With USC and UCLA off to the Big Ten, the future of the remaining Pac-12 schools is stuck in a state of limbo. At present, there’s at least one potential landing spot for programs seeking greener pastures: the Big 12.
As many as six schools have reportedly engaged in “deep discussions” about joining the Big 12, according to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. Dodd mentions Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah specifically, while adding that Oregon and Washington are also under consideration. Also on the table is a merger between the Big 12 and remaining Pac-12 schools.
How the Big 12 chooses to proceed will come down to what resolution the conference believes will make it more likely to get a richer media rights deal. It’s believed that adding Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado would give the conference the same annual average value (AAV) in 2025—the year Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC—as it does for its current 12 members now. Merging with the Pac-12 entirely, though, creates further complications, particularly with how interested ESPN and Fox might be in negotiating with one or both leagues.
