Will Florida State and Clemson join the Big 12? Looking at a potential ACC-Big12 merger following legal battle

Florida State and Clemson are currently pushing to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference. Over the past month, The two universities have been locked in a legal battle with the conference in a bid to have an easier exit route. Their potential destination has also been subjected to intense discussion. Is the Big 12 an option for the two?

Will Florida State and Clemson join the Big 12?

Should Florida State and Clemson find their way out of the ACC, the Big 12 is an unlikely destination for the two. The Seminoles and the Tigers are seeking an exit to secure a much better financial ground in the college football realm and the Big 12 doesn't appear to offer that.

In the upcoming Big 12 media contract with ESPN and Fox, each team is bound to earn $31.7 million annually in media distribution. With both schools already earning $30 million in the ACC, only having a $1.7 million increase makes the move to the Big 12 unlikely.

The likely destination for Florida State and Clemson should their exit move become successful is either the SEC or the Big Ten. The two conferences are the most financially buoyant in the world of college football with a significant gap ahead of the Big 12.

There are already talks of the Seminoles and the Tigers moving to either of the conferences. The SEC is seen as the likely destination for the schools in many quarters, however, the Big Ten is said to also maintain an interest in the two schools in its next phase of expansion.

Can the Big 12 become an eventual option if a merger fails?

The Big 12 can become an option for Florida State and Clemson eventually if the SEC and the Big Ten do not retain an interest in them. This is an unlikely scenario but can't be ruled out in the highly unpredictable landscape of conference realignment in collegiate athletics.

While a move to the Big 12 for the two schools does not immediately translate to bigger financial terms, the future promises something better than the ACC. The new Big 12 media deal runs until 2030, giving a huge chance for a financial upgrade.

On the other hand, the ACC will be stuck to the same media earnings until 2036 when the TV contract with ESPN expires. This makes staying an option both want to avoid considering. The Big 12 is also actively working to close the gap between them and the two bigger conferences.