Pac 12 is in deep trouble as they will only have nine teams in 2024. It is speculated that Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies are in line to take the exit.
The conference is floating on a boat with a big hole. The hole is the lack of a new media rights contract.
Fox and ESPN left them high and dry. They are in dire need of a new media partner.
The conference realignment has seen many teams taking the jump and finding new homes. It includes UCF Knights, Rice Owls, USC Trojans, Liberty Flames, and more.
Many are scheduled to be a part of the new conference in 2023, while many await till 2024 to join their new teams.
Teams moving from Pac-12 to Big 12 has weakened them and made them the most vulnerable among the Power Five.
Why Are Team Leaving The Pac 12?
Teams are leaving the Pac-12 due to the conference’s failure to secure a new media rights deal. The current compact expires in the summer of 2024.
They signed a media rights deal with Fox Sports and ESPN in 2012 for twelve years. The media houses and the Pac-12 executives couldn’t reach an agreement. Both ESPN and Fox backed off from extending the contract.
It has been the root cause of all the problems for them.
The media rights deal saga started in December 2022 when George Kliavkoff announced there was no rush to conclude.
Following that, the noise has been spreading from every nook and corner. The news about four cornerstone schools seeking an alternative has done no good for them.
USC and UCLA announced their ext last summer, and the chaos escalated when Colorado decided to pack their bags and sail towards Big 12.
This has opened doors for more institutions to consider fleeing from the dying league with no media rights contract,
Who Will Join The Pac 12?
Teams joining the Pac 12 are San Diego State Aztecs and SMU Mustangs. They have been seen as top candidates to join the conference for a long time.
In the past, San Diego was eyeing a move to either Big 12 or Pac 12. The latter can grab this rising team to fill a huge void left by departing teams.
Likewise, SMU’s addition can help the conference stabilize and gain market in Dallas. Those who left and are leaving are in the past, and they must figure out how to create the best for the rest.
Other probable candidates they can target are:
- Tulane Green Wave
- Fresno State Bulldogs
- UNLV Rebels
- Boise State Broncos
What Teams Are In The Pac 12?
Teams in the Pac-12 in 2024 are:
- Utah Utes
- Washington Huskies
- Oregon Ducks
- Oregon State Beavers
- Arizona Wildcats
- California Golden Bears
- Stanford Cardinal
- Arizona State Sun Devils
- Washington State Cougars
With three teams bailing off and no new addition, the once formidable conference is left dry with nine teams.
UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans handed in their leave applications in 2022. They will be part of the Big 10 from 2024.
There is much speculation on whether this is the end of the conference as a domino effect can be in place with the departure of Colorado Buffaloes.
Will The Pac 12 Survive?
Pac 12 falling apart seems inevitable as Fox and ESPN are not interested in renewing the compact. It is set to expire in 2024.
The root of the problem is Kliavkoff and his team’s failure to find a new partner and ink a lucrative deal.
Whether or not the Pac 12 will survive depends on what the schools think of the current situation and how George Kliavkoff and executives manage everything.
Pac 12 collapse can be avoided if a new deal is made in time and the money matches what AAC and Big 12 are making.
Apple, Amazon, and CW’s names have been around, but the executives have delivered no concrete information. They need to negotiate a deal soon before another school packs their bag.
Another way to keep them afloat is to add new markets. SDSU and SMU have been linked for a long time. After getting a new media rights deal, getting them on board will be the correct move.
They need to find more potential football programs and stabilize their situation in the Power Five.
If they show discouragement and delay their decision-making process, no one will be able to help them. They will lose their four cornerstone teams and more will follow.
Will Oregon Leave The Pac 12?
Oregon leaving Pac-12 can be the next significant setback for the already-raided conference. They can be the fourth team to bid adieu to the conference.
UCLA and USC will play in Big 10 from 2024, and Colorado recently announced their move to Big 12. Pac-12 will have only eight teams if the Ducks depart.
If either Big 10 or Big 12 choose to pursue talks with Oregon, they are sure to give a green light.
The 27th July emergency meeting between the school’s Executive, Audit, and Governance Committee fueled the situation. It was aimed to extend the head coach’s employment contract.
But rumors exist that other things might have been discussed at the meeting.
Regarding the decision of Colorado, nothing more important might have been discussed than the probable relocation of the conference.
The situation will keep deteriorating if Pac-12 does not get the media rights soon.
Pac 12 Statement
Pac 12 Statement was released on 27th July 2023, following the decision of the University of Colorado to head to the Big 12.
Colorado Buffaloes bidding farewell to the group was the driving force behind this release. The statement states that the board is invested in committing to their value, and the Buffaloes jumping ships won’t disrupt the flow.
The main agenda of the press release seems to let the remaining members know their present situation.
The statement read: “We are focused on concluding our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth. Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12.”
The media rights deals are their main target at the moment.
College Football Conference Changes
College Football Conference Changes see Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns joining the Southeastern Conference (SEC) on 1st July 2024.
With the addition of two new teams, SEC grows to sixteen schools.
Likewise, other movements around the nation, as a part of the 2021-2024 NCAA conference realignment, are:
American Athletic Conference (AAC)
AAC saw three schools make their exit. In return, they acquired six institutions to fill the void and increase their members.
Left: UCF Knights, Houston Cougars, Cincinnati Bearcats
Joined: Charlotte 49ers, Florida Atlantic Owls, North Texas Mean Green, Rice Owls, UAB Blazers, UTSA Roadrunners
Sun Belt Conference
University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Texas at Arlington made their departure in 2022. They were non-football-playing members.
Meanwhile, the following names joined the conference in 2022:
- Marshall Thundering Herd
- Old Dominion Monarchs
- Southern Miss Golden Eagles
- James Maddison Dukes
Conference USA (C-USA)
Three institutions in 2022 and six in 2023 left C-USA. They landed four new names in 2023; one will be welcomed in 2024.
Left: Charlotte 49ers, Florida Atlantic Owls, North Texas Mean Green, Rice Owls, UAB Blazers, Marshall Thundering Herd (2022), Old Dominion Monarchs (2022), Southern Miss Golden Eagles (2022)
Joined: Liberty Flames, New Mexico State Aggies, Sam Houston State Bearkats, Jacksonville State Gamecocks, Kennesaw State Owls (2024)
What Football Teams Are In The Big 12 Conference?
The current football teams in the Big 12 Conference are:
- TCU Horned Frogs
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Texas Longhorns
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Baylor Bears
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Oklahoma Sooners
- West Virginia Mountaineers
- Iowa St. Cyclones
- UCF Knights
- BYU Cougars
- Cincinnati Bearcats
- Houston Cougars
The Longhorns and the Sooners will play their last season in the conference as they bid farewell and join the SEC in 2024.
UCF, BYU, Cincinnati, and Houston are the new schools joining the group in 2023.
Similarly, Colorado Buffaloes makes a U-Turn to Big 12 in 2024. They were a charter member in 1996.
What Teams Are In The Big 10?
There are fourteen teams in the Big 10 Conference. They are divided into East and West subdivisions, with seven members each.
The current list for the 2023 campaign consists of the following teams:
- Michigan Wolverines
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Maryland Terrapins
- Michigan State Spartans
- Indiana Hoosiers
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- Purdue Boilermakers
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Northwestern Wildcats
The conference will get two new teams in 2024. UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans from Pac-12 announced their exit in 2022’s summer. They will become Big 10 members on 2nd August 2024.
Washington and Oregon to Big Ten can add more firepower to the conference. The Huskies and Ducks can follow in the footsteps of Colorado and go for big money.
Florida State to Big Ten can be another shocking move. They have also targeted Miami Hurricanes.
Where Can I Watch Pac 12 Network?
You can watch Pac 12 network across various cable and streaming services like Spectrum and Cox. The Pac-12 network has been in operation since August 15, 2012.
The network telecast 850 college football matches each year over eight nations.
Other services offering this network are:
- Xfinity
- Dish
- Sling
- FrontierTV
- Fubo
- Vidgo
- 7plus (Australia only)
It is also accessible on YouTube. Only paid subscribers can get the service on YouTube and YouTube TV.
Starting in 2023, it will also offer NFL Sunday Ticket for residential audiences. It will show the regular season Sunday afternoon fixtures blacked out in local stations.