The awkward Florida State-SEC matchup as well as realignment during the Orange Bowl
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 2: Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell raises the trophy following his team’s 16-6 victory over the Louisville Cardinals in the ACC Championship at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 2, 2023.
Miami, Florida — After completing the customary press conference and photo op, the two Orange Bowl coaches left in two quite different ways.
The two-time national champion Kirby Smart of Georgia left the house by himself, taking his time, and was followed only by a few staff members.
Then, surrounded by staff members and police, Mike Norvell’s entourage from Florida State appeared in a flurry. They moved through the Le Meridien Hotel’s lobby in such a way that passersby wondered what kind of dignitary was among them.
With a strong desire to regain its position as a dominant team, Florida State is positioning itself at the center of collegiate athletics. It is suing its own conference, a move that has the potential to change the direction of sports. Its officials and team have been here for the entire week, spending time with a team from a conference it may join.
or perhaps not.
Understanding the Seminoles’ conference unrest in Florida State vs. the ACC
There are those who believe that Florida State will eventually run to the SEC’s friendly embrace. a geographical and cultural fit. However, it’s a far less likely proposition among industry people who speak behind closed doors.
In the midst of the most recent round of realignment, Georgia president Jere Morehead stated in August that he believed the SEC would be fine with 16 teams. As a whole, the league felt the same way about Morehead, and as of right now, nothing seems to have changed. Greg Sankey, the commissioner of the SEC, might visit this week, but he’ll be there to cheer on his current squad, not to court Florida State. partly due to the possibility of legal issues. partly due to Sankey’s and his school presidents’ lack of enthusiasm.
This isn’t Texas and Oklahoma letting it be known, in a subdued manner, that they weren’t happy with the Big 12 and were looking for other options early in 2021. Not only were the Longhorns and Sooners intriguing additions, but Sankey and his presidents also understood that if they turned them down, the Big Ten, or even the ACC and Pac-12, would strike. The SEC was not looking to grow either. That gave the SEC two excellent reasons to take them.
That would not be Florida State, nor, if they were to accompany them, Clemson or Miami. Although their brands are strong, they wouldn’t increase the SEC’s reach. (Yes, the SEC was already in Texas, but the Longhorns and Aggies had the entire state dominated for the SEC.) The timing is more crucial in the case of the two super conferences Florida State is considering.
The Big Ten, with its lucrative television contract, will soon have eighteen schools. In addition to having 16 schools, the SEC is set to begin a new television contract and has been battling the challenge of football scheduling, which is related to the TV contract. Unless they are the most intriguing teams available, neither league is currently in the mood to add two more teams.
