According to Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, the future of Florida State and Clemson in the ACC has already been written, and it’s on a countdown.
In the months that have passed since the reports of the Seminoles and Tigers looking for a way out of the conference, there’s been a sentiment that perhaps time will heal the damage done between the schools and the ACC.
McMurphy says otherwise, as it’s not a matter of if but when the schools finally head for the door.
“They’re gonna leave,” McMurphy said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “It’s not if, it’s when. I was at ACC Spring Meetings a couple of weeks ago, and … basically, sources with the ACC told me, no surprise, the ACC is going to fight this to the bitter end. Obviously, at some point, they’re going to have to settle, but the ACC is going to delay that settlement as long as they can.
“Because as soon as they do reach a settlement and there is a number established for Florida State and Clemson to exit, then that opens the door for other schools to leave. The North Carolina schools, the Virginia schools. Certainly, the SEC would have interest. I don’t think they have interest in Florida State or Clemson because they’ve already got Florida and South Carolina.”
While Florida State and Clemson represent the biggest dominoes at risk of falling from the ACC, they aren’t the only ones. Reports have suggested that North Carolina is also exploring exit strategies, and it sounds like the SEC would be willing to listen if the Tar Heels came calling.
“I have heard North Carolina would be a very attractive addition to the SEC,” McMurphy said. “None of those other schools are going to do anything until they see what happens to Florida State and Clemson. The ACC will delay this as long as they can. In a weird way, it’s almost like they’re taking a page out of that strategy book of the great Dean Smith …
“They’re gonna stall, they’re gonna stall, they’re gonna stall. Finally, if the judge tells them you’ve got to reach a settlement, then they will do that. But until then, they’re going to hold off and hope that it’s several years and not just a couple of years.”
Getting past an “ironclad” television agreement and a $140 million exit penalty is the lock holding the gates closed for now, but in what’s turned into a waiting game, it appears that father time is coming for the ACC, just as it did with the Pac-12 over the events of the past year.
