Realignment source sends reassuring message on status of Vanderbilt, Rutgers, and Wake Forest

Longtime college football radio host Greg Swaim believes the only reason Vanderbilt, Rutgers, and Wake Forest are going to stick with the Power 4 is because of how hard it'd be from a legal standpoint to remove them.

"The question I'm getting asked most the last 48 hours, besides obviously where and when Clemson and FSU are going, is will the P4 ever kick out their bottom feeder schools to increase their bottom line? The short answer is no, and for several reasons, but the biggest reasons are legal...they can't," Swaim wrote.

Vanderbilt is a founding member of the SEC and unlikely to ever be kicked out. Leaving behind the biggest university in Nashville from a branding perspective isn't in the conference's best interests.

Rutgers is probably safe in the Big Ten as the closest school to the NYC metro, though its lack of competitiveness thus far could be something to watch down the line.

Wake Forest and other ACC schools could face relegation

Wake Forest is in the most precarious position of the three with the ACC in danger of collapsing with FSU and Clemson's imminent departure; possibly to the Big 12.

As HERO Sports' Colton Pool writes, relegation could be a result for several ACC schools if/when the Noles and Tigers move on from the conference.

"(FSU and Clemson) could come up with the financial means to separate from the ACC, or perhaps all parties involved come to an amicable solution which means those two programs can seek a new conference," Pool prefaced before saying, "But if that did happen, the ACC would be losing arguably its two most valuable members when it comes to college football. And like what happened with the Pac-12, some big-name schools leaving could lead to several others wanting out as well.

"For the sake of the Group of Five, if the ACC were to completely dissolve, it’s not impossible some programs are left behind by the power leagues. Perhaps the AAC or the Sun Belt figure out an arrangement with leftover ACC teams."

The landscape of college sports is ever changing, and it's not going to be comfortable for every team.

Particularly those that have not been able to build much momentum.