247Sports pundit wonders if Paul Finebaum knows secret about FSU and Clemson realigning

247Sports' Bud Elliott floated out the possibility of Paul Finebaum knowing that ESPN isn't retaining FSU and Clemson and was called by his employer to attack the Noles' and Tigers' credibility over the last several months.

"For the last month Finebaum has been exclusively taking shots at teams to which ESPN does not have rights," Elliott prefaced before saying, "And in recent days, FSU and Clemson. Hmm. Paul know something?"

Finebaum claimed that FSU would finish the season unranked after being ranked No. 10 in the first AP Poll.

"I think they used up too many tears crying about not getting in the playoffs. That may slow them down a little bit," Finebaum said of the Noles' chances of finishing the season as an unranked team (h/t Chop Chat).

Finebaum declared the end of Dabo Swinney's stretch of dominance at Clemson back in May.

“He is falling so far behind,” Finebaum said (h/t On3). “That doesn’t mean they can’t have a good program. That is if you call 9-3 or 8-4 or maybe an occasional 10-2 a good program. But that’s not the same school that went to six consecutive CFPs a few years ago, played for four national championships. I think that part of it is over.”

FSU and Clemson linked to Big 12, only Noles linked to Big Ten

If the Noles and Tigers are going to be a package deal in their next conference, it'll be after the Big 12 buys them out of their ACC media rights deal and gives them unequal revenue sharing. If they aren't, it'd be because FSU got AAU accreditation and flew solo into the Big Ten.

However it unfolds, it appears as though there will be movement. The ACC isn't officially out yet, and theoretically have a chance to retain its two cash-cows.

But the likelihood of change is high after four consecutive years of paradigm shifts in the sport.