The Big Ten has sights set on multiple Pac-12 schools
We are just a few days away from the start of college football season, but that hasn't stopped the conference realignment rumors that have taken the sport by storm over the past few months.
According to Action Network's Brett McMurphy, Oregon has sent out some feelers with the Big Ten in order to gauge if they could be a potential match for the conference who recently emphasized it wants to expand. The report coming a week after the Big Ten announced a monster media rights deal, and nearly a month there was reported interest in a few Pac-12 schools.
It appears based on McMurphy's latest intel, that the latter still remains true, as the Big Ten appears to still desire expanding out west. He explained the conference still has their eyes on Notre Dame, but is also interested in adding Oregon, Washington, Stanford, Cal, and Washington.
The addition of more Pac-12 schools will limit the travel that the newest members, USC and UCLA, will have to endure in the future. The addition of Cal may also get the UC Regents off the back of UCLA, as the committee expressed that they would consider blocking the move.
All of this is occurring as the Pac-12 is still in the midst of their media rights negotiations, but if they lose one more school you could very well kiss the conference goodbye. Not only are there Pac-12 schools on the radar of the Big Ten, but schools such as Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Arizona State have all generated interest from the Big 12.
The Big Ten continues to be on the offensive side and surging towards 20 teams, while the Pac-12 who is familiar with the tail in-between their legs position is on some sort of defense.