Florida State University (FSU) has taken legal action against the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in a bid to challenge the conference's grant of rights and withdrawal fees. The move comes after FSU, which had an undefeated football season, was left out of the College Football Playoff (CFP). The FSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to file a lawsuit against the ACC, accusing the conference of mismanagement and imposing “draconian” withdrawal penalties on its member schools. The lawsuit, filed in Leon County Circuit Court, challenges the legality of the $572 million in fees and forfeited revenues that FSU would face if it were to leave the ACC. FSU alleges that the ACC's mishandling of media rights negotiations with ESPN has cost its member schools tens of millions of dollars in annual revenues, putting them at a disadvantage compared to other Power Four conferences. The suit also criticizes the ACC for excluding FSU from the CFP in favor of two one-loss teams from other conferences, claiming that it highlights the years of failures by the ACC to fulfill its commitments to FSU and its members. In response, the ACC expressed confidence in the enforceability of the grant of rights and stated that FSU's legal action violates its commitments to the other conference members. The dispute stems from FSU's dissatisfaction with the revenue distribution within the ACC and its belief that the conference's media rights deal with ESPN undervalues the school's worth. FSU President Richard McCullough has previously stated that the university may consider leaving the ACC if there is no radical change in revenue distribution. The lawsuit accuses the ACC of restraint of trade, breach of contract, and failure to perform. FSU's legal action marks a significant development in the ongoing discussions over conference realignment and revenue distribution in college athletics.