Clemson Football: Friday Realignment Update
By John Chancey
![Dec 28, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks mascot celebrates with fans against the UCLA Bruins at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports Dec 28, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks mascot celebrates with fans against the UCLA Bruins at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/6c3becc1daa1802311a0cccf7a92a6cc81af50a150961e73a5d69c9d753aa526.jpg)
Clemson Football opened fall camp today, and there will be plenty of tidbits the insiders will share as the next few practices commence.
While Dabo Swinney and the team will be focused inward, the fans will continue to keep an eye on the happenings in the world around us. There are more things brewing on the conference realignment front, and while they don’t directly involve Clemson yet, it is hard to predict exactly how things will play out.
As mentioned in the Clemson Roundup this morning, Arizona applied for Big 12 membership and the conference approved the application. Once the Board of Regents approves the move, the Wildcats will become the fourteenth member of the Big 12 in 2024.
Ross Dellinger explains that Arizona State and Utah aren’t in a hurry to get involved, but they aren’t too far behind.
Decisions from Big 12 expansion targets Arizona State and Utah have not progressed as quickly as Arizona, but they remain viable options for the league and a conclusion is expected in a matter of days, sources tell @YahooSports.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 4, 2023
Meanwhile, Oregon and Washington are finding themselves between a rock and a hard place. The rock is a PAC that might only have six members in 2024 and would likely need to expand. The hard place is their most desired landing spot, the Big Ten, playing hardball.
Big Ten’s offer to Washington & Oregon is expected to be $35-40 million annually per team - a figure that, with the additional cross-country travel, could create some hesitancy, sources tell @YahooSports.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 4, 2023
However, exits from the Four Corner schools could sway UW and UO to leave.
As speculated here yesterday, the Big Ten senses the Pacific Northwest can be gotten on the cheap and they are looking for a sweetheart deal.
As Clemson Football starts camp, schools out west continue realignment
Though there is a morning article that Oregon would accept a Big Ten invite, now according to The Athletic, the two schools might be mustering their pride and pushing back:
BREAKING: Oregon and Washington's exit from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten appears to have lost momentum overnight, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic: https://t.co/e2MZM1R2Qa
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 4, 2023
This one might not be a slam dunk.
What does this mean for the Clemson Tigers and the ACC? It probably doesn’t mean much. The Grant of Rights is still a thing sadly, and despite the sword rattling in Tallahassee, there is no credible hypothesis thus far on how anyone will challenge it.
Clemson is taking a different approach than their peer Florida State and keeping their opinions and plans private for now.
Until that changes, we will keep one eye on happenings out west and the other on fall camp.
Next. Clemson Roundup: Realignment, Dexter Lawrence and new baseball commit. dark