When Colorado joined the Pac 12, it didn’t realize what it was getting into. Personally, I wasn’t aware of how thoroughly USC dominated the conference. As far as the media was concerned, the Trojans are the Pac 12. Every conversation about the conference begins with SC.
The Trojans have been beating up these Pac 12 weaklings for 100 years. So much so that there’s sort of a Stockholm Syndrome going on where many school have given up competing against the Cardinal and Gold juggernaut. I asked a Rivals writer who covers Cal why they haven’t competed better against SC over the years and his answer was simply that they take it more seriously than Cal does.
With SC leaving the conference it’s going be very interesting to see how the Pac evolves once its big boy is gone. As an outsider coming in, I saw the conference as very solid top to bottom. The Arizona schools, Washington won a NC, and CU in recent years has been dominated by Oregon. I just didn’t fully appreciate the extent of the dominance SC had over the conference. It extends back decades and decades.
SC, which admires Notre Dame so much, should have taken the independent route a long time ago. In fact, if the Big 10 plan turns out to be too onerous, they should become an independent and live on their own media deal just like the Irish ($75 million a year).
But to be honest, I can’t wait to see what the Pac 12 evolves into. It’s good football. And with the additions of SDSU and SMU it’s going to be even better in that the Pac will be truly balanced with an extended footprint.
The Trojans have been beating up these Pac 12 weaklings for 100 years. So much so that there’s sort of a Stockholm Syndrome going on where many school have given up competing against the Cardinal and Gold juggernaut. I asked a Rivals writer who covers Cal why they haven’t competed better against SC over the years and his answer was simply that they take it more seriously than Cal does.
With SC leaving the conference it’s going be very interesting to see how the Pac evolves once its big boy is gone. As an outsider coming in, I saw the conference as very solid top to bottom. The Arizona schools, Washington won a NC, and CU in recent years has been dominated by Oregon. I just didn’t fully appreciate the extent of the dominance SC had over the conference. It extends back decades and decades.
SC, which admires Notre Dame so much, should have taken the independent route a long time ago. In fact, if the Big 10 plan turns out to be too onerous, they should become an independent and live on their own media deal just like the Irish ($75 million a year).
But to be honest, I can’t wait to see what the Pac 12 evolves into. It’s good football. And with the additions of SDSU and SMU it’s going to be even better in that the Pac will be truly balanced with an extended footprint.
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