Schools that Pac-12 should consider pursuing if USC and UCLA leave

The conference may cease to exist if something isn't done

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

On what appeared to be a normal Thursday in June, the college football world was turned upside down. 

Two of the Pac-12's premier programs, USC and UCLA, are reportedly fleeing East to join the Big Ten Conference as soon as 2024.

USC and UCLA plan to move to the Big Ten as early as 2024, per @wilnerhotline pic.twitter.com/6Uo9EPnkkB

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2022

The move is just the most recent of what has been a year filled with realignment moves that were all triggered by the departure of Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 to the SEC. While nothing is finalized, it does show that one of the most dominant football programs of all time and the most successful basketball program have their eyes on greener pastures. The move comes roughly a year after an handshake agreement was made between the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 to form an alliance in response to the SEC's expansion. Not sure this what the alliance entailed, but it seems that some people had their fingers crossed.

The revenue of the Big Ten would be hard to refuse, as according to an article by the USA TODAY each of the Big Ten schools received over $40 million on the year whereas the Pac-12 was the lowest earning conference. 

The departure of the two LA school leaves the Pac-12 with three legitimate options, which are the conference collapses and all of the teams subsequently join other conferences, a merger with the Big 12, or they attempt to persuade schools from other conferences to join in order to maintain their Power 5 status and relevancy.

The latter would likely be the easiest solution at the moment, as there are a handful of Group of Five schools that would love to make the jump. Even if there are contract restraints, we have seen that money can be thrown at any issue. What cannot happen for the conference is USC and UCLA leave, and then schools such as Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Stanford follow. This would decimate the conference all together, and kill what was once one of the most entertaining conferences in the sport. 

Although the conference once said they didn't want to expand, that was before USC and UCLA were practically out the door. 

People might scoff at the potential fits to the conference, but the Big 12 was able to survive by adding UCF, BYU, Houston, and Cincinnati and the Pac-12 should at least attempt to stay in tact. Whether they actually have any value or something to offer is yet to be seen. 

The Pac-12 may have to eliminate or at least loosen some of the requirements to join such as being a Tier 1 research institute, but when the conference is at risk of folding that should be the least of their worries. 

Here are four schools that the conference should consider purusing if USC and UCLA do in fact decide to flee. 

Fresno State

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

One of the Mountain West schools that may be in line for a move to the Pac-12 is Fresno State who mind you beat UCLA this past season. The program has been competing at a very high level, makes since geographically, and they have had success playing against the conference in the past having a winning or.500 record against five of the schools in the conference. In terms of revenue, there aren't many programs that will be able to equate to USC and UCLA that are looking for a new home, but similar to the move of the Big 12 it is all about adding competitive teams. 

The Pac-12 is not in a position to be picky in terms of revenue, and need to focus on keeping the rest of the teams in the conference satisfied. 

San Diego State

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San Diego State already has a couple sports that have joined the conference as affiliates, in women's lacrosse in 2024 and mens soccer who has been a member since 2005. The conference could really use a school in Southern California for market reasons, and having a program who has been apart of the top 25 in four out of the last six seasons would be a huge boost. The Aztecs also beat the conference champion Utah Utes this past season. San Diego State is also home to a very good basketball program that would likely be near the top of the Pac-12 should they join. It seems to many that the Aztecs have been waiting their turn to join, and they may finally get their chance.

Boise State

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One of the most successful Group of 5 programs in recent history, Boise State is often mentioned anytime conference realignment talk surfaces. The football program would be a very good competitive addition to the conference, but other than that the rest of their programs are not up to snuff. It is rare that they field national competitive teams in any of the other major sports, but considering a move to the Pac-12 would surely help bring in more talent. Academically they don't meet the standards of the Pac-12, but again, the conference is on the verge of non-existing. 

Notre Dame

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This is the least likely of them all, but when the conference is on the verge of its death, sometimes you have to swing big. Notre Dame has consistently shown reluctancy to join a conference, and when they had to during 2020's COVID-19 year they joined the ACC for football. Their other sports already participate in the ACC, which is why they are widely viewed as an ACC or even a Big Ten lock whenever the decided to make the move. Their addition to the Pac-12 would save and even put the conference in better standing than it was prior thanks to their T.V. deal with CBS and due to the fact they are an elite college football brand that would generate tons of revenue.

In terms of academics the school fits perfectly, and they are one of the better athletic programs in the country. The hope of them choosing the Pac-12 over the ACC and Big Ten is solely based on them possibly wanting to be the face of a conference, which they won't be in either. This deal would benefit the conference way more than Notre Dame, but they consistently go against the grain so it might be worth the Pac-12 taking a shot. 

The Pac-12 has a better chance with Mountain West schools which likely won't move the needle, and if they would have shown interest in expansion this past year they likely would be in better position. They have very few schools to pick from, and may have caused their own demise.