Some surprising Pac-12 news was revealed in the college football world the other day. This news was that the Pac-12 would be adding four schools that are currently in the Mountain West to their conference by 2026. These four schools are Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State.
However, there is one clear problem for the Pac-12. The conference still needs two more teams by 2026 to continue its existence. So, who will they go after? These are three ideas.
1. California and Stanford
Could we see California and Stanford come crawling back to the Pac-12? While this scenario is not likely, it is worth discussing. The main reason it is worth mentioning is the current deal both schools made when they joined the ACC.
When both schools joined the ACC, it was a game of musical chairs for the last Pac-12 schools to avoid getting left in the dust. As a result, it made schools like California and Stanford desperate to find another respectable conference. Because of this, these two schools are receiving just 30% of their share of ACC revenue for the first seven years they are in the conference. If the Pac-12 can come up with a respectable media rights deal, perhaps this can sway California and Stanford to return to their previous conference.
2. UNLV and Air Force
As mentioned above, the Pac-12 is about to take four teams currently playing in the Mountain West and let them join their conference. So, while they are at it, why not go for two more of their teams to get to eight total?
UNLV and Air Force would be two of the most attractive schools to take of those remaining in the Mountain West Conference. UNLV is located in one of the hottest sports markets in the country, which is Las Vegas. As for Air Force, it would mean having a second school from the state of Colorado and attracting the portion of the national audience that has a military background and/or connection.
3. UTSA and Memphis
Finally, one pair of teams worth mentioning here are UTSA and Memphis. Right now, both of these schools play in the AAC. This conference has lost teams recently such as Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF to the Big 12. So, would it be surprising if another Power-5 conference tries to poach some of the remaining schools away?
Geographically, this probably makes the least sense of the bunch. However, UTSA can help create a presence in Texas and more importantly, San Antonio. That school can also act as a gateway to the west for the Pac-12.
As for Memphis, they are arguably one of the best Group of 5 football programs in the country right now. If any school deserves an upgrade in conference and media rights revenue, it is Memphis.
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