Paul Finebaum Names 'Likely' SEC Expansion Targets

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 2:12 PM ET

In what has become a yearly offseason tradition over the past few years, conference realignment is back at the forefront of college football.

While most fans assumed that the collapse of the Pac-12 would have marked the end of realignment for a while, it appears that the ACC's recent settlement with Florida State and Clemson has opened up a can of worms. While the settlement modified the league's revenue distribution model, it also slashed the penalties that programs would have to pay if they left the conference before the media rights deal's 2036 expiration.

While both Florida State and Clemson may hope to join the SEC or Big Ten, ESPN's Paul Finebaum recently revealed on "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning" that he thinks the SEC would prefer different ACC programs.

“I think if you’re sitting there with 16 SEC presidents, they would much more likely gravitate toward North Carolina and Virginia," Finebaum said. "Who I also believe are drafting partners to use a NASCAR phrase, as opposed to Clemson and Florida State, which for all their football prowess and they are the last two ACC schools to win national championships, they don’t offer very much in anything."

In addition to not viewing them as attractive options for the SEC, Finebaum also expressed that he doesn't foresee the Big Ten being a landing spot for the two disgruntled ACC programs.

“Clemson is inferior to South Carolina as an academic institution," Finebaum said. "Then you have the same situation with Florida State. They are behind the other state schools, as well as private schools, in Florida. So, I don’t think either one of them have much to offer, and quite frankly I’m not really sure why the Big Ten would want either one of them.”

So, while Clemson and Florida State won't have to fork over the once jaw-dropping $700 million exit fees, which, according to Yahoo Sports, have since shrunk to $165 million in 2026, they do need a landing spot.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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