While a move to the Big 12 wasn't my personal choice "if" CU changed conferences, I do see the move as a "step" in the right direction. Part of me hoped The PAC 12 would find suitable replacements for USC and UCLA, but the reality was that USC and UCLA are irreplaceable. Okay, maybe if the PAC 12 drew the winning lottery ticket and found a way to convince Notre Dame and SDSU, or UNLV, or Boise State, etc. For now, let's just call it Notre Dame and a Program "to be named later". That just wasn't going to happen. Ever !!! So, after the 2023 season two PAC 12 "bedrock" programs, USC & UCLA say goodbye to the Conference they played a massive role in building and take their teams as well as a top 3 TV market to the Big 10. There are still 10 solid schools left in the PAC 12, but this is an era when Conferences are growing, not declining. Television contracts are the lifeblood of college sports. Football is far and away the driver of television contracts with Men's Basketball a distant 2nd. Women's Basketball is starting to make some waves, but it is Football that rules.
While the SEC and the Big 10 have NEVER taken their eyes off of Conference expansion, somehow the PAC 12 and Big 12 each let two of their premier Programs get poached. It didn't take long for the Big 12 to react with the addition of 4 promising Programs. BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF are all good to very good Programs. Cincinnati has made the CFP within the last 3 or 4 years, and TCU played for the National Championship just last year. Clearly, the SEC and the Big 10 are the two premier Conferences in the P5, but the Big 12 is doing everything possible to stay in the race.
I am beyond thrilled that CU isn't among the remaining PAC 10 teams "waiting" for a new Television Contract. Maybe I have underestimated Rick George and his desire to keep CU among the Programs that survive this turmoil. Thrilled that I didn't see on the news that Utah, or Arizona had been offered a spot in the Big 12 and accepted. We all read the articles and statements about the current solidarity in the PAC 12. Nobody is leaving. The PAC 12 is committed to growth and expanding the Conference. Yeah, with who ?
Thankfully, CU had the foresight to lookout for their own Program. Unless we see changes soon, the former PAC 12 will open 2024 with 9 teams. This will be interesting. The remaining PAC teams will have to go with 4 out of Conference games to make up a 12 game schedule. The PAC 12 has been waiting over a year to get a decent TV deal. Well, to the networks, the value of said deal didn't just move up, it went down with CU's announcement. It feels good to be able to pat CU's Admin on the back and say well done. Much better to make your own move and abandon the sinking ship to join and exciting new/old Conference vs. cling to a Conference that appears to be dying. I already miss the nostalgia, history and tradition of the PAC 12, but it was gone as soon as USC and UCLA announced their move. Years from now after the dust has settled and books have been written, history may well look back and determine that the PAC 12 died of arrogance. CU managed to escaped death and will live on to fight another day.
Is it just me, or doesn't the Big 12 need one more team to get to 16 teams ?
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