Another Domino Could Fall in Favor of the Big 12 Adding Florida State and Clemson

Casey Lundquist | Jul 16, 2024

Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this week, Jason Scheer of Wildcat Authority reported that the Big 12 is bullish on its chances to add Florida State and Clemson. "According to sources, there is an internal belief in the Big 12 that Florida State and Clemson are likely to join the conference within the next year or so," Scheer wrote on X.

According to sources, there is an internal belief in the Big 12 that Florida State and Clemson are likely to join the conference within the next year or so.

— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) July 14, 2024

To give credit where its due, Scheer has developed a reputation for accurately reporting on conference realignment. He was one of the lone voices in the industry that consistently reported that Arizona was interested in the Big 12 last year. While many other reporters believed that and Arizona-Big 12 marriage would not happen, Scheer believed and reported that it was very possible, if not the most likely scenario.

And he was right. Arizona joined the Big 12 alongside Colorado, Utah, and Arizona State last year.

The only problem with his report on Florida State and Clemson potentially joining the Big 12? That definitely wouldn't be the first choice or second choice for either school. FSU and Clemson are trying to get out of the ACC to join either the Big Ten or the SEC. That doesn't mean Scheer's report is wrong, not at all, but it does mean that there are hurdles to overcome before either school would join the Big 12.

If Clemson and Florida State are going to join the Big 12, two major dominoes would need to fall:

1. They would need to get out of the ACC grant of rights
2. They would need to be denied by both the SEC and the Big Ten

Fast forward to Tuesday and it looks like one of the two major dominoes could fall. On Tuesday, Brett McMurphy reported that "Florida State likely will not have a spot in the Big Ten or SEC if it’s successful in leaving the ACC and the ACC stays intact."

If Florida State is not invited to either the Big Ten or the SEC, the Big 12 would be well positioned to land FSU. "Florida State and Clemson aren’t currently that enamored with the Big 12," McMurphy wrote. "But, then again, neither were Utah and Arizona State until they saw the Pac-12 crumbling before their eyes, and look where they ended up. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

Now there's an important caveat in McMurphy's report. He said an invite to the SEC or the Big Ten is unlikely IF the "ACC stays intact."

If FSU and Clemson leave the ACC, it's very possible that the ACC could crumble like the Pac-12 did. According to multiple reports, it's Virginia and North Carolina that are the two most coveted schools by the Big Ten and the SEC, not Florida State and Clemson. A FSU-Clemson exit could start a bidding war between the Big Ten, the SEC, and the Big 12 for the ACC castaways.

In that scenario, FSU and Clemson might be scooped up by one of those two conferences at a steep discount.

Even if the ACC collapses and Florida State and Clemson are no longer viable options, the Big 12 could still add some reputable brands to the conference. Teams like Virginia Tech and Miami come to mind. And what happens to Duke? Would they be invited alongside North Carolina? Or could they end up in the Big 12? Adding Duke would add to the Big 12's resume as the best basketball conference.

Most importantly for fans in the Big 12: the Big 12 has options at this point. The conference is too big and too relevant to ignore. Whether the ACC collapses or not, Big 12 schools have a clear path to the College Football Playoff.

For BYU, it must capitlize on the opporunity. The Cougars have never controlled their own destiny to the national championship. That will change in 2024 with the expanded playoff. However, that path is not guaranteed in the long term. On-field success is BYU's best chance at securing long-term access to the playoff. For that reason, getting to the CFP in the next six years must be the top priority for everyone involved with the BYU football program.