FSU has done a better job than Clemson of keeping the ACC on the defensive according to Chop Chat's Kelvin Hunt -- who believes that Florida State is "way smarter" than folks give them credit for.
"Many folks laughed and thought it was a joke when FSU filed a lawsuit against the ACC in December," Hunt prefaced before saying, "Fast forward a few months later, and Clemson has filed their lawsuit, which is another domino in the chain reaction that will ultimately result in FSU leaving the ACC. The two sides have gone back and forth with their arguments, and it seems like FSU has done a better job at keeping the ACC on the defensive."
On the field, FSU has taken the mantle of the class of the ACC from Clemson in the NIL era; mostly due to Dabo Swinney's reluctance to use the transfer portal and general opposition to paying players for their name, image, and likeness. Off the field too, the Noles are leading the charge in several schools' efforts to escape the ACC's Grant of Rights. Clemson and North Carolina are nowhere near as close to exiting as FSU is.
FSU, not Clemson, the only ACC school certain to leave conference right now
Until there's a legal document as ironclad as the one FSU has in place with the Leon County, Florida courts, we cannot credit Clemson and North Carolina for being nearly as ambitious in their escape plan from the ACC as the Noles.
"While Florida State and ACC officials wait for a North Carolina judge to rule on whether their case should proceed there, FSU’s attorneys on Wednesday filed a new response in Leon County Circuit Court accusing the conference of several 'misrepresentations' to the court and also making it plainly clear that the Seminoles are planning to leave the league," Warchant's Ira Schoffel prefaced before saying, "In three different paragraphs in the 10-page filing, which was obtained by Warchant late Wednesday, the attorneys use a version of the phrase, 'after FSU exits the ACC,' as if it is a foregone conclusion."
When the ACC goes down the road the Pac-12 did -- and it will take longer because the former has been run far more efficiently than the latter and actually secured a legitimate television deal worthy of a Power conference -- it will be FSU who deserves the credit for kickstarting its downfall; just like USC and UCLA did for the Pac-12.