North Carolina is aiming to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference "in the near future"

There's been plenty of speculation regarding potential conference realignments, with schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference serving as intriguing candidates for some of the country's top conferences.

North Carolina has been involved in that chatter quite a bit, as the reports that the Tar Heels are aiming to leave the ACC are once again starting to surface.

Inside Carolina was the first to report that the University of North Carolina is looking to leave the ACC "in the near future." The most likely destination (according to the report) would be the SEC, but other conferences (such as the Big Ten) could be in play.

While the exit fees over the next few seasons are absolutely insane, 2030-2031 might be the Tar Heels' first opportunity to bolt. The exit fees dip to $75 million, still a large sum of money but one that is much lower than the current $165 million price tag.

It feels like it's only a matter of time before schools like North Carolina, Clemson and Florida State leave the ACC. These schools understand how the conference is falling behind, especially in the sport of football, as a move to a bigger conference would drastically help each program, most notably in the recruiting department.

With the recent changes in regime for the UNC football program, you can bet that North Carolina is looking to position both football and basketball in the best position to succeed. A move to the SEC would provide the Tar Heels with top-tier competion in both sports.

You know what they say, "where there's smoke, there's fire." This is what it appears to be regarding North Carolina's desire to switch conferences. It feels like it's only a matter of time before it does come to fruition.