NFL Tickets
The Big Ten announced plans for expansion on Monday to a 14-team conference with the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, but that’s not the last move for conference realignment across college athletics.
I think the biggest domino that will fall in the coming months will be Florida State leaving the ACC for the SEC.
Currently, there is no discussion about the school bolting for the SEC despite rampant rumors linking them to the SEC last fall when the conference expanded by two teams.
According to comments made by Florida State trustee chair, Allan Bense to the Orlando Sentinel, “The board has not discussed it and I have not had a chance to speak with President [Eric] Barron about it.”
I think these conversations should start and the sooner the better.
In the past week Florida State head football coach, Jimbo Fisher had some choice words for the BCS rankings and the formula that dictates the selection process for the two teams to play in the BCS Championship Game.
With a 10-1 record, the Seminoles are ranked behind every one-loss team from the SEC and are even ranked behind three two-loss teams, two of which hail from the SEC.
As a one-loss team from the ACC you are all but eliminated from consideration for selection into the title game, but one defeat in the SEC is merely a slight impediment or a badge of honor for playing in the premiere football conference in the nation.
Making the move to the SEC makes sense because of the natural rivalry they have with Florida. The two schools have a rivalry that has been one of the fiercest and competitive in the last 40 years.
From a basketball standpoint the Sec is not the powerhouse that the ACC is, but when you think of Florida State don’t you view them as a football power first and foremost?
Playing an ACC conference schedule in basketball may eliminate the Seminoles from the tournament at the end of the season or at least dramatically lower their seed. Whereas playing in the SEC would give the Seminoles a competitive advantage in a conference that is strong, but lacks quality depth.
Conference championships will be far more likely in the SEC than it would be competing with Duke and North Carolina for conference supremacy.
This move makes sense from an athletic, academic, and geographical standpoint.
At the moment this is just speculation, but also merits monitoring in the coming weeks and months ahead and could dramatically alter the future of Florida State.
Follow me on Twitter @PatrickASchmidt
Patrick is a diehard Chicago sports and an avid college football fan, and the host of “The Wake-up Call,” a weekly sports show on Sportstownchicago.com airing live on Wednesday mornings from 8-10. View his show’s website here.
Share 
