The Uncertainty Around the Pac-12 and the Final Ride of the Conference as We Know It
Editor's Note: This article has been edited since publish with reports of Washington and Oregon leaving for the Big Ten.
By the time you read this, the Pac-12 might have lost another program. Or maybe two. Or maybe it signed a new media rights deal that stabilizes an otherwise unstable situation. Although at this point, it's hard to know what conclusion will come first.
Regardless, all is not well out West. As a new wave of realignment sweeps across college football, doomsday scenarios are playing out in message boards and social media—theorizing a potential domino effect that could leave the Pac-12 in a precarious spot.
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Colorado is leaving the conference to return to the Big 12 in 2024, and USC and UCLA are off the Big 10 after this upcoming season. More recently, and perhaps more jarring in nature, Oregon and Washington are reportedly set to leave for the Big Ten, according to Brett McMurphy of The Action Network.
One year from now, no matter what happens next or where the future conference games are housed, things will look different. (And not for the better.)
This new reality is undeniable. It's simply a matter of time and how bad.
But let's talk about that word for a moment. Time.
What we're talking about is truly a 2024 problem. And to be clear, it will be a problem for the conference. In the interim, however, short-term optimism should be flowing through the Pac-12.
At this particular moment, no conference is more interesting in college football. That is not meant to be hyperbole or some freshly formed hot take. This has zero to do with realignment or the prospect of being picked apart by the Big 12 or other conferences.
From top to bottom, in a sheer entertainment sense, the Pac-12 is wildly intriguing and capable of football brilliance.
If you like great quarterback play, there's plenty of it to go around. USC QB Caleb Williams, fresh off a Heisman, will attempt an encore while trying to power the Trojans to the College Football Playoff.
Bo Nix and Michal Penix Jr. might not have the same level of hype as Williams, but the Oregon and Washington starters are coming off brilliant seasons. They're also hoping to lift their teams into the playoff conversation.
The same can be said about Cam Rising at Utah, who will look to bounce back from a late injury last year. When healthy, Rising is electric.
In terms of additions, the conference has that as well. DJ Uiagalelei departed Clemson for Oregon State over the offseason, and the potential is intoxicating. While Uiagalelei was inconsistent in his time with the Tigers, the physical tools are remarkable. He'll join a program on the rise that returns a plethora of talent.
On the topic of fresh faces, enter Shedeur Sanders. Deion's son joined his father at Colorado, and barring something unforeseen, he'll be the starter. Sanders accounted for 79 touchdowns over the last two years at Jackson State.
How quickly Sanders can adapt to life in a Power Five conference will certainly be a storyline to follow. The fact that we've spent an offseason talking about a program that won only a single football game last year, however, is telling.
Even the Pac-12's worst team will be a fascinating watch, even if it'll be the final year. That is not something we normally say about other conferences.
When it comes to emerging stars, keep an eye on UCLA. Dante Moore, a 5-star freshman QB, might not begin the year as the starter. He will at some point see the field, however, and when he does all eyes will be on him. One of the most coveted players of the most recent recruiting class has tantalizing potential.
Look around even further, and you'll find more life. Arizona, at the center of plenty of realignment rumors, is finding its footing on the football field and on the recruiting trail. Even rival Arizona State, with offensive guru Kenny Dillingham now leading the program, should see a sizable shift in performance.
Amid chaos, the Pac-12 has a bit of everything. While the conference has been a punching bag in recent years—thanks largely to a College Football Playoff drought that stretches back to the 2016-2017 season—this year should be viewed in a much different lens.
That playoff drought could finally end. Perhaps this is the year the conference avoids cannibalizing itself before the committee has its final say, something USC fell victim to late last year.
Whether that drought ends this year or not, the path to arrive to the season's conclusion will not be boring. From the quarterback play to the late-night weirdness that has become a staple of the conference, 2023 has a lot to offer.
It will likely be weird and unpredictable, and that is being said in the best possible way.
And yes, 2024 will be a mess. The level of mess is still unfolding, and the details will become clear in the days and weeks ahead. If this is indeed the end of the conference as we know it—and by the looks of it, it's feeling that way—all the pieces are in place to end with a bang.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
