If USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, Oregon and Washington should too | Opinion
EUGENE, Ore. — On Thursday afternoon, a bit of seismic news was reported that could shake up the Pac-12 and Big Ten.
USC and UCLA are negotiating to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten conference, multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations told Paste BN Sports. The people were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing negotiations.
UCLA and Southern Cal later confirmed the news on their social media accounts.
The Trojans and Bruins plan to leave the Pac-12 following the 2023-24 season and join the Big Ten for 2024-25. The two schools are expected to join the Big Ten in all sports except beach volleyball.
Money is potentially the main reason USC and UCLA would decide to leave the Pac-12. The Pac-12 conference is far behind other conferences regarding money distributed among schools. In 2021, the Pac-12 distributed $344 million while the Big Ten split $680 million.
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The Pac-12 conference is far behind other conferences regarding money distributed among schools. In 2021, the Pac-12 distributed $344 million while the Big Ten split $680 million.
USC and UCLA leaving the Pac-12 would leave a massive void for the conference and the entire West Coast. Despite winning one conference championship in the last decade (2017), USC is the program with the most prestige as they've won 11 national championships and 39 conference titles.
Los Angeles is the country's second-largest television market, and that would hurt the Pac-12 in terms of recruiting and its prospects of returning to the College Football Playoffs for the first time since 2016 (Washington Huskies).
It would also affect Oregon significantly because the loss of USC and UCLA would weaken the Pac-12 as a whole, not just in football but in all sports. If USC and UCLA are leaving, Oregon and Washington should also leave the Pac-12 too.
Seattle is a major city and Washington has had recent success in football and other sports. Oregon has become a national brand within the last 20 years and would give the Big Ten another footprint in the West.
Also, adding Washington and Oregon would bring the teams in the Big Ten to 18. To put that into perspective, the SEC will have 16 teams once Oklahoma and Texas enter the conference in 2025. Washington and Oregon also fit the academic profile of the Big Ten, so that is also a positive.
If Oregon and Washington were to leave the Pac-12, their annual rivalry against Oregon State and Washington State could be in jeopardy. It is unlikely that the Big Ten would take the Beavers or the Cougars at this time.
The Pacific Time Zone already feels left behind in college football as USC has been mediocre in recent years, and Oregon and Washington have failed to return as national championship contenders.
Joining a conference with Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State and Wisconsin would create another super conference in college football, which appears to be the next wave for the sport.
Contact Register-Guard sportswriter Antwan Staley at astaley@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @antwanstaley.