College football expansion: Kirk Herbstreit predicts major realignment

The SEC and Big Ten have already made major moves, but the voice of college football on ESPN says much more expansion could be on the way

When the 2024 college football season comes around, things will look a lot different. For one thing, Oklahoma and Texas will be in the SEC, USC and UCLA will be in the Big Ten, and the College Football Playoff will have 12 teams instead of four. But one other thing to look out for is what could be the next earthquake in conference realignment.

That's according to ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who believes that another tidal wave of expansion could hit the sport in the near future.

"Everybody's bracing for the 12-team playoff, which is cool, and it gets a lot of excitement, but I think what people are underestimating is how much more movement there's going to be in realignment," Herbstreit told Pat McAfee. 

"I feel like the Big Ten and the SEC, who are the big pillars in this whole thing, I just feel like, I don't know when it's gonna happen. But they're not staying at 16. They're gonna go at least 20 and so who's going where, right?"

Who could move, and where? Likely teams from the Pac-12 or ACC.

"Where's North Carolina going? Where's Oregon, where's Washington going? Where's Clemson going to end up? Where's Florida State gonna go? Where's Miami. There's just so much, it's fascinating, that I'm sure it won't happen, maybe it will during the season. But I'm guessing it happens after this year."

Taking teams from the ACC could prove difficult, if not impossible. Despite the effort of seven teams in that league to find a way out, their apparently iron-clad media rights deal won't allow it unless the teams are willing to fork over a reported $120 million exit fee and surrender their home game media rights to the conference.

Things may prove easier in the Pac-12, which is still scouting a media partner and has been the subject of persistent rumors that some teams are looking for a way out, with the Big 12 more than willing to snap up anything that becomes available.

While it appears the major conferences have pressed pause on expansion for now, there are still too many loose ends across the country for the process to not pick up again soon. And when it does, the SEC and Big Ten will be ready.

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