Pac-12 Conference Responds to USC and UCLA Joining the Big 10

The news is now official that USC and UCLA will be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 10 starting in the 2024 season:

USC, UCLA Officially Approved to Join the Big 10 in 2024

The move is shocking for many reasons; the creation of a new powerhouse Big 10 to rival the SEC, the impact on media rights and two West Coast programs competing in a mostly Midwestern conference.

But while there are tremendous, beneficial opportunities for the Big 10, USC and UCLA, the move also presents a new and unique challenge for the Pac-12 conference to maintain its relevancy.

The conference released a statement expressing how they are “surprised and disappointed” by the news and intend to “develop new and innovative programs that directly benefit our member institutions.”

The Pac-12 has released a statement. pic.twitter.com/xIPDw6CUXq

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) July 1, 2022

The Pac-12 will almost certainly have to pursue expansion options, as Oregon is now essentially the biggest name program remaining. Almost immediately, rampant speculation on a possible merger with the Big 12 began, as well as other options like adding schools like San Diego State.

Among many other considerations, the future of the Rose Bowl’s historic Big 10 vs. Pac-12 matchup is now in jeopardy. With the Big 10 becoming a super conference, their powerhouse member schools may not be as enthusiastic about facing a potential mediocre Pac-12 champion in their signature bowl game.

With the conference’s television rights deal expiring in 2024, the loss of the two Los Angeles based schools also deals a major blow to potential valuation.

This decision will have far reaching consequences across the college sports landscape, and the Pac-12 conference specifically now has tremendous problems to solve.