FSU football filed a lawsuit against the ACC in December 2023, hoping to find a way to leave the conference. Clemson filed a lawsuit shortly after, and the three entities decided to settle the lawsuits earlier this year.
FSU can leave for much less than originally thought and will have the opportunity to make much more money due to its ability to draw TV viewers.
It will help FSU negate the growing financial gap between them and teams in the B1G and SEC. However, one thing it can't help is the perception and reality that the ACC is a second-tier conference.
The ACC had 41 players drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft (10 were from FSU) and had 42 drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft (two from FSU and seven from the three new schools that joined the conference this year).
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For comparison, the SEC led the way with 59 selections in 2024, followed by 43 from the Pac-12 and 42 from the B1G.
The SEC grew its number selected to 79 in the 2025 NFL Draft with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12. The B1G acquisition of several Pac-12 schools helped them have 71 players selected this year.
The ACC's 42 selected was the same 10-11 player gap over the Big 12, but only because they acquired three new schools.
The SEC naturally has an advantage because of access and proximity to where the majority of the top talent resides nationally. However, some B1G schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, and others can afford to dip into the southeast and nab top talent.
It makes it more difficult for teams like FSU and Clemson to compete for that talent when they're already competing with SEC teams.
When media personalities blatantly shill for the SEC and the B1G as superior conferences, it doesn't help. Those narratives bleed into perceptions among recruits and teams in the ACC will continue to be at a disadvantage. FSU and Mike Norvell need to improve recruiting operations overall, but playing in the ACC isn't doing them any favors, and why they need to exit this conference ASAP.