A Tallahassee judge has ordered Florida State University and the Atlantic Coast Conference to enter mediation in hopes of settling a high-profile lawsuit that could dramatically impact the future of the league.
The Seminoles are pushing to exit the ACC and explore a more lucrative landing spot, potentially in the Big Ten, while the ACC is seeking to penalize the university with a hundred million dollar fee for leaving early.
Judge John C. Cooper put the two parties on a timeline to begin mediation within the next 120 days. However, a mediator cannot force an agreement, so the case could end up back in court.
Meanwhile, Clemson University, another ACC school has joined the lawsuit, challenging the conference’s exit penalty.