"Leaving, like today!": Paul Finebaum wants Florida State to leave ACC amidst conference's struggling situation

Florida State Seminoles team celebrating
Florida State Seminoles team celebrating

Florida State's move to exit the Atlantic Coast Conference is reportedly intensifying. The university's top officials have come out blunt about their intention to realign with a more financially buoyant conference, and many analysts also believe the school should make the move.

ESPN's Paul Finebaum thinks Florida State should find its way out of the "struggling" ACC. Speaking on the "Get Up" show on Thursday morning, the college football analyst said the conference is struggling for a lot of reasons.

Finebaum was asked by the host if it was better off for Florida State to stay or leave the ACC. The veteran journalist answered:

"Leaving, like today! The ACC is struggling right now, and they're struggling for a lot of reasons."

He made it known that the Seminoles are not the only team unhappy with the current situation within the ACC. A number of schools in the conference do not like their position and would explore the chance for realignment if the opportunity presents itself.

"Don't forget, there are other schools in the ACC who are not happy. FSU is not the only bad kid in the kindergarten class. Clemson doesn't like its position; North Carolina doesn't, Miami doesn't," Finebaum said.

Will Florida State move to the Big Ten?

Florida State will definitely want to realign with the Big Ten, however, it won't come so easy for the university. There has yet to be any clarity on how the Seminoles will navigate the binding contract situation with the conference.

While there has been a prevailing notion that the ACC's contract could offer protection for the conference, recent events indicate that this assumption might not hold. A couple of teams in the league are now trying to deploy strategic means to navigate the situation.

College football insider Greg Swaim reports that Florida State is currently negotiating a substantial $300 million buyout to exit the ACC. If this agreement is finalized, it will mark the most expensive conference departure in the annals of college sports.

Getting out of the ACC comes as a huge task for the Seminoles. Once it achieves this, many think the Big Ten will open its doors to the program. The latest reports suggest the conference is open to expanding again after adding USC and UCLA.

The world of college sports will keep an eye on the development within the ACC in the next few weeks. Whether the Seminoles eventually find their way out of the conference remains to be seen.

Quick Links

App download animated image Get the free App now