Morgantown, WV – Conference realignment never sleeps in collegiate athletics. After the Big 12 Conference welcomed new members to the league for two consecutive years, the prospect of adding more teams is now being discussed again.
This time with potentially programs from the ACC.
Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports recently spoke about the situation between Florida State, Clemson, and the ACC. According to multiple reports, the three sides have reached an agreement on revenue sharing moving forward. While that might bode well for the conference in the short-term, this agreement could potentially lead to departures in the long-term, according to Forde.
🚨🏈pod🏈🚨FSU/Clemson reach a deal with the ACC. What each side won and may have lost. Impact on CFP and Notre Dame. Plus: which college stadium is the most unlawful? @ByPatForde @RossDellenger @emmefranks https://t.co/oSQVgCmKEb
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) March 4, 2025
Here is what Forde had to say about the ACC and its members in the future:
“You’re going to have schools, I would imagine, that are on the shorter end of this stick and they’re going to be looking at their options. Saying you know what, ‘I’m Louisville, I’m Pittsburgh, how’s the Big 12 doing? Do we need to possibly look at going some place else where we’re going to get a better revenue shake.’”
Forde would go on to state that while he does not expect any moves in the immediate future, the conference could look very different five years down the road.
Should this be the case with certain ACC schools looking to potentially exit for the Big 12, it would be a monumental positive for West Virginia University. Since joining the Big 12, the Mountaineers have been the conference outlier geographically, especially prior to the additions of Cincinnati and UCF. An influx of East Coast schools could provide WVU with the built-in, traditional rivalries that it has lacked in conference play for over a decade.
If the Big 12 could add schools like Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech, it would provide West Virginia University with annual conference opponents that not only the fans could find excitement in, but would also draw a lot of eyes to the program.
It remains to be seen how everything will shake out in the ACC. Expect for rumors to begin swirling sooner rather than later.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
