The Pac-12's options after talks with the Big 12 ended

The Pac-12 now has one less option after partnership talks with the Big 12 ended

Another day of not knowing what to make of the Pac-12 after USC and UCLA announced their move to the Big Ten is upon us.

However, we are beginning to be able to use process of elimination as to what could happen, due to the fact that after being linked to the Big 12 in some capacity, the talks between the two conferences were unsuccessful. Whether or not there were legitimate efforts by the Big 12 given is unknown, as there is a conspiracy that the conference is on the prowl to poach schools from the Pac-12 in the future.

Regardless, all we know at this moment is that the Pac-12 and Big 12 merging together to form what was expected to be the first of three mega-conferences, is off the table. This has many college football fans and experts alike predicting what is next for the conference, and if there is anything they can do to stay afloat and relevant. 

While the pessimists of the college football world (there are many) believe the conference's days are numbered, the Pac-12 does still have three options that they can choose from that aren't just a total blowing up of the conference. 

Let's take a look at those options!

Form a partnership with the ACC

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Even though most people thought that merging with the Big 12 was the ideal move for the Pac-12, there has been some recent evidence presented by John Canzano that partnering with the ACC is much more profitable. Without Oklahoma who is SEC bound with Texas, the Big 12 has zero playoff appearances, and has just one counting future member Cincinnati. The ACC and Pac-12 both have had two different schools make the playoff, and the conference's respective situations in terms of tv deals just align better than that of the Big 12. It would also still be a very respectable conference with schools like Clemson, Oregon, Washington, Stanford, Florida State, and Miami headlining it. We know that money is the most important motivator behind whatever happens, and ESPN being able to lock down late night games and the west coast is something that likely appeals very much to them.

Just remain as a 10 team conference

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We do know that the remaining Pac-12 schools have publicly expressed that they plan to stick together, and maybe a deal with the ACC doesn't work out but there is a significant enough offer to prevent poachers. That is where this option comes in, while it may be the worts of the three considering the conference is on track to lose $200 million a year without USC and UCLA, it is technically an option. This would be the most risky considering other conferences such as the Big Ten and SEC are out for blood, and trying to form their mega-conferences with at least 16 teams. This seems more like stalling or delaying the inevitable demise of the conference, simply due to the fact it would likely be the weakest conference with no appeal. 

Expansion

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Whether it is via a partnership with the ACC or the Pac-12 able to do some poaching of their own, this is certainly an option to be considered. Especially with a chance to get access back to the Southern California market, with San Diego State available who has been tabbed by nearly everyone as the school to get. Although there are some current academia standards not being met such as being a R1 research institution, there is a belief that the status could come in the next year based on research funding. 

Another school picking up some steam to be added to the Pac-12 is SMU who was overlooked by the Big 12 in their expansion, but would give the Pac-12 a Dallas connect that they don't have. Similar to San Diego State they are not a R1 research institute. However SMU does have an endowment of more than $2 billion and are No. 68 in the latest U.S, News and World Report rankings of national universities, which is higher than every remaining school in the Pac-12 except Stanford, Cal and Washington. The conference could also look into adding Kansas and Goznaga to bolster the basketball prestige. There are options, none as profitable as Los Angeles, but they do have a chance to save themselves here.