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The Atlantic Coast Conference has received application letters from Pittsburgh and Syracuse to join the league, according to a high-ranking ACC official.

At least 10 schools have reached out to the ACC during the recent period of uncertainty about conference realignment, the official told The Associated Press on Saturday. The official declined to identify those schools.

The official added that presidents of the league’s 12 schools unanimously approved raising the exit fee to $20 million for any member leaving the conference during a recent meeting. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league has not publicly announced any of the moves.

A jump by Pittsburgh and Syracuse could lead to another dramatic shuffle in college athletics. Texas A&M has announced its intention to join the Southeastern Conference, leaving the future of the Big 12 in doubt.

If the move goes forward, Pittsburgh and Syracuse would become the fourth and fifth schools to leave the Big East for the ACC in the past decade. Virginia Tech and Miami joined in 2004, and Boston College followed a year later as the ACC’s 12th member.

Syracuse is a founding member of the Big East. Pittsburgh joined the league in 1982. The ACC official said their letters of application to the ACC were for “full” membership.

AP Article