FSU leaving ACC to likely aid SEC expansion as Seminoles add astronomical value to its FBS in the latest wave of conference realignment

FSU leaving ACC has been one of the biggest stories of the college football off-season. The Seminoles intensified their efforts to exit the league following their controversial exclusion from the College Football Playoff. The Southeastern Conference remains one of its options.

It has been reported that a potential SEC expansion plan might not look to add FSU due to how the league values the program. The conference could be more interested in other ACC teams like North Carolina and Virginia.

However, college football insider C.W. Lambert has noted that no team in the ACC does much on the marketing side for the SEC apart from the Seminoles and its rival Clemson. Lambert reckons the conference is more likely to add the two schools from the ACC if it goes on an expansion.

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What does FSU leaving ACC add to an SEC expansion on the economic side?

FSU was the most-watched team in the ACC during the 2023 season, going undefeated. The program was also among the teams that enjoyed the most viewership in the landscape last season, climbing its way back to the pinnacle of college football.

The Seminoles were the ninth most-watched team in the regular season, recording an average of 4.16 million viewers, edging out ACC-affiliated Notre Dame. It had four of its matchups among the 40 most-watched games all season.

Without a doubt, FSU commands a huge market in college football, which could benefit the SEC. The university would also be offering more to the conference than its in-state rival, Florida, is doing.

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Will the SEC add more teams from the ACC?

Leaving the ACC is one of the most difficult things in the world of college football at the moment. However, should FSU do so, it will create a pathway out of the conference for teams who can afford it and have interest from other Power Five leagues.

The SEC could add more teams from the ACC, after Florida State and Clemson. According to reports, it's most likely going to be North Carolina and Virginia. However, NC State and Georgia Tech are also reportedly under consideration.

This is a situation C.W. Lambert believes could come as a huge surprise to the college football world. A radical expansion, involving four to six teams, from the conference, would have a domino effect on the landscape and kill more leagues, like the Pac-12.