Pac-12 Expansion, the Big 12, the Oregon Ducks and the SEC Juggernaut

ESPN’s Andy Katz reported today that Texas sources believe that Oklahoma wants out of the BIG-12.  Additionally, sources indicated that the PAC-12 is a consideration.  Katz indicated that while Texas is attempting to hold the beleaguered conference together, they admit that a seven-team conference is not viable.

It’s fair to say that Oklahoma and Texas would coordinate their destination with sister-schools Oklahoma State and Texas Tech to maintain the traditional rivalries.  The implication: Oklahoma’s departure could create a snowball that would lead to a PAC-16.

What would the PAC-16 mean to the Oregon Ducks? 

The real question may be how to end the SEC’s reign of terror across the college football landscape.  The Oregon Ducks are the SEC’s latest victim.  Recent defeats serve as further proof that the SEC is the top conference in the land.  And right now, it’s not even close…

Every decision made by every major conference commissioner should be qualified by one question: will this decision make us more competitive with the SEC?  In this case, merging the best of the BIG-12 with the PAC-12 is the right decision.  It’s time to push for a PAC-16.

The PAC-12 is a conference of parity that lacks perennial powerhouse programs.  This year the PAC-12 fielded only two teams with legitimate BCS hopes: Oregon and Stanford.  On the other hand, the SEC has about five teams that could go the distance: Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, and South Carolina.  Any given year, five chances are better than just two. 

The PAC-16 on the other hand, would produce at least four contenders every year.  This would eventually restore national parity.  Take the Oregon Ducks as a case study.  A PAC-16 would do several good things for the Ducks.

Firstly, a deeper more competitive conference will raise the level of play.  If the Ducks survive conference play to represent the PAC-16 in the BCS, they will be conditioned for anything thrown at them. 

The second major benefit will be national exposure.  While the SEC is a national brand, the spectacle of some PAC-16 showdowns would be impossible for most fans to resist.  Oregon vs. Oklahoma, Stanford vs. Oklahoma State, USC vs. Texas, the circus of these games would be on a national spotlight every time.  It’s a well known fact: big time recruits want to play in big games; and boy would the PAC-16 have some big games.

Speaking of recruits, Southern California and Texas have got them.  Now that Texas A&M has given the SEC a foothold in Texas, the PAC-12 has to follow.  An expanded PAC-12 means that the Ducks could secure more Texas recruits for two reasons: recruiting during semi-regular road games to Austin, Texas.  And the ability to tell Texas recruits that they will play games in Texas during their Oregon careers.  The same goes for Texas and Oklahoma playing at UCLA and USC.  All top teams in a PAC-16 would see improved recruiting.

There is no question that the PAC-12 will eventually be more competitive than the PAC-10.  Larry Scott has been impressive.  However, the SEC is now gunning for it’s sixth-straight national championship.  We don’t have time to let the conference gel.  A PAC-16 would be competitive with the SEC almost immediately.

Okay Larry Scott, it’s time to make it happen!