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Clemson football: 3 reasons why it’s time to join the SEC

By Andrew Boardwine

Jul 22, 2021; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Swinney speaks to the media during the ACC Kickoff at The Westin Charlotte. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 22, 2021; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Swinney speaks to the media during the ACC Kickoff at The Westin Charlotte. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /
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ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, Clemson football in the ACC Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /

There is a potentially dangerous situation unfolding for the Clemson football program if things aren’t worked out in a hurry.

The SEC is reportedly adding Texas and Oklahoma to its member institutions and that means the conference with the most power is about to get even more powerful. But they don’t want to stop there.

There is a report that the SEC has reached out to Clemson, Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State about joining the league as part of a 20-team ‘super conference’ and while on the surface that might seem crazy, the truth of the matter is that it might be what’s best for Clemson football if the Tigers want to stay relevant.

Here’s three reasons why Clemson needs to join the SEC.

3. The ACC is playing checkers and the SEC is playing chess

This honestly might be the No. 1 reason, but nevertheless, it’s the sad reality that exists.

The SEC has reportedly been in talks with Oklahoma and Texas for months. The conference has its eyes set on absolutely dominating the market.

The ACC, on the other hand, is two steps behind. But should we be surprised?

Supposedly, there is a report that the ACC also inquired with Texas and Oklahoma, but the two schools were already basically committed to the SEC at that point.

The ACC has been playing checkers for years and it’s finally catching up to it. The ACC signed a bad television deal to get the linear channel with ESPN and that deal runs through 2036. When the conference finally had the opportunity to leverage Notre Dame in as a full-time member, it balked.

We’ve seen member institutions added and decisions made under John Swofford’s direction that were nothing more than pawns to appease Tobacco Road. And, now, here we are in a College Football landscape with a conference that simply isn’t ready to compete with a super league like what the SEC has in mind for its future.

Clemson deserves better. Honestly, all the member institutions in the ACC deserve better.

Perhaps new ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips can be the one to rally the conference and make moves happen- like adding Notre Dame to the league as a full-time member or poaching a school from the Big Ten- but it seems much more likely that we’re just going to see much of the same. And that’s simply not going to fly in the new world order that the SEC is creating, like it or not.

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