Big Ten Turmoil: Why ACC Fans Shouldn’t Buy the USC Rumors

The Big Ten is wrestling with internal drama that would sound very familiar to ACC fans. A proposed multibillion-dollar capital-investment deal, one that would hand over an equity stake in Big Ten revenue assets to a new group called Big Ten Enterprises. Has sparked resistance from two major brands: Michigan and USC. The pushback has ignited message-board fantasies about exits and realignment, including USC somehow pivoting to the ACC. Entertaining? Yes. Realistic? Not even close.

The Deal That’s Causing the Rift

Reported by Ross Dellenger, of Yahoo SportsThe Big Ten is considering a plan to bring in a major cash infusion in exchange for giving up a minority stake in a new for-profit arm that would control media rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales. Supporters view it as a way to stay competitive as athlete compensation and operating costs climb. Dissenters—most notably Michigan and USC—believe the conference is trading long-term control for short-term relief.

The plan is also tied to extending the Big Ten’s Grant of Rights. That would lock member schools in well past the current expiration, echoing the ACC’s own GoR situation that Clemson and Florida State are now fighting in court. ACC fans know better than anyone: once you sign away your rights for a decade or more, you’re stuck.

USC to the ACC? Fun Talk, But Fiction

Rumors have flown that USC could bolt if the deal passes, with some suggesting the Trojans could seek refuge in the ACC—perhaps even in a basketball-only capacity. On the surface, it’s a flashy thought: the ACC adding a massive West Coast brand to spark revenue and regain prestige.

But here’s reality:

USC is not leaving the Big Ten
Even if they hated the deal, crafting a lawful exit plan would take months, if not years. They just moved to the Big Ten for long-term football stability and financial growth. You don’t throw that away on a one-week tantrum. Not to mention the travel. USC hates the Midwest travel, and the ACC would be further.

And a basketball-only ACC move would never happen.
USC’s value is rooted in football. That’s the engine that drives their brand, their revenue, and their national relevance. No major conference is taking on USC without football. And USC isn’t downgrading its most valuable asset to play secondary to ACC gridiron heavyweights. Unlike Notre Dame, who has been independent forever.

Don’t Expect the Big Ten to Boot Its Crown Jewels

Some have suggested the Big Ten could simply move forward without Michigan and USC and push them out if they continue resisting. Let’s be clear: the idea of the Big Ten expelling either school is beyond unrealistic—it would be self-inflicted disaster.

Michigan is a foundational pillar of the Big Ten brand, history, and TV value. It’s has a winning history in college football. USC was the Big Ten’s crown-jewel addition—its Hollywood brand and football pedigree were key reasons the league expanded west in the first place. Removing either program would crater the Big Ten’s identity, media value, and long-term leverage.

Call it what it is: asinine.

Why ACC Fans Should Actually Pay Attention

For years, the ACC has been labeled the unstable league with lawsuits, exit threats, and revenue tension. Now the Big Ten is showing cracks of its own. The same pressures—money gaps, boardroom politics, and fear of being left behind—are now hitting the conference once seen as the picture of stability.

If the Big Ten stalls, fractures, or weakens its unity, it could shift the power-conference balance again. And for the first time in a long time, the ACC would not be the only “league with problems.”

Bottom Line

USC isn’t coming to the ACC. Michigan isn’t walking away from the Big Ten, and the Big Ten isn’t dumb enough to boot either of them. But the fact that these conversations are even happening shows how unsettled college sports truly are.

No conference is bulletproof, not even the Big Ten. Never a dull moment, especially this season in the ACC.