CFB insider shares deadline for FSU and Clemson joining Big 12 expansion as SEC & Big Ten show no interest in ACC schools

Vander FSU and Clemson have intensified their efforts to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference this offseason. Both universities have wanted to leave for the past couple of years, and they have recently decided to actively explore this opportunity over the past few months.

Their destination after a successful exit has always been subjected of intense discussion. According to college football insider Greg Swaim, the Seminoles and the Tigers will likely transition to the Big 12 following their ACC exit.

Swaim reports that the move, which will further disrupt the conference realignment landscape of college sports, will be made official in August. This comes after a series of negotiations in the last couple of weeks between the Big 12 and the two schools through third parties.

The SEC and the Big Ten were considered potential destinations for FSU and Clemson. However, both conferences have rejected the possibility of adding them in their next phase of expansion. Brett Yormark immediately capitalized on this and presented the Big 12 as an option.

The Big Ten was said to have rejected the idea of adding both schools because they weren't certified by the Association of American Universities.

On the other hand, the reason for the SEC’s rejection is believed to be the conference already having roots in their home states.

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FSU and Clemson's pending lawsuit with the ACC

FSU and Clemson are currently locked in separate legal battles with the ACC. The Seminoles were the first to file a complaint against the conference in a Florida court in December. The Tigers followed in their footsteps in February by filing another lawsuit in a South Carolina court.

The ACC has since filed a counter-suit against both schools in a North Carolina court and it has seen ESPN, which owns the league grant of rights, join it in the case. The ACC also argues that all legal proceedings involving the conference are meant to take place in North Carolina, where the conference is domiciled.

Both schools have filed the lawsuit in a bid to secure an easier route out of the conference. They are aiming to avoid paying the exit fee they'll be due if they move out of the conference on normal terms.

With the legal battle yet unresolved, it's unknown how Swaims’ report of FSU and Clemson sealing a deal with the Big 12 in August can be actualized.