Clemson football fans have been anxiously awaiting to see what might be in store for the Tigers in the near future following the massive conference realignment rumors that are taking place across the landscape of College Football.
Everything all started with reports that Texas and Oklahoma were considering leaving the Big 12 for the SEC. In less than 24 hours, those reports have become all but confirmations and the expectation at this point is that the Longhorns and Sooners will be giving their notice to the Big 12 next week and filing the application to join the SEC, as well.
With the additions of Texas and Oklahoma, the SEC will be up to 16 teams but one report says the conference doesn’t want to stop there.
Barstool Sports’ Jack McGuire reports that the SEC has been in ‘serious contact’ with Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan and Florida State about leaving their respective conferences to join the league. The ultimate goal? To have a true 20-team mega conference.
SEC has been in serious contact with Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson, and Florida State.
— Jack McGuire (@JackMacCFB) July 23, 2021
Not clear if this will materialize, but they have their eyes on a true 20 team MEGA conference.
OU and Texas just the start. #ScoopCity
While some are skeptical of McGuire’s report, it should be noted that he was one of the first to report the news of Texas and Oklahoma earlier this week and he says that it is coming from multiple sources.
You can doubt all you want.
— Jack McGuire (@JackMacCFB) July 23, 2021
This comes from multiple sources, including one that gave me OU & Texas to SEC on Monday. #ScoopCity hasn’t had a miss since 2019.
Anyways @UnnecRoughness premiers at 5:30 PM tonight. https://t.co/2I5OZgphNw
Could Clemson football join the SEC in a move to be a part of a 20-team mega conference?
We still take anything we see with a grain of salt right now, but there’s no doubt that the SEC is trying to become a mega power and it would make sense for it to reach out to four of the top brands who are not currently in the league upon the addition of Texas and Oklahoma.
At this point, we can say from the Clemson football side that there hasn’t been anything linked to the Tigers being interested in leaving the ACC, but that is all subject to change.
Clemson joining the SEC mega conference would give the entire athletic department a stability unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. The SEC is going to draw major television revenue and the Tigers would likely make more than $30 million more in a single academic year based off that revenue alone.
If the SEC- with its two major additions- has called, you at least have to listen to the pitch, don’t you?
What if Clemson chose to stay in the ACC and Florida State moved on? How catastrophic could that be for the brand perception of the ACC and for the Tigers themselves in the long-run?
All that being said, we wouldn’t take McGuire’s reporting as an ‘end-all, be-all,’ but it’s certainly an intriguing rumor that could have some merit. Only time will tell.