Is Florida State leaving the ACC? Explaining next steps in FSU's legal battle to switch conferences after CFP snub

Will Florida State trigger another round of college conference realignment?

The school scheduled an emergency meeting for its Board of Trustees on Friday. That is the first step toward a possible exit strategy for the Seminoles from the ACC. 

Will that actually happen? There are several hurdles – including the Grant of Rights agreement that runs through 2036 – that make such an exit complicated. Still, Florida State trustees were openly talking about leaving the conference before the undefeated Seminoles were excluded from the College Football Playoff this year. 

MORE: College football realignment for 2024, explained

Here is a look at why Florida State wants out, potential hold-ups and options for the school in the future

Why Florida State wants to leave ACC

Florida State's initial complaints involved the ACC's revenue distribution model. The SEC and Big Ten have new television deals, and ESPN reported there is "expected to be a $30 to $40 million gap" per school between the ACC and those conferences. 

That prompted a startling comment in early August from Florida State trustee Drew Weatherford, a former quarterback at the school. "It's not a matter of 'if we leave,' in my opinion," he said. "It's a matter of when and how we leave." 

Florida State finished 13-0 this season and won the ACC championship, but became the first unbeaten Power 5 team to be left out of the College Football Playoff. That controversial decision also is a factor in the Seminoles discussing a potential exit strategy. While the 12-team CFP will open up playoff spots for the four major conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12), the at-large bids likely would favor Big Ten and SEC schools. 

MORE: Why unbeaten Seminoles were left out of playoffs

According to The Athletic: "The school would likely need board approval before filing a complaint against its own conference, with trustees taking part in that major decision as key constituents." 

Is that battle looming? 

Can Florida State challenge the ACC Grant of Rights? 

ACC schools signed a Grant of Rights deal – one that stipulates ESPN would fund the ACC Network – that keeps them in agreement through the life of a contract that runs through 2036. Even if Florida State strikes a deal with another conference, all media money belongs to the ACC until the contract expires. This would require a legal battle to challenge. 

Last May, there were reports Clemson, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia and Virginia Tech were among the ACC schools exploring how unbreakable that Grant of Rights deal is. The ACC also added three new members in Cal, Stanford and SMU for the 2024 season, so it's possible the conference knows a few schools might be ready to challenge that deal. 

"When I say we have a handle on the grant of rights … We have gotten a lot of counsel on that document," Florida State board chairman Peter Collins said last summer. "That will not be the document that keeps us from taking action."

MORE: Stanford, Cal, SMU voted into ACC, but future questions persist

Florida State conference realignment landing spots

If Florida State tries to leave the ACC, then what would the next course of action be? A look at the three most logical options – though it's worth noting the SEC and Big Ten have not expressed interest in further expansion at this time. 

SEC

This would add more brand power to the SEC – if that is what Greg Sankey wants. Florida State is 82-43 in the CFP era, which ranks fifth behind SEC schools Alabama (127-13), Georgia (113-22), Oklahoma (102-28) and LSU (89-38). The Sooners are joining the conference along Texas with 2024, and Sankey could entertain adding the Seminoles and another ACC school (Clemson, North Carolina) to push the league membership to 18, which would match the Big Ten. 

Big Ten 

The Big Ten could tap into the Florida market here, and at that point why not go get Miami, too? Florida State is not an AAU accredited university, but a move to the Big Ten could make that happen for the Seminoles. The Big Ten would continue an aggressive geographical expansion that includes a West Coast wing, and they can dip into the South and perhaps grab North Carolina and Virginia along the way. Florida State would add another huge football brand to the conference. 

Independent 

It's always an option. The Seminoles were independent until 1992, when they joined the ACC. Bobby Bowden, who took over as head coach in 1976, built the program and enjoyed a run from 1987-91 where they went 53-8. Florida State, however, did not win its first national championship until 1993. This would be the least viable option of the three, but it's still a possibility. 

MORE: College football 2024 vs. 1984: An in-depth look at conference realignment

Should Florida State consider leaving ACC? 

You thought realignment talk was over? The disparity between the Big Ten and SEC will continue in the 12-team College Football Playoff era, and that is going to lead to more discussions for schools such as Florida State and Clemson. 

The Seminoles are among the 16 power conference schools (including Notre Dame) with a winning percentage of .650 or higher in the CFP era: 

Best records among Power 5 schools since 2014            

Yet, what does that mean moving forward? A total of 11 of the schools on that list are from the Big Ten or SEC. Notre Dame and Big 12 schools Oklahoma State and Utah are the others. If the Seminoles can go unbeaten and not make the CFP, then what kind of treatment would they get as a one- or two-loss team in the ACC in the future? That question no doubt lingers, along with the financial disparity concerns. That is why Friday's meeting – and its urgency – is so interesting. 

Realignment might not be dead yet, after all. It never is.