Could North Carolina be on their way out of the ACC?

With USC and UCLA making their way to the Big Ten, is it only a matter of time before North Carolina is heading elsewhere as well?

The college sports world recently received major news, as two of the Pac-12 eldest members have announced their intention to join the Big Ten Conference.

USC and UCLA have been tabbed as the newest members of the Big Ten, a move that will begin starting in 2024. The conference will now have 16 teams, as it joins the SEC as the only conferences with this many programs within it.

Not only could this have a major impact on the future of the Pac-12, but could also really alter the landscape of collegiate conferences moving forward.

For the Big Ten, they are currently negotiating a new media rights deal, one that could earn each school close to $100 million dollars annually. There are also rumors that the conference is trying to lure Notre Dame, who is tied to the ACC until 2036, to their newly shaped league.

Now, what about the SEC? This powerhouse conference (especially in the sport of football) isn’t going to just sit around… is it?

According to Brett McMurphy, not a chance that happens.

A source told McMurphy that “even by adding Oklahoma and Texas, the SEC is not going to sit back and watch the Big Ten and let things happen.” One of the possibilities that he brings up is the likelihood that the SEC would target ACC schools, including North Carolina.

McMurphy mentions the Tar Heels along with Clemson, Florida State, and Virginia as the schools that should draw the most interest from the SEC. However, these programs would have to find a way out of the current ACC Grant of Rights, which won’t expire until 2036.

There are a few valid questions that could be asked here?

Would the Tar Heels leave the ACC (barring that nothing totally drastic occurs, such as other ACC programs leaving ahead of them)?

Would North Carolina be willing to go to a conference without Duke (and leave the rivalry behind in a way)?

Is it possible that the Tar Heels would prefer a destination that takes both them and the Blue Devils?

The list of questions could go on and on…

At this point, it’s essentially all speculation. However, it isn’t crazy to begin thinking about these possibilities, as the landscape of college athletics could greatly change over the next couple of years.

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