USF will hope Florida State's next legal move will finally start football realignment

USF football fans have been waiting for what seems like forever for Florida State to formally abandon the Atlantic Coast Conference for greener pastures – green, of course, being larger
media rights fees from the Seminoles’ next landing spot.

The common belief is that once the Seminoles head to wherever they’re going, the Bulls will be on the clock to land in a new home. Just so we're clear, this is all about football.

Well, maybe FSU is inching toward the ACC exit doors. Yahoo Sports reported that FSU is about to enter mediation with the conference within a few days. If/when that happens, the finish line for the Seminoles and the ACC will at least be in sight.

But once again we must caution: patience, folks.

Mediation can be a drawn-out process designed to help both sides reach a compromise, and what about this hasn’t been the equivalent of a root canal without Novocain?

Besides, what does this mean for USF?

FSU’s exit from the ACC – along, presumably, with Clemson – will be the starting gun for the next round of realignment. When that happens, Bulls fans will need tranquilizers to calm their rapidly beating hearts at the thought of their beloved program joining a “name” conference for the first time since the Big East imploded.

This is just my speculation, but the Seminoles must leave the ACC after trashing and suing the conference over its restrictive (and limited) rights fees.

Florida State has argued that SEC and Big Ten programs pull in much more money from rights fees, leaving the Seminoles at a competitive disadvantage.

There has been speculation that FSU and Clemson could ultimately stay in the ACC, but I’m not buying that. Things are really ugly, and to suggest the warring sides could kiss and make up is not realistic to me.

Let’s assume FSU does leave.

Would the ACC have Bulls Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly’s number on speed dial? I asked him several weeks ago whether any other conference has requested information from USF regarding possible expansion. He said they hadn’t but added that likely candidates already know what value the Bulls could bring in realignment.

Our would the Big 12 rush in to grab the Bulls, revive the War on I-4 with UCF, and take control of the vast mid-Florida TV  market?

There is speculation the ACC could collapse like the Pac-12 did after UCLA and Southern Cal left for the Big Ten. Marquee programs like North Carolina, Duke, and Virginia might look elsewhere. Miami could have roving eyes too.

We don’t know, and that’s because none of those programs know either.

But we are nearing a time when things will be a lot clearer. When FSU’s mediation with ACC concludes, presumably with an exit strategy for the Seminoles, the dominoes will start to tumble.

When that day comes, USF will be ready with its bags packed.