the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics. In the following article, Luke Stedrak delves into the intricate web that is reshaping the collegiate sports arena. With a particular focus on the conference realignments, Luke offers an exploration of the motivations, implications, and potential outcomes of this seismic shift.

As the countdown to the upcoming college football season dwindles to under three weeks, an air of quiet anticipation fills the air. However, the scene is about to shift dramatically. The Pac-12, an enduring sports legacy spanning over a century, is teetering on the brink of an unexpected unraveling, which could reshape the landscape of college sports.

College sports are a vibrant realm, characterized by the distinctive traits of the Big Ten, Pac-12, and Big 12 conferences. The Big Ten holds a historic legacy and widespread geographic presence, with passionate fans always energizing matchups. The Pac-12’s West Coast focus intertwines academic excellence with diverse sporting achievements. Additionally, the Big 12 thrives on central rivalries, high-scoring football, and dynamic basketball, creating a unique sports culture in the heartland.

In essence, each conference boasts its own unique characteristics, from historic legacies and passionate fan bases to distinctive geographic locations and sporting emphases. While they all share the thrill of college sports, it’s the nuances that make each conference a captivating world of its own.

Luke Stedrak Provides a Recap and Insight

In 2021, Oklahoma and Texas, part of the Big 12, announced they were moving to the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

In 2022, UCLA and USC, of the Pac-12 announced that they were moving to the Big 10. Soon after that, in a statement that aged like milk, Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff told The Athletic that “no Pac-12 school is going to the Big 12.”

Fast forward to August of 2023, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah are all leaving Pac-12 to join the Big 12. While Oregon and Washington are off to the Big 10.

Luke Stedrak reports that this leaves the Pac-12 gutted, with only California, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington State remaining in the conference.

As the dust settles, the one question on everyone’s mind is this: “What happens next?”

The Future of the Big Ten

As far as new teams go, the Big Ten has gone through the most changes in the last 10+ years.

Luke Stedrak says that with the inclusion of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington in 2024, leadership in the Big Ten only have one year to prepare for the logistics of handling 28 sports, sending their teams all over the continental United States, and making sure their rights partners all have a fair share of exciting games to broadcast.

Luke Stedrak also mentioned thinks that the Big Ten could surprise a lot of people and have an interest in the University of South Florida. “Make no mistake about it, the Big Ten has shown that it is willing to travel and would love to get into the state of Florida. The fact that USF is an AAU (Association of American Universities), R1 (Research 1) university in the 3rd most populated state’s largest TV market (11th nationally) adds a ton of value to the league.”

2024 Team Additions:

• Oregon (formerly Pac-12)
• UCLA (formerly Pac-12)
• USC (formerly Pac-12)
• Washington (formerly Pac-12)

The Big 12’s Upcoming Chapter

Luke Stedrak notes that when Oklahoma and Texas announced they were leaving for the SEC, it looked like a nail in the coffin for the Big 12. But Commissioner Brett Yormark aggressive expansion strategy has put the league on very solid ground.

2023 Team Additions:

• BYU (formerly WCC)
• Cincinnati (formerly AAC)
• Houston (formerly AAC)
• UCF (formerly AAC)

2024 Team Additions:

• Arizona (formerly Pac-12)
• Arizona State (formerly Pac-12)
• Colorado (formerly Pac-12)
• Utah (formerly Pac-12)

Incidentally, during one of the Big 12’s rough spots, Colorado left them to join the Pac-12. Now back home, it can reignite old rivalries with Kansas and Iowa State.

The Path Forward for the Pac-12

Luke Stedrak says that the situation seems dire for this Power 5 conference.

As of now, the Pac-12 is still scrambling to get their upcoming season sorted. A possible course of action is to merge with Mountain West, reminiscent of the Big 8-SWC merge of 1994.

Still, it comes down to the bottom line. Can the Pac-12 offer enough value to attract the TV dollars it needs? Considering that the 50% partial shares the Big Ten offered were still enough to sway Oregon and Washington, that question is still up in the air.

2024 Remaining Teams:

• California
• Oregon State
• Stanford
• Washington State

Of the final four still with the Pac-12, California and Stanford are prime targets for poaching. They offer broadcast partners the Bay Area market, as well as a host of fringe sports that ACC or the Big Ten would certainly appreciate.

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

While the conference hasn’t made any announcements, ACC presidents continue to discuss California and Stanford expansion opportunities.

Luke Stedrak explains that after Oregon and Washington announced their move, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips began considering adding seven of the Pac-12 schools to the conference. However, before actual offers could be made, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah had already made their choice to join the Big 12.

While there have been rumors that ACC is interested in obtaining SMU, California, and Stanford, it doesn’t yet have the 12 “yes” votes from its 15 schools for any move to happen.

SEC

Luke Stedrak says that in 2012, the SEC welcomed Texas A&M and Missouri, both from the Big 12. With Oklahoma and Texas joining them in 2024, the old Big 12 rivalries of Texas with Texas A&M and Missouri with Oklahoma are back on the menu for sports fans.

2024 Team Additions:

• Oklahoma (formerly Big 12)
• Texas (formerly Big 12)

As per commissioner Greg Sankey, “We’re comfortable as a league,” and they have no interest in expanding at the moment. Despite this, the winds might change if Clemson, FSU, or Miami are up for grabs anytime soon.