Projected Impact of New Faces in the ACC

© Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Uncertainty prevails in the Atlantic Coast Conference. While Florida State and Clemson have gone to court in an effort to get out of the conference, three new faces have come in. The Cal Golden Bears, SMU Mustangs and Stanford Cardinal are now members of the ACC. They might stabilize the league.

Preseason Ratings

Here is a look at ESPN's power-index ratings of each of the teams in the new 17-member conference:

1. Florida State Seminoles

2. Clemson Tigers

3. Louisville Cardinals

4. Miami Hurricanes

5. SMU Mustangs

6. North Carolina State Wolfpack

7. North Carolina Tar Heels

8. Cal Golden Bears

9. Virginia Tech Hokies

10. Duke Blue Devils

11. Pitt Panthers

12. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

13. Boston College Eagles

14. Stanford Cardinal

15. Syracuse Orange

16. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

17. Virginia Cavaliers

The New Faces

None of the new teams are located on the Atlantic Seaboard. However, all three are historically significant collegiate football programs. Cal began playing football in 1886 and has won five national championships. Stanford began playing in 1892, played in the first-ever Rose Bowl in 1902 and finished the 1940 season ranked No. 2 in the final Associated Press poll. SMU began playing in 1915, has won or shared three national championships and is the only program to ever receive the NCAA "death penalty."

Potential Impact

In connection with their effort to bolt from the ACC, Florida State and Clemson have cited financial reasons and a desire to remain competitive with the teams of the Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference. However, the new ACC members could allay those concerns. Not only do the three teams have historical brand recognition but also have energized fan bases and prominent, wealthy alumni and donors. ESPN recently reported on the stabilizing influence that the universities have already brought to the ACC.

Florida State and Clemson signed long-term media rights and revenue-sharing deal with the ACC in 2016. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips recently proclaimed at ACC Media Days that the league will fight the lawsuits of FSU and Clemson "for as long as it takes." Additionally, ESPN recently became entangled in the litigation. Hence, the legal matters could remain unresolved for years.

The new faces of the ACC might cause the Seminoles and Tigers to reconsider their push to leave to conference.