Steve Spurrier thinks Clemson and Florida State ‘belong’ in SEC

Legendary college football coach Steve Spurrier had many sparring matches and one-liners at the expense of both Florida State and Clemson when he was head coach at Florida and South Carolina.

But the Head Ball Coach was all business when he said this week that he believes both Clemson and Florida State belong in the SEC — if the schools are presented with the opportunity to join.

Spurrier made the remarks to host Ali Peek Wilbur on the A Peak Inside Florida Gators Football podcast Tuesday.

“I think FSU definitely belongs in the SEC, but Clemson sort of belongs there also,” Spurrier said. “I don’t know if the SEC wants to go to 18 teams … Maybe the Big Ten would like to have them. Who knows? It is what it is. I think you just go one year at a time and then after that, see where you’re at and go from there.”

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has been consistent in maintaining that his league is happy at 16 schools after extending invitations to Texas and Oklahoma back in 2021, setting off a seismic way of conference realignment that’s likely far from over. The Longhorns and Sooners officially joined the SEC on July 1.

That’s not to say that Sankey, arguably the most powerful figure in college sports, wouldn’t be open to Florida State and Clemson (or North Carolina) joining the SEC if those schools are able to leave the ACC. Clemson and Florida State are currently in separate court battles to challenge the ACC’s Grant of Rights, which (as of now) binds both schools to the league through 2036.

Despite maintaining that he’s “focused on our 16” teams at SEC Media Days in Dallas last week, Sankey didn’t completely shut the door on further expansion, saying, “We can certainly remain at 16 for a long, long time and be incredibly successful.”

In the meantime, Spurrier referenced Florida State’s undefeated regular season and ACC championship last year as a reason for why he believes the Seminoles would do “very well” in the SEC.

“And I think Clemson would do pretty well,” Spurrier added. “They would do better in the ACC as far as winning conference championships. But they want to play in the big-time, and I think within maybe 2-3 years, they will be in a different conference.”

Whether that’s the SEC is a separate question, but the league would be the best fit for both Florida State and Clemson in terms of geographic proximity and other factors — namely their status as the most dominant football programs in the ACC. Whatever the case, Sankey holds the power to make those decisions.

If Sankey sticks to his proverbial guns at 16 teams, the SEC will still be the premier conference in college football.

And if he doesn’t? Sankey could always throw out the classic line used by legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum: “Yesterday I was lying. Today I’m telling the truth.”

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