With Texas and Oklahoma joining Auburn football in the SEC, it’s truly only a matter of time before other teams join them and get in on the NIL and TV rights action the southeast is enjoying like no other region.
Clemson and Florida State were two ACC additions to the conference that just means more who gained traction when Barstool’s Jack McGuire floated the idea of a 20-team super league. Michigan and Ohio State were also included, but they don’t make sense in the southeast quite like Clemson, South Carolina, and Tallahassee, Florida does.
Their cases are convincing ones, but Rubbing the Rock, FWE’s Clemson sister site, is worried about the prospect of one program leaving the other (and the rest of the ACC) high and dry.
Shawn Spencer referred to the Tallahassee Democrat’s John Thrasher’s original rumor of SEC interest from the aforementioned four programs, and called the possibility of the ACC having just one of the programs bolt “detrimental”:
"The original report that the SEC had reached out to Clemson, Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State seems to be gaining more traction as we arrange the tea leaves behind-the-scenes. Though you still can’t be sure of anything, Thrasher’s comments sound of a school who is legitimately interested in leaving and that should at least cause pause for Clemson.If Florida State was to leave for the SEC and Clemson football was left in the ACC, we could be talking about almost a detrimental situation. The same could be said in reverse, as well."
If one program is making its way to the SEC, it’s hard to see the number of conference additions not evening out with the other following close behind.
Spencer believes that this is a mere rumor, but it’d make sense for both universities to seriously consider getting in on the SEC pie, where games with Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn football would become yearly holidays and ratings juggernauts.