A word of advice: don’t think of the ACC’s pending conclusion with Florida State Seminoles and Clemson Tigers, which will ostensibly end their wandering eyes for now, as the final say in where those two schools will play football. Instead, think of it like “Jurassic Park.” For now, the ACC commissioner Jim Phillips’ relationship with those two fidgety members has been placed in amber, suspended in time, just like the dinosaur DNA that scientists eventually unlocked in the novel/movie. But CFB isn’t going to have to wait several millennia before letting the hungry velociraptors out of their cages. It’s only going to take until 2030.

Because college football’s next great realignment war will break loose that year. Already at its boiling point, the WW3. The ACC might have hit pause with two of its biggest members already plotting their escape, Clemson and Florida State. Like a game of musical chairs where the music has been momentarily turned down. 2030. That’s when both schools can officially leave for less than $100 million per ESPN and On3—a bargain compared to previous exit fees. And once that clock strikes, it’s not a matter of if they leave. It’s who follows, who survives, and most importantly, who fills the void.

With the writing on the wall, the ACC is already eyeing its next move. No conference survives by standing still, and with a power vacuum looming, expansion becomes an inevitability. Enter the University of South Florida, quietly positioning itself as the league’s most attractive lifeline. The Big Mountain podcast fellas didn’t mince words when discussing the conference’s top-tier targets: “One most likely candidate, I think they’re likely, I think they’re ready and waiting—go USF.” The Bulls are more than just another Group of Five program dreaming of the big leagues; they’ve been actively building toward this moment.

“We are thrilled to bring our on-campus stadium vision closer to reality, and these new renderings give Bulls fans an exciting glimpse into the game day experience awaiting them,” Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly said in a statement. A brand-new $340 million on-campus stadium is set to break ground, symbolizing a program not just knocking on the door of the Power Four but practically demanding entry. “They’re the only one in that top tier… if I was the ACC, I’d be giving USF an invite right now and getting them locked and loaded for the fall 2030 football season.” The logic is undeniable. The ACC needs stability, and USF is ready-made for the transition. Unlike the last round of conference realignment, which felt like a mad dash for survival, this shift is calculated.

USF has been investing in facilities, growing its program, and aligning itself with Power Conference expectations for years. “They’ve already been preparing for this—investing in their stadium, investing in their program,” the podcast noted. That level of commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed. While the ACC is the frontrunner, whispers suggest that even the so-called Power Two—the SEC and Big Ten—might at least entertain a glance, depending on what happens with the sport’s top brands in the coming years. “I have heard that they’re actually gearing up for an invitation somewhere,” the insiders added. “The PAC was interested in them. The ACC is very likely interested in them.”

Timing, as always, is everything. By 2030, when Clemson and Florida State make their inevitable move, the ACC will be desperate to maintain its national relevance. Losing flagship programs could send the conference into a downward spiral—unless new blood is brought in to counteract the damage. That’s where USF comes in. The program’s location in Tampa offers a prime television market, and their football ambitions, backed by a massive university system, align perfectly with the ACC’s need for long-term security. “The odds by that time of, you know, not losing at least one team are pretty high,” the insiders pointed out. “Get them locked and loaded.”

Beyond just replacing brands, the ACC’s recent media-rights settlement plays into this equation. As part of the agreement, future revenue distribution will weigh TV ratings more heavily, favoring schools like Clemson and Florida State in the short term. But if those two bolt, the league will need fresh markets and new audiences to maintain its financial leverage. USF checks both boxes. While they don’t have the football pedigree of Clemson or FSU, their growth potential is undeniable.

The wind of change is blowing in fast. We have already heard of some merger into a superleague that mimics the NFL. A breakaway from the NCAA? Though Clemson and FSU may have delayed their exits, no one’s fooled into thinking they’re staying long-term. And when they go, the ACC will need a contingency plan.

The ACC’s Future: A Delayed Breakup or Just Buying Time?

The ACC’s new revenue-sharing model, which takes 60% of its media revenue based on a five-year rolling average and distributes more cash to its top-performing programs, is an attempt to keep its heavyweights happy. But not everyone is convinced this will work.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey isn’t buying it. “There’s a history of unequal revenue sharing, and those conferences, it just hasn’t worked well for a long-term solution,” he told The Post and Courier. “In fact, the conferences that have chosen to do so have generally, either they don’t exist at a high level, or they’ve gone a different direction.”

Translation? Sankey sees this as a temporary bandage on a bigger problem. While the ACC is likely to survive in its current form until at least 2030, commissioner Jim Phillips can call that a win—for now. But beyond that? It’s a free-for-all.