACC and are likely to be Big 12 targets.

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Will FSU succeed in its legal battle with the ACC?

FSU is locked in a legal battle with the ACC, as it plans to leave the conference via a less expensive route. The Seminoles filed a lawsuit against the conference early in January, and the league administration wasted no time in serving the school its own complaint.

The legal battle has taken different turns, with both parties filing an amended complaint to solidify their sentiments. As things stand, it appears too early to determine whether FSU comes out victorious, but it's evident that the ACC will not give in too easily.