ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 are reportedly nearing alignment

The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 appear to be nearing an agreement on alignment, according to The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach. After reports emerged last week about a potential scheduling alliance between the three conferences, this report of alignment appears to involve more than just that.

This goes beyond the originally reported scheduling alliance

In light of recent news around Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, questions about the future of college football have been rapidly spreading. Auerbach tweeted a report saying that clarity on that future might be coming in the coming days.

“News: The Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC are expected to make a formal announcement about their alignment soon perhaps as early as next week,” Auerbach tweeted.

News: The Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC are expected to make a formal announcement about their alignment soon, perhaps as early as next week, multiple sources told @TheAthletic.

This isn't just about scheduling. More: https://t.co/OyBicG7uiv

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 20, 2021

Auerbach noted that there are still a lot of details to sort out. So it is unclear how specific the announcement will be when it comes. Regardless, she wrote that the three conferences are aligned in their views for athletics, making them a great fit for a potential alignment.

“Schools within the three conferences believe they are like-minded, that they want to continue to prioritize broad-based sports offerings and that the academic profile of their institutions matters – as does graduating athletes,” Auerbach wrote. “For example, the Big Ten schools sponsor an average of 24.8 sports per campus, with the ACC (23.8) and Pac-12 (22.9) not far behind. SEC schools offer an average of 19.9 sports.”

The possible alignment between the conferences will be a shot back at the SEC

As their current contracts state, Texas and Oklahoma will leave the Big 12 for the SEC in 2025. Some experts have speculated about the schools exiting as early as 2022, although that seems unlikely at this time. Texas and Oklahoma really make the SEC the most powerful mega-conference in college football. This makes it important for the rest of the landscape to find a way to keep up.

None of the three conferences have expressed any serious interest in taking in the remaining Big 12 schools. The American is another conference to monitor in terms of the future of some Big 12 programs.

A potential alignment between the three conferences could serve as major bargaining power on big-picture decisions. Whether it is related to the NCAA or the College Football Playoff, power is coveted. An announcement is likely to come soon on details of the alignment. With it, more clarity on the future of college football appears to be nearing.

On3’s James Fletcher also contributed to this report.