Should Clemson join the Big Ten or SEC?

Regardless, even half of that payday would be a significant improvement over what Clemson has gotten from the ACC in recent years.

Last season, the B1G generated nearly $680 million in revenue, each school receiving $46.1 million. The SEC raised $777.8 million to give each member $54.7 million. Meanwhile, ACC schools each received $36.1 million, which was actually $6 million more than 2020 due to Notre Dame joining the conference for a year, meaning even that isn’t sustainable. 

The SEC and B1G will continue to grow their media deals and entice more schools to join. Teams from the “lesser” conferences (ACC, Big-12 and PAC-12) will struggle with NIL deals and recruitment because people want to play against the best and get on screen the most. 

Oklahoma and Texas started a movement when they ditched the Big-12 for the SEC last year. The best programs from the PAC-12 (Oregon and Washington) and ACC (Clemson, Florida State and Miami) will be scrambling to find a spot in the new bipartisan CFB structure. All other conferences will be at a distinct disadvantage. 

The Tigers have been a member of the ACC since 1953, so it will be difficult for some fans to accept that it’s time to move on. However, if Dabo Swinney and the Tigers want to retain their reputation at the height of college football, Clemson should move to the B1G (not the SEC).

Why the B1G is a better fit

The SEC doesn’t mention their universities’ educational commitments at all in their mission statement, while the B1G and ACC do. Their only goal is to make money and advance their players from an athletic standpoint. Here is the SEC’s statement:

“We develop and regulate the capital market and company registration; promote good corporate governance; empower investors, corporators, and entrepreneurs; and facilitate access to financial products and resources.”

Meanwhile, the B1G boasts multiple of the top institutions in the country, just like the ACC. Their statement speaks to the quality of universities in the conference and their educational and charitable goals.

“The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service.”

The B1G is racking up millions from their athletics and it’s only going up, but their mission still promotes the universities’ pursuit of education and charity. This is exactly why Clemson fits in the B1G: It’s more than just a sports conference. They are a community of equals committed to advancing the lives of young men on whatever path life takes them. 

The SEC may have more national championships and larger NIL deals, but none of that matters if the Tigers’ program and values stick out like a sore thumb. There are already two Tigers in the SEC, they don’t need a third… Instead, let’s go show those northeasterners how we get down in Death Valley. 

That being said, it isn’t as simple as signing a dotted line. The Tigers are much closer to SEC schools and there are significant roadblocks for conference changes. Ultimately, it seems more likely that Clemson ends up in the SEC.

Why they might end up in the SEC regardless

The B1G has always required potential conference members to be in the American Association of Universities, which is an organization of research institutions. Clemson isn’t currently a member, according to Fansided. Nebraska is an exception to that standard, so the B1G may be willing to bend the rules for a powerhouse like Clemson. However, that is yet to be seen. 

On the other hand, the SEC has schools not two hours from Clemson and they have no AAU rule. There have already been reports that the SEC will target Clemson, Miami, Florida State and Virginia Tech from the ACC. 

Since 2015, Clemson is 12-4 against SEC teams and every loss has come against the eventual National Champion of that season, according to Clemson SID Tim Bourret. So, the conference might not be a fantastic fit for the school, but Dabo Swinney’s boys always have a natural chip on their shoulder against the SEC due to proximity and status. This would only intensify that atmosphere and create some epic rivalries, some of which already exist against South Carolina and Alabama.  

Conclusion

Ultimately, it’s in the Tigers’ best interest to join either the B1G or SEC, whichever they can make a deal with. The only way Clemson can cement themselves as one of the best programs in history is if they commit to playing against the best. Tiger fans should stay on alert for any conference-related news, because this could all unravel rather quickly.