Florida State, Clemson leaving ACC put on hold for a stunning reason

The Florida State Seminoles’ and Clemson Tigers’ desires to leave the ACC hit a roadblock due to this specific reason.

Realignment has been a hot topic in college football. While USC and UCLA both moved from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten last year and officially doesn’t kick in until the 2024 season. In the past couple of weeks, the Big Ten added Oregon and Washington, and the Big 12 brought in Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Arizona State. That has since left the Pac-12 in flux, with Stanford, Cal, Washington State, and Oregon State as the only teams remaining. But there has also been some uncertainty in the ACC.

The Florida State Seminoles and Clemson Tigers have both been looking for an exit from the ACC, as they have both been critical of their current media rights deal. But, the programs had until this past Tuesday to find a way out of the deal and to find a new home. Well, some of their plans blew up in smoke.

According to CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, industry sources say that there isn’t much desire for the Big Ten or SEC to add schools like Florida State and Clemson. However, Dodd notes that the ACC’s “ironclad grant of rights agreement” wouldn’t allow such a move to happen anyway.

Big Ten, SEC reportedly uninterested in adding Florida State and Clemson

The ACC’s current media rights deal is in effect until 2036, in which they are primarily aired on ESPN. However, ACC schools could be on pace to make $30 million less than those in the Big Ten and SEC in annual distribution by 2026. Speaking of the Grant of Rights, if a school were to leave, thus breaking it, the ACC would continue to hold the television rights for that team’s home game, per Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger.

Without interest from the Big Ten and SEC, both schools are left with no choice but to remain in the conference in 2024.

This comes after a noteworthy couple of weeks in the ACC. Not only was Florida State openly threatening to leave the conference, but the ACC was also considering looking at adding two schools. Notre Dame was the lead school pushing for the conference to add Cal and Stanford. However, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that there were “substantial roadblocks.”

Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, and North Carolina State are against expansion in news first reported by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde and Richard Johnson. Both schools would receive acceptance if they received one more vote, but there is reportedly no formal vote expected to be held.

As of now, it appears that college football is hitting the pause button on realignment. While Florida State floated the idea of leaving, and Clemson seemed to consider it as well, it’s not happening due to disinterest from the Big Ten and SEC.