Florida State Football: 4 Key Dates to Watch for Potential Move to Big 12

It is no surprise that Florida State football is a popular discussion topic in the offseason. 

Usually, the chatter revolves around whether the Jimbo Fisher and the Seminoles will finally end their decade-plus of mediocrity and finally reclaim their perch atop the ACC. 

Ironically, that talk has taken a backseat to the rumblings that FSU could be the next domino to fall in conference expansion craze that has dominated headlines since last summer. 

The Seminoles have been rumored to be candidates to jump from the ACC to the Big 12. 

While various message boards are overflowing with talk of the latest buzz surrounding the potential moves, the talk from officials representing FSU or either the Big 12 or ACC has died down considerably from the last two weeks. 

That said, there are a few dates to keep an eye on with regards to details that may tip the scales one way or another. 

Here are four dates to watch for Seminoles supporters and their potential move to the Big 12.  

May 30

The Big 12 will hold its annual conference meetings next weekend in Kansas City. 

The mood of this year’s gathering will be considerably different than last year’s—when the expansion drama revolved around Texas A&M and Missouri’s potential (and eventual) departure. 

While interim commissioner Chuck Neinas will helm the summit even though he is on his way out, he’s played an integral role in first stabilizing the conference and then negotiating its newest television contract.

It is likely that the topic of expansion will be discussed between the administrators of the current member institutions.

June 15

The transition from Neinas to incoming commissioner and former Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby will become official in less than a month. 

Bowlsby will become the seventh commissioner in the history of the conference—and he will be stepping into a league that is in a much better place than it was last season.

However, with the expansion issue looming, Bowlsby will play an integral role in guiding the league through the process.

In the event the Big 12 does expand, the question becomes which schools and how many teams get invites. 

Bowlsby will have to hit the ground running and be prepared to make decisions that will shape the future of the Big 12.  

July 23-24

The unofficial kickoff to the college football season occurs in mid to late July when various leagues hold their media days, and undoubtedly, the Big 12's media session held on July 23-24 in Dallas is sure to generate headlines.    

After losing Missouri and Texas A&M to the SEC last year, the Big 12 was able to replace them with TCU and West Virginia—schools that have fared better recently on the gridiron than their recently departed counterparts. 

The Horned Frogs and Mountaineers will officially become a part of the Big 12 on July 1—which will bring the league to 10 total members for the upcoming season. 

The Big 12 and the Big East are the only current BCS conferences with less than 12 teams in their leagues—and considering the impending four-team playoff on the horizon—it's hard to imagine that the Big 12 would stand pat at 10 teams (even though Texas may prefer it that way).

With fall camps beginning in August, expansion discussions are likely to be heavy in the period leading up to the media days—and less probable as the season approaches. 

August 15

If Florida State does indeed decide to leave the ACC, it will need to file the necessary paperwork to withdraw from its conference home for the last two decades by Aug. 15. 

Similar to what Texas A&M did last year in notifying the Big 12 it was leaving for the SEC, making a move by that date would clear the way for the Seminoles to join their new league sooner than later.  

While the official word could come before then, this date signifies the latest they could declare their intention to bolt the ACC. 

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