There is one reason why we have seen massive shifts in the alignment of NCAA Division I schools in this century: money.
It isn’t always fair. It isn’t always fun. It also isn’t fun when your program isn’t as competitive as the others that can always pay coaches twice as much or build facilities that are twice as nice.
Soon, programs will be able to share some of that revenue with players. Those that make the most money will be in the best position to compete.
That is why schools like Clemson and Florida State are engaged in legal battles with the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers have been a member of the league since 1953. I don’t want any of the other programs in the ACC to suffer if Clemson leaves the league, but I would prefer that over my team suffering because they stayed too long.
I wish there was another way. I wish the ACC could just excuse a few programs that seem to be holding the conference back. Honestly, that would be the least destructive way for the most valuable teams in the league to move forward.
For argument’s sake, let’s pretend the Stanford/California/SMU expansion never happened. Ignore Notre Dame. If the ACC could back off to nine programs, those nine probably wouldn’t pull the same kind of average money per school as the Power Two, but they would be much better off than they are now.
Here are the five schools I would kick out of the ACC if I could.
NEXT: Wake Forest Demon Deacons