3 reasons why the ACC could face Pac-12-like collapse ahead of the 2024 college football season

Following the implosion of the Pac-12 last summer, the ACC has become the next Power Five conference engulfed in chaos. The league is dealing with the pressures from some of its members in their attempt to depart.

One way or the other, this is already looking like the Pac-12 story, and the Atlantic Coast Conference could be the next to witness an implosion. Here's a look at the three biggest reasons why the ACC could suffer the fate of the Pac-12 in the not-distant future.

Three reasons why the ACC could face Pac-12-like collapse

#1, Internal turmoil

The chaos ongoing within the ACC is one big reason the conference may suffer the fate of the Pac-12. The league is dealing with multiple lawsuits filed against it by its top members.

FSU was the first university to get into a legal battle with the conference. The Seminoles filed its first complaint in December in a Florida court and had it amended a couple of times since then.

Clemson followed suit in February, filing a lawsuit against the ACC in a South Carolina court. The Tigers are seeking damages from the league in their latest amended complaint.

#2, Multiple desire to depart

Another big reason the ACC is likely to go the way of the Pac-12 is the high number of schools intending to depart. The majority of the members have begun or have plans to leave.

Florida State and Clemson are already working on departing the conference despite the difficulties involved. North Carolina and Virginia are also generating strong interest from other Power Five leagues due to their large home market.

Also, seven other ACC members have reportedly met with Big 12 authorities to discuss the possibilities of a potential realignment. This undoubtedly places the future of the league in jeopardy within the collegiate athletics landscape.

#3, ESPN media deal clause

Without a doubt, this would be the last straw that'll break the camel's back for the ACC. There's a clause in the long-term media deal with ESPN that the league has been working to uphold.

The media deal has a clause that gives ESPN the right to renegotiate the terms of the deal if the membership falls below 15. A mass exodus of teams from the conference could lead to the withdrawal of the television rights deal by the network.

The withdrawal of the media deal will mean a total fall for the conference. The ACC attempted to mitigate this by adding Stanford, Cal and SMU last summer. Nonetheless, this is not enough to prevent the implosion, considering the number of schools ready to leave.