Bobby Bowden recommends that Florida State remain in the ACC

There have been rumors flying around saying Florida State could possibly leave the ACC for the Big 12. School president Eric Barron has been trying to put an end to all the talk of the Seminoles leaving and publicly stating that Florida State isn't looking to leave the ACC.

Former Florida State trustee, Derrick Brooks, has said that he knows the Big 12 has reached out to Florida State. There has been one voice absent in this whole mess. The godfather of Florida State football, Bobby Bowden.

In an interview that will air Sunday morning at 9 a.m. ET on the SiriusXM show College Sports from All Angles with Jack Arute, Bowden says that Florida State should remain right where they are in the ACC.

“My message would be stay in the ACC,” Bowden told Arute in a transcript provided by SiriusXM. “Do you want to win a National Championship at Florida State?  You’ve got a better chance in the ACC than you have in the Big 12, or even the SEC.


“You say, ‘Well, gosh, they’re much stronger in those conferences.’  Yeah!  They beat up on each other and you can’t hardly get there.  You know what?  Florida State, wait ‘til you get good enough to rule the ACC then you start looking for someplace to jump.  But my opinion?  They should stay right where they are.”  


“All this talk about Florida State, it kinda tickles me because, in the first place, I don’t think the Big 12 has even talked to Florida State,” Bowden said. “I could be wrong.  I hear different opinions.


Translation: If we have trouble beating the Clemson's and N.C. State's of the world, how can we hang with Oklahoma or Texas?

Bowden goes on to state concerns of spending and travel, but it's all football driven. No one cares about
baseball, women's softball, or the men's rowing team.


“I think the president of Florida State is correct.  Florida State, you’re in the ACC, it’s a nice solid conference.  Stay with them.  You know, I can’t see Florida State joining the Big 12 to gain three million dollars.  How much is it going to cost to fly the girls’ soccer team, the girls’ basketball team, the boys’ baseball team out to Norman, Oklahoma, or out to Kansas to play?  They’ll gobble that three million up so quick they won’t know what it’s like.  I think we need to stay right where our base is, that’s right here on the east coast.”


The Seminoles should stay where they are because of the geographic sense that it makes. Florida State in the Big 12. Even Magellan thinks that's a bad idea.

Hey, when was the last time anyone at Florida State listened to Bowden?