Best ACC Replacements for Florida State (& Clemson?)

In late December, Florida State officially sued the ACC over grant of rights and withdrawal fees, laying the groundwork for their exit from the conference. While many suspect this (and a potential Clemson exit) will ultimately lead to the dissolution of the ACC a la Pac 12, let’s explore some potential replacement candidates to keep the conference alive.

Tulane

You would imagine Tulane is one of the first calls the ACC makes. They don’t fall too far from the ACC footprint (in fact, squarely in it with the addition of SMU). Most importantly, they have the performance to back up a P5 invite with multiple American Conference championships and some key upsets over top schools, like their win over USC in the 2022-23 Cotton Bowl. They have the facilities and have made the necessary investments. Plus, as many may not know, they even used to be in a power conference – the SEC, from 1933-1965, where they won 3 conference championships!

USF

USF has had some high highs and low lows in the last two decades, but they’ve proven they can compete at a top level with seasons like their back to back double digit win seasons in 2016 and 2017. In fact, they were ranked #2 in the country in 2007. Most importantly, USF resides in the extremely fertile recruiting territory, an argument other schools will make when looking to add them to the conference. It’s great to play in front of recruits in Tampa!

Memphis

Memphis feels like the “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” of conference expansion. But, you’d have to imagine they make the cut in a potential round of ACC expansion. Memphis brings the arguments of both Tulane and USF – they have strong facilities (including the historic Liberty Bowl which is undergoing serious renovations), have historically invested in athletics, and lie in great recruiting territory.

Army / Navy

Yes, the trend of poaching the American Conference continues, this time including a recent addition. While Army and Navy haven’t had sustained success since closer to World War II, they are historic programs that aren’t going anywhere. Furthermore, the appeal of having Army-Navy under the ACC brand (even if it’s considered an out-of-conference game like it will tentatively be in the American Conference) is valuable. That being said, these additions would mostly be for brand power and lying squarely in the ACC footprint.

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FAU

FAU is another great candidate to replace the Florida presence lost by FSU. FAU surged to relevancy under Lane Kiffin, but had continued investing in athletics since and has played in a bigger stage with their move to the American Athletic Conference. Boca Raton is one heck of a place to play, and also to recruit, but FAU brings one of the more competitive football programs in this list as well. Nailing one Florida addition to the ACC will be key, but adding the combo of USF and FAU will keep the conference relevant in one of the top football destinations in the country for sure.

ECU

This is where we hit the reach candidates. That being said, ECU is arguable the most underrated candidate to join the ACC. The ACC certainly doesn’t need more schools in the Carolinas, but beyond being squarely in the ACC footprint, ECU brings facilities and a history of fan investment in athletic programs. Pirate fans are diehards, even in lull years for the team. ECU also boasts a 51K capacity stadium in Dowdy-Ficklen – that’s even larger than UNC’s Kenan! Plus, there’s some upside to adding the number one party school in the country to your conference.

Who do YOU want to see in the ACC? Let us know in the replies or @CFBSelect on Twitter, Instagram and Threads.

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