TCU coach Sonny Dykes mocks USC for leaving Pac-12 for Big Ten

USC and UCLA's move the Big Ten has not gone without criticism

The Pac-12 will be without two of its most recognizable brands starting in 2024, as both USC and UCLA are Big Ten bound.

There has been plenty of criticism around their move whether it be due to the fact that USC's president reportedly sabotaged Pac-12 expansion after Texas and Oklahoma announced their move to the SEC, or for the great distance between the Los Angeles based schools and the rest of the Big Ten. The latter is one that most purist are upset about due to the fact that there was a sort of magic to the regionalism in college football, and their realignment move totally throws that out the window.

Unless more Pac-12 schools join the Big Ten, which at this rate does not seem as likely as it once did, the closest school to USC and UCLA will be Nebraska. A school that is roughly a three hour flight away. 

We have heard from analyst, athletic directors, and even fans but for the most part coaches have been keeping a low profile when it comes to making comments about realignment. However, former Cal and current TCU head coach, Sonny Dykes, had some things to say about the two schools move to the Big Ten and the distance between them and their future conference foes.

As reported by 247Sports, Dykes was asked about the importance of TCU's upcoming rivalry game against SMU. The school that he left to coach at TCU, and a school that is just 40 miles away from his new gig. While answering the question and expressing the importance of playing local schools, he also made sure to take a jab at the Pac-12 schools leaving, specifically USC saying:

"To me, I think it makes sense for teams who are close to each other to play each other," Dykes said. "You know, it's why it makes so much sense for USC to be in the Big Ten. (Los Angeles and the other Big Ten schools) are right there next to each other. But I think (proximity) is part of the rivalry of college football and it's what makes this sport so great. It's that a lot of these folks grew up together, went to high school together, then went their separate ways for college and now they are at the water cooler on Monday. I think that's part of what makes college football great. It's (the regional rivalries). And so for my perspective, when you can play people close, whether it is North Texas or Baylor or Tarleton State or Stephen F. Austin, that makes a whole lot more sense that it does to play Rutgers."

This of course stemming from the fact that USC and UCLA are departing a conference and schools that they have been playing against since it was known as the Pacific Coast Conference, dating all the way back to the 1920s.

Regardless, what's done is done, and the Pac-12 is now in the works of negotiating a new media rights deal. Something we finally got a little entail about this week, as the conference is reportedly interested in an Amazon partnership. 

With more news coming out about the media rights negotiations, that could also lead to more news about potential expansion for the Pac-12. A move that will likely stay in the region, unlike some schools...