Allen Wallace (TDB) — After listening thoroughly to the beginning of Pac-12 Media Days, I don’t get the impression there will be any Pac-12 expansion, or defections, in the immediate future.
It seems to me like the Pac-12 is very hunkered down, will try in every way to improve the individual Pac-12 programs, but heavily likes the fact that the Pac-12 is the only Power 5 conference with teams in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. This seems very significant to new commish George Kliavkoff, who also sees “no risk whatsoever” in staying at 12 teams.
It would take an earthquake to remake the composition of the Pac-12 now, or soon, based on what I heard today.
Sure, if Michigan and Texas called and wanted in, I think they could come immediately because of pure revenue and brand guarantees.
But there clearly is a “big bar” to get in, as admitted to, and emphasized by, Kliavkoff (despite his dislike of the label) for purposes of his generalized answers today.
Texas Tech is interested in getting into the Pac-12 per reports. Based on what I heard today, the Pac-12 would say no to that.
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I listened to GK’s interview in the car this morning. The points he made that excite me were: He was surprised there was no action plan in place to make P12 football competitive nationally with a specific goal of getting teams into the tournament and winning NCs like there was for P12 basketball, and that is now a top priority. The existing division arrangement needs to be looked at so you don’t have a repeat of last years conference title game that did not feature the two teams with the best records, and a mechanism needs to exist, regardless of… Read more »
I thought GK was impressive as well. He was direct, clear, thorough, and has assembled some adept people around him that seem capable of making his aims for the Pac-12 happen.
Did he mention control over coaches? What you describe requires elite coaches at SC, UCLA and UW. The specific mentioning of junking league parity is very hopeful. After the brutal last few years at SC, I remain a skeptic.
Just try focusing on Yogi Roth. He’ll pump up the Pac-12 into the world’s best conference (in football too!) faster than you can blink an eye!
Whoa, Whoa Whoa! Conference parity was actually a goal?! What idiots were running this organization. Just give everybody a participation/good sport trophy and go home! Wow.
Golden, I missed that one. You are correct. What idiot thought all PAC teams going 5-5 in conference was a goal? No wonder there was no plan for the PAC to place teams in the CFC series. The plan evidently was to make the PAC totally irrelevant nationally and destroy the value of its media rights. Unbelievable! Thanks for the observation.
George Kliavkoff: Pac-12 does not need to expand after TEXAS and OU move to the SEC. J. Brady McCollough (LA Times) — Minutes after Texas and Oklahoma officially applied for membership in the Southeastern Conference, new Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff took the stage at Pac-12 football media day Tuesday morning in Hollywood and sent the message his league does not feel like it has to expand during this latest wave of realignment. “We believe the move by Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 to the SEC strengthens our unique position as the only Power Five conference with teams in the… Read more »
As long as we are sticking necks out, I see a super conference in the future. As the gamma variant sweeps the country and the government is working on a stronger vaccine, 24 teams will form a bicoastal mega conference. There will be four divisions with six teams each. The conference will be called the Superior Economic Conference. Nobody will cry foul because the formation will decimate the SEC as we know it today. USC will join and be the “Arizona-WSU” of the league (due to Helton’s lifetime contract extension) The season after Helton’s drowning in knee deep ocean waters,… Read more »
@RialtoTrojan Hah! You should definitely contact George Lucas with the pitch of this exceptionally promising Superior Economic Conference drama. If only The Cat Helton had lived to negotiate the peace. If only! 😂
“help us OTCH, you are our only hope!” – Princess Folt.
Oy vey! Even if this scenario is fantasy, RT, it still causes nausea for me….
Money will drive the bus on this. I can easily see that we leave to join a football only super conference.
I’d love to see USC in a super football conference, the best from all over, all in one big 24 team group. Imagine the fighting to get into that sucker!
Here’s my stab at it using your 24 team field.
South- Alabama, Florida, Florida St, Miami, Georgia, LSU
East- Clemson, Penn St, Auburn, Tennessee, V Tech, W Virginia
North- Michigan, Wisconsin, Norte Dame, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio St
West- USC, Oregon, Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Texas AM
I think 32 is magic number, but it would be fun every week. 5 conference games and 7 OOC games each year. I’m in 100%
I know it’s not happening, but I would love to see USC leave. The rest of the conference wanted them knocked down, it would be great to see how well they manage without them.
It would be pretty cool to see USC outflank the rest of the Pac-12 and leave. Yes, indeedy! But as you say, I don’t see it happening.
With folt at the helm? No way, Jose (er, Chris). Football is already too male, too demanding of excellence for our little mao president.