ACC realignment news coming soon according to Josh Pate

[MDUte]

I’ve been following the realignment chatter and recently Josh Pate shared that something big is going to drop in July about the ACC that will force the remaining schools from the ACC to have to reconstruct the conference. This has led many to speculate what it actually means that’s going to get announced in the coming week(s). Because Pate isn’t one to blow smoke and for him to say something like this means he’s definitely been given the inside track.

All that said, the most likely explanation I’ve heard given on what people believe Pate’s referring to is that ESPN has made the decision to not extend the ACC contract past 2027. This would definitely be a big deal because the GoRs would terminate in a couple of years vs locking down all of these schools into 2036. It would allow the top brands FSU/Clemson/UNC to begin discussing/negotiating with B1G/SEC for a landing spot. Regardless of what anyone says, it’s been clarified that the B1G/SEC are not currently talking to any of these schools yet and would not because it’s pointless to discuss as long as the schools are locked into their GoRs until 2036. There’s simply no reason to have any discussion until schools are within a couple of years of not being bound by a media GoR agreement. So if ESPN announced they were exercising their right to terminate their contract with the ACC in 2027, this would be a huge shakeup to the CFB landscape that would have ripple effects across the board.

My conspiracy theorist mind wonders if this might have something to do with the smoke Utah dealt with a few weeks back about possibly leaving the B12 for the ACC. Not in the way it was being reported about at the time. But what if the ACC schools have been planning on this restructuring to replace UNC/FSU/Clemson and maybe ND or Miami?? Maybe the ACC schools are thinking, let’s do what the PAC should’ve done and take the “best of the rest” and form the 3rd best power league? Add the original 8 B12 schools + the 4 corner schools to the best remaining 10 ACC schools, thereby dropping the 4 G5 schools that got added last year to the B12? This way you’d have a best-of-the-rest power league of 20 schools. Might be far-fetched to think talks around this restructuring were happening and involving Utah since Utah would be the leading brand from the B12 to want to get on board but…just a thought.

[AlohaUte]

I still think the SEC, in order to strategically compete with the Big-10 and draw a more national audience may seriously consider expanding West and Central. Perhaps considering grabbing schools like ASU, UA, CU, Utah, Kansas, or maybe even SDSU to get into California.

Also, don’t be shocked if Texas A&M ends up in the B1G. I’ve heard rumors that they are less than thrilled with being back in a conference with Texas. And it would be huge for the B1G to get into Texas and the only AAU P4 schools in the state are those two.

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Utah is the only Big 12 team who’d not locked into the league for 99-yrs. How would the ACC do a “best of the rest” if UNC, Clem, Miami, and Fla St leave, and they can’t add any Big 12 schools except Utah?

Personally, my preference — in order — would be (1) Utah in the BigTen, (2) Utah in the SEC, (3) Utah in a “best of the rest” league, and finally, (4) Utah in the Big 12. But with that 99-yr commitment to the Big 12 the rest of our league members signed, Opt. 3 appears to be the least likely scenario.

[MDUte]

My thought is if 12 of the 16 B12 teams decided to up and leave to join with the best remaining ACC schools, it would dissolve the B12 conference GoRs. Not likely to happen I realize. I was just trying to reconcile with what is about to happen with the ACC to what was happening behind the scenes with discussions between Utah and the ACC. And I have a hard time believing that people were just making it all up. Typically when there’s smoke there’s something going on. Just might not have been what people were speculating.

[Central Coast Ute]

If the ACC implodes this month, that means FSU, Clemson, and UNC all figured a way out of their GOR’s. Meaning new precedent had been set for Kansas to bail on the B12 as well.

[2008 National Champ]

maybe it’s just me but joining the ACC leftovers doesn’t feel any more attractive than current. Longer travel, no TV deal in place, not really desirable opponents.

Boston College, Duke, Syracuse, Louisville, Wake Forest, SMU, Cal, Stanford et al aren’t going to put together a better deal than what Utah currently has.

[UteThunder]

But how would you feel about being in a western division of the ACC with Cal, Stanford, ASU, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon State, Washington State, SMU, and SDSU?

I like the Big 12, but an ACC like that would be at least as good, maybe even better, assuming the money could be the same or better of course.

[Central Coast Ute]

I’d be in favor of this. Only because I live in California, so going to some games just a few hours away would be better than our current situation. Of course, I’m being selfish here.

[2008 National Champ]

Not any better. In truth, all of the options feel like I went to Subway for a footlong and they filled it with veggies and forgot the meat.

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