Paul Finebaum ranks SEC expansion candidates from the ACC, names favorite

There is a lot of speculation at the moment that schools in the ACC could be on the move in the next round of college football realignment. ACC schools are eying the Big Ten and SEC as possible landing spots, if they are able to get out of the ACC Grant of Rights.

ESPN and SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum appeared on the McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning show on Monday and was asked about conference realignment.

Specifically, he was asked who the SEC should make its top target from the ACC, if it does expand the league.

According to Finebaum, there’s a clear favorite from the ACC.

“I would go for North Carolina first, because they really hit a lot of different boxes. Number one, they’re the dominant university in one of the 10 or 11 largest states in the country. That doesn’t matter as much as it used to from a television footprint, but they do cover a lot there,” Finebaum said. “They have a respectable football program. They have an elite basketball program, which I don’t think is driving anyone other than maybe a few out West [to watch]. But they just bring a lot to the table overall. After that, I think it’s a debate between Miami, Florida State and Clemson.”

Florida State and Miami were football powerhouses for a long time, before Clemson jumped up and became the dominant football program in the ACC under Dabo Swinney.

However, Finebaum believes it is UNC that the SEC should make its top target.

Big Ten, SEC top $800 million in revenue

The conference realignment talk all comes back to money.

Every Power 5 conference is trying to keep up with the SEC and Big Ten in terms of revenue. We now know just how much more money those leagues brought in than their competitors in 2022.

According to a report from USA Today, Power 5 conferences had a combined revenue of more than $3.3 billion in the fiscal year 2022.

USA Today was able to obtain tax records for all five Power 5 conferences. They show that the Big Ten led the way, bringing in $845.6 million last year. Big Ten schools received an average of about $58.8 million in payouts, although Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers received several million less “because of distribution of revenue from the Big Ten Network that was earned before they became entitled to full shares,” according to USA Today.

The SEC wasn’t far behind the Big Ten, bringing in $802 million, for an average of $49.9 million per school. The SEC and Big Ten have separated themselves from the rest of the pack.

The ACC had the third-highest revenue among Power 5 schools, bringing in $617 million in 2022. While that number is in the middle of the Power 5 schools, it is well behind the SEC and Big Ten. ACC schools received between $37.9 million and $41.3 million in payouts. Notre Dame received $17.4 million for the sports it competed in. The Irish are independent in football.