Will they or won't they? Rumors continue to swirl regarding the Big 12 and potential additions of Florida State and Clemson. Yet officials from both schools continue to deny any connection or communication between the current ACC universities and the Big 12.
That said, a new interview out at TigerNet with Clemson Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips does shed some insight on the mindset he says that ACC teams have at this point. He definitely doesn't admit to anything linking Clemson to the Big 12. However he admits the importance of football above all else -- and that schools have to act accordingly.
"There are a lot of things that I or anybody can't control," said Phillips. "The only thing that I feel confident in saying is that I believe that the ACC understands the challenges that we have going forward that football is strong and gets stronger. We cannot afford to lose our seat at the table when it comes to the BCS and championships going forward. We simply cannot afford to allow that to happen. The conference and the conference leadership, as well as the presidents, understand the importance that has to be placed on football going forward."
If the schools make the move to the Big 12, it will because of this pressures and realities identified in this statement. There's more money at the table in the Big 12, and the recent partnership with the SEC only solidifies the Big 12's standing among other conferences. The ACC? The conference is definitely at a crossroads.
It will be interesting to see what statements continue to come out in either direction. At the very least, there's an admission here that if a situation that's clearly better for a school develops, then the ACC is aware they have to take it.