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Florida State may not join SEC or Big 10 after all, according to latest report
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- Florida State may not join SEC or Big 10 after all, according to latest report
As Florida State continues its legal battle with the ACC over media rights and a potential exit from the conference , the question arises, where does FSU go from here when all of it is over?
It has long been speculated that FSU and Clemson could join either the SEC or the Big Ten if they depart from the ACC , but there has been no indication from the school that this is in play.
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Further, is FSU in the SEC's or Big Ten's plan?
According to a report from Brett McMurphy of Action Network , the SEC and the Big Ten will likely not add FSU to the conference once it is free, unless the ACC collapses.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was asked at SEC media days about the legal and financial challenges FSU and Clemson face in an effort to exit the ACC and he also shut down any rumors about potential expansion.
"We're focused on our 16. Period," Sankey said in his press conference during SEC Media Day. "I'm not going to guess about what happens next. We can certainly remain at 16 for a long, long time and be incredibly successful."
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According to the report, for FSU to be accepted to the SEC, 12 of 16 presidents must sign off on it, and three anonymous presidents told Action Network that the SEC has no interest in adding FSU.
The Big Ten also made clear that it wants no part in expanding more teams, especially with FSU's current fight with its conference.
The Big Ten added four more members from the Pac-12 (Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington), making it an 18-team conference.
"Tony is staying away from expansion, and we're taking Tony's lead," a source told Action Network. "Why would anyone want to expedite more chaos by adding Florida State?"
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What happens if SEC, Big Ten are out of the picture
If the SEC and the Big Ten are out on expanding, it puts FSU in a tough bind.
Florida State could be free from the ACC but with nowhere to go.
The Big 12 might not be FSU's first choice, but it could be its best and only option . After losing Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC, adding FSU and Clemson seems like a way for the conference to fill the void and keep its composure as a Power Four team.
The Big 12 has 16 members after adding Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah from the Pac-12. Adding FSU and Clemson could be a needle mover based on their winning track records, but as McMurphy pointed out, the conference has no reason to chase FSU or Clemson after just adding the four Pac-12 teams.
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The Big 12 Commissioner told reporters during the Big 12 Media Day that they focused on the eight new schools.
It could be a reach for FSU to be FBS Independent, but it could be worth trying temporarily.
Why should FSU be an independent team?
It gives FSU some leverage when scheduling non-conference opponents. FSU can still contend for the playoffs and create revenue shares.
It worked out for Notre Dame after failed attempts to join conferences. The Fighting Irish is currently on an approximately $50 million per year contract with NBC that expires in 2029 .
Going independent does present challenges, however, as financially it would cost the program a lot more to maintain its status.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU could be out of SEC, Big 10 expansion talks amid ACC lawsuit
