Conference realignment won't happen until the 2026 season, at the earliest, but if it does, longtime college football radio host Greg Swaim predicts that NC State, VA Tech, Louisville, and one of Miami, GA Tech, or Pitt will join the Big 12 -- with some of those schools already negotiating their ACC exits.
Swaim added that the dream of adding FSU and/or Clemson appears to be fading because of the costs it'd take to land the two recent national champions.
"Can confirm that there is now mutual interest between the Big 12 and NC State, VT, Card Nation, with third-party talks currently going on," Swaim prefaced before saying, "That's no surprise, as we've reported this before, but the fourth team could be one of several between The U, GT and Pitt.
"Of course no one is giving up on Clemson and FSU, but they may want far more than Yormark is willing to give, both in money and longevity in GOR. Once the legal issues are done, this thing may happen quick for the 2026-27 athletic season."
No clarity on where FSU and Clemson will land in 2026
FSU and Clemson may not be a package deal when it comes to their next conference home. All that seems clear is that neither will be staying in the ACC; if the conference even survives the current legal issues.
The Noles appear to be working on Big Ten membership by acquiring AAU accreditation, but Clemson isn't likely to make any inroads with B1G. Meanwhile, the SEC seems content with its current members and isn't interested in adding the two right now.
The two schools' ongoing lawsuits with the ACC appear to have rubbed the "Power 2" the wrong way. Still, their brands are too valuable not to be taken by someone other than the conference they are suing as we speak.