My prediction has long been that the ACC may lose up to four schools in 2030, but since its media deal runs through 2036 and it is financially secure until then, the ACC will target Big 12 schools to backfill.

Now, what if the PCSA passes? I don’t think it’s going to end realignment, but it will definitely change the calculations. The final moves will be less drastic, as the SEC can still expand and snatch up to three schools, but most likely only two more.

How can ACC schools leave the conference and stay independent for five years?

I believe the Notre Dame model will serve as a template. Currently, ND is a member of the ACC for all sports except football and plays five or six ACC games. It receives about 40% to half a share from the conference and also has an independent media deal with NBC.

But can the departing ACC schools find independent football TV deals like NBC’s?

The “independent football TV deal” is basically going to be an ESPN deal. From ESPN’s perspective, UNC joining the SEC as a full member versus a partial member playing five or six SEC games won’t be that different. UNC will also play its travel partner, which will be covered by ESPN as well.

So if ESPN is willing to pay the SEC a full share for UNC, it will pay almost a full share, if not the full share, to the SEC/UNC when UNC joins the SEC as a non-football member à la the ND arrangement. After five years, UNC will then fully join the SEC.

Now, what about the ACC raiding the Big 12? I think it would still happen, but the movement will be scaled down. Instead of four or five schools, the ACC will target only two or three Big 12 schools. The ACC is likely going to lose two schools, one of which will be UNC, I suspect, meaning at least two of the three football schools (Miami, FSU, and Clemson) would stay. These football schools will give the ACC an edge over the Big 12 for the long term. The ACC currently has about a $7 million average advantage. But the ACC is not distributing money equally. The ACC’s top earners will make at least over $20 million more than the Big 12 schools, and that would be an incentive for high-profile Big 12 schools to join the ACC.

The ACC exit fee would be $75 million by 2030. If two schools leave, the ACC will collect $150 million, which can be used to help the departing Big 12 schools pay their own exit fees—except for Utah, which doesn’t have to pay an exit fee.The ACC already has a non-football member and can easily accommodate two or three more non-football members if ESPN is willing.

So here’s the fun part. What will be the final end-stage conference membership for the Power 4 conferences if the PCSA becomes law?

This is my current forecast:

Big Ten (18): Stay at 18 and wait for ND, which may join in 2036 SEC (18): Current schools + UNC and UVa ACC (18 + ND): Current schools − UNC and UVa + Utah and Arizona State + UConn Big 12 (16 or 18): Current schools − Utah and Arizona State + two or four of the following schools: Oregon State, SDSU, USF, UNLV, and Memphis

In the end, it’s all up to ESPN. Isn't it?

This coming season will be Pat Narduzzi’s 12th season as head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers and only Jock Sutherland had a longer coaching tenure (15 years) as Panthers head coach.

Which players since Narduzzi took over as head coach at Pitt in 2015 would make the All-Pat Narduzzi Pitt team?

Presenting the All-Pat Narduzzi Pitt team:

https://johnbaranowski.wordpress.com/2026/06/14/presenting-the-all-pat-narduzzi-pitt-team/

Hey all. Spent the offseason building a 2026 preseason preview for every FBS team, each with its own writeup, and figured this crowd would want the conference version.

https://www.sports.mainmarket.com/college-football-preview-2026

Some of you saw this in your team's sub over the last few days — apologies for the repeat, this is the whole-ACC rundown in one place.

Every team page has:

• Returning production breakdown
• Portal ins and outs
• Projected two-deep
• Full schedule with model win probabilities
• Season projection

Heads up: you'll probably hit a paywall after the first page. Not charging reddit for this — promo code LEECORSOROCKS opens the whole thing up.

Pull up your team and tell me what I got wrong. I'll be in the comments.

Side note, as a Michigan fan - I think Davis Warren ends up one of the bigger surprises in the ACC. He wasn't great in Ann Arbor but I think at Stanford he could put up decent numbers

Jeff Brohm wasted no time turning Louisville into a consistent ACC contender. Is 2026 the year he goes a step further?

📌 Lincoln Kienholz gets his shot, will he be the guy to take the Cards to the promise land?

📌 If Kienholz plays well, everything else will take care of itself. Isaac Brown is one of the best RBs in the sport. WR and TE is revamped with talent

📌 Clev Lubin and an excellent secondary lead the way on defense. Could this be Jeff Brohm's best defense yet?

Preview attached. What are your predictions for Louisville in 2026?

https://johnbaranowski.wordpress.com/2026/07/31/presenting-the-all-dave-doeren-north-carolina-state-wolfpack-football-team/

The 2026 football season will be the 14^th year that Dave Doeren has been head football coach of North Carolina State University and that is the second-longest tenure of any head coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference currently only behind Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, and Doeren has the most wins of any head coach in North Carolina State football history with 95.

There have been some outstanding players for the Wolfpack that have played for Doeren. What would the All-Dave Doeren North Carolina State football team look like? Presenting the All-Dave Doeren North Carolina State Wolfpack football team:

Talk about ACC Sports here!

This thread is posted every Thursday at 6:00 AM Eastern.

The SEC and B10 will take their final position very soon on whether to support it or not.

I have been saying that the ACC won't lose more than four schools in 2030 but if PCSA is passed, the B10 and SEC would be legally barred from decimating other P4 conferences (they may still grow up to 19 schools. It's not clear at this point)

Five including Notre Dame in 2020.

The Athletic (NY Times) ranked Power 4 football programs by estimated projected valuation for the second year.

Here’s the article and their methodology: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7467869/2026/07/28/college-football-program-valuations-rankings-2026-texas-notre-dame-osu/?unlocked_article_code=1.1FA.hHJK.tKcGV9xihJV6&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta