Rumor: ESPN won't let FSU and Clemson land anywhere but the SEC if they leave the ACC

Morgantown, West Virginia-based Big 12 expert Christopher Lambert, known on X as C.W. Lambert, reported from one of his sources that if FSU and Clemson were able to escape the ACC, ESPN wouldn't let the Noles and Tigers land anywhere but the SEC.

"(Lambert's sources) basically had the same opinion," Lambert prefaced before saying, "If Clemson and FSU are available there's no chance ESPN and the SEC lets them land anywhere but the SEC.

"The SEC isn't going to let all that money jump to the B1G or Big 12. Clemson and FSU are bank."

This is certainly a much different narrative than what's been reported in recent weeks. WildcatAuthority's Jason Scheer reported that FSU and Clemson to the Big 12 was imminent.

"According to sources, there is an internal belief in the Big 12 that Florida State and Clemson are likely to join the conference within the next year or so," Scheer wrote.

Greg Swaim reported that the SEC turned the Noles and Tigers down already while also pushing the Big 12 narrative.

"As we've said for a year, FSU and Clemson will not get a B1G offer, due to neither being AAU accredited," Swaim prefaced before saying, "But from Vegas the talk is the SEC has now turned the pair down. With new sponsorship the B12 probably won't pay quite what the other two do, but with those two they'll pay double what the ACC does.

"And it won't end there. The talk is the B12 will take six from the ACC."

So where does that leave us?

FSU and Clemson will be on rumor carousel until ACC resolution

That leaves us with no concrete idea of where these two teams are headed. Every single possibility has been reported, and the realignment winds have blown strongly in every direction at various points.

FSU working on AAU accreditation, and possibly a spot in the Big Ten, certainly feels significant, but there are plenty of schools in other conferences that have that as well.

Keep your head on a swivel, because different reporters will be saying different things -- and sometimes one reporter will change his tune week to week or day to day.