Will Conference Realignment Ruin The Great Syracuse-FSU Rivalry?

Did you honestly think conference realignment rumors were over and we could all move on with our lives?

As you know, the ACC and ESPN extended their existing TV deal through 2027 or the zombie apocalypse, whichever comes first. The news was met with derision from some and outright anger from others. Others being Florida State fans.

Syracuse fans are all like, "Whatevs, bros. Sounds chillax to me," which, first of all, makes us sound like real d-bags. However, since Syracuse isn't planning on starting NYCTN (New York's College Team's Network) anytime soon, we're not too worried about particulars like third-tier rights.

Third-tier rights, however, are what's apparently got FSU's thong in a bunch.

Considering the size of Florida, the purported size of their fanbase and the perceived value of their sports programs, some think FSU could pull a Texas and start their own sports network. And that's why Chip Brown over at Orangebloods.com has opened the floodgates and put gas in the FSU-to-Big 12 bus.

...with the contract between the ACC and ESPN being announced today, the decision of Florida State to stay or go from its current conference home becomes accelerated. Florida State officials could come out at any moment and say, definitively, the Seminoles are not leaving the ACC.

Warchant.com, the Florida State site on the Yahoo/Rivals network, reported May 4 that Florida State is facing an athletics department shortfall of $2.4 million for the 2012-13 academic year.

The FSU conference shift isn't anything new. The hot rumor that the Seminoles and Clemson Tigers could jump to the Big 12 has been out there for a while. Most level-headed folks are saying it's bunk and with good reason. However, you know how these things go once they catch fire.

Meanwhile, moving from teams desperate to leave the ACC to teams desperate to join the ACC, ESPN is re-reporting that Louisville has made it crystal clear that they would like to leave the Big East ASAP.

There remains a desire among some member schools to leave. Multiple sources with direct knowledge of their situations told ESPN.com that Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich told the Big East board of directors that the Cardinals want to be in the Big 12 or the ACC, opting for transparency by making members aware of his school's true intentions.

Folks in the know are saying this isn't news and it's no surprise that Andy Katz is the one reporting this non-news as news. He loves to take stuff that's well-known regionally and present it to a national audience as new (i.e. reporting Hopkins is Boeheim's successor back in November). Katz also mentions that UConn secretly wants to go to the ACC (which we already knew).

Now, Clay Travis floated his Catholic League idea out there a couple days ago and got roasted for it (similar to my plan but more bloated). What no one seems to be asking, however, is what if those schools don't have a choice? What if Louisville and UConn do bolt? What if Rutgers follows UConn out the door? What choice do they really have?

Just like last time, we've got a ways to go on this...