Did FSU's AD Make A Subtle Pitch To The SEC And Big Ten?

It seems like Florida State AD Michael Alford made a bit of a pitch to why the Seminoles have the resources to compete in the SEC or Big Ten.

Right now, it seems like realignment in college football has temporarily cooled as people wait for the season to end. However, there's no doubt that it's still a major topic with USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten in 2024. Oklahoma and Texas are also joining the SEC at some point in the coming years.

With an arms race on the horizon, teams are all trying to scramble for power and landing spots, and the Florida State AD pointed out that the Seminoles have the revenue to compete anywhere.

Is Florida State trying to get poached out of the ACC?

During a recent university’s Board of Trustees meeting, Alford pointed out Florida State's $111.8 million in revenue in 2019 would rank third in the Big Ten and SEC.

"It speaks volumes to what we’re able to do with sponsorships and licensing, the contracts we’re able to negotiate, our donor support," Alford said during the meeting.

Tomahawk Nation reported there were no realignment discussions during the meeting, but it's hard to imagine that wasn't part of the goal here.

Alford didn't have to explicitly say he's gunning for the SEC or Big Ten in a situation like this. We all know those two conferences are ahead of the rest. The ACC is third, and then the PAC-12 and Big 12 are a distant fourth and fifth - you can debate the order for those two.

FSU definitely wants to join one of the two true powers. How do you do it? Well, you might point out that you're swimming in money. Money equals resources. More resources means great potential. It doesn't mean you'll actually win more games, but it should be easier.

After all, FSU hasn't been good in awhile, and Texas A&M is one of the worst teams in the country, despite having unlimited resources. Money doesn't guarantee results. It just guarantees the opportunity for greater outcomes.

Would the SEC or Big Ten take FSU? That remains incredibly unclear at this time, but if one of the conferences does bite on Florida State, it's much more likely it's the SEC than the Big Ten.

From a culture standpoint, the Seminoles make a lot more sense in the SEC than the Big Ten.

Nothing will likely happen in the near future, but Florida State has definitely made it clear the program has the resources to go head-to-head with any major power.