Some insiders shared a little, others a lot more, but today we’ll break down the key points from each insider’s comments and what it means for the Big 12 Conference.

VIRGINIA

“Everyone I’ve talked to keeps saying that the administration has been working on options for the ‘Hoos behind the scenes for the last two years,” said Jacquie Franciulli of 247Sports. “The Big 12 hasn’t really been mentioned when it comes to UVA. There’s a sense that change is coming.”

While Virginia hasn’t been mentioned as often as its counterpart Virginia Tech, the idea that change is coming could be the writing on the wall for the program. It’s long been thought that the in-state rivals would likely be a package deal if either team were to go elsewhere.

NC STATE

“Based on conservative conversations with two NC State sources, there is no belief that the Wolfpack will have ‘their say’ in the next phase of redistricting,” Crawford wrote. “Reaching a TV market that is heating up in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill would be a win for the Big Ten or SEC, but North Carolina is believed to be the preferred choice there.”

NC State has quietly built an incredible athletic program over the past few decades, and the Wolfpack seems like an incredible cultural fit for the Big 12. With both NC State and North Carolina being bounced around to multiple different leagues in conference realignment, it stands to reason that NC State would be a hot commodity if expansion were to happen.

MIAMI

“Right now, Miami is focused on trying to win this season,” said David Lake of Inside the U. “They think if they do that, they’ll become attractive to the Big Ten. They’re not that interested in the Big 12 right now.”

Despite the Big 12 creating a stable and consistent path to the College Football Playoff, nothing has changed for the Hurricanes. Crawford notes in his piece that Miami is fighting for a Big Ten bid, and that plan doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.

CLEMSON

“I think this could take a while with all the different cases going on at the same time (including FSU),” said Austin Hannon of Clemson247. “Clemson has made it clear that it wants to leave the conference, but the ACC and the hours and dollars in court make that difficult.”

Clemson, one of two schools that have publicly held “preliminary discussions” with the Big 12, appears to be the driving force behind the ACC’s departure. As the insider noted above, fans expecting an immediate realignment will likely have to wait a little longer, given the legal limbo the ACC finds itself in with multiple lawsuits pending.

STATE OF FLORIDA

“People at FSU are dismissive of Big 12 conversations that have any substance,” said Chris Nee of Noles247. “All their cards are on the table, but that’s not why they’re fighting this legal battle.”

Another team that is being talked about a lot in the conference realignment, Florida State, is involved in the same process as Clemson. Fans of both programs are starting to embrace the idea that change is coming, and while it may not happen quickly, with members of the media openly discussing potential moves, Florida State and Clemson would likely be the first dominoes to fall.

NORTH CAROLINA

“I don’t know where we’re going from a national governance standpoint,” UNC AD Bubba Cunningham said. “Right now, you have to have a minimum of 16 sports to get to the highest level. (NCAA President) Charlie Baker has a proposal that we want to improve some of the benefits for students, we want to make sure they graduate, we want to make sure they have good health care. But I don’t think the financial part of his proposal is really fully fleshed out. I think that’s going to have some impact on the future, whether the ACC schools can really compete at the highest level.”

North Carolina’s athletic director discussed some of the additional circumstances involved in the future of the ACC, including academic standing, athletic revenue sharing, student benefits, travel plans and more. While the modern era of college athletics has quickly abandoned the idea of ​​regionality, North Carolina’s leadership is making sure to factor it into the equation.