Colorado About To Defect Back To The Big 12

krup

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The next few days are going to be extremely interesting. Does the B1G cut the Big 12 off at the knees by adding Oregon and Washington? Stay tuned.
A lot of rumors of Oregon talking to the B12 about accompanying Colorado,

I’m not sure I agree with the B12 if that happens. Yes, it gives you a short term boost, but why take a school that was old always have its eye on the B1G when you could take a school like Arizona that is a much better long term fit?
 
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We all understand the Pac 12 is a bit of hot mess right now. Maybe the new TV deal will be that bad. I had been reading the deal is expected to be roughly on par with Big 12 and ACC deals. Now, who knows?

But thinking about the schools in each conference - the Pac 12 has the flagship state universities of five other states (six including Colorado), plus Stanford. The Big 12 has the flagship state universities of Kansas and West Virginia, plus second-, third- and fourth-tier schools from a bunch of states, plus three religious schools. I'll just say that Boulder is culturally a lot closer to Berkeley and Tempe than Waco and Stillwater.
Like I’ve said, most schools don’t leave because they want to but because they feel like they have to for financial reasons.

I don’t even think the PAC had to beat or be even with the B12 deal but just be within striking distance. GK has been stringing it along without details, probably cause he has no choice.

So if you’re a school there’s only so long you can have patience and wait before you become stuck because you waited too long.

I'm sure ESPN/Fox are holding back not only because everyone is pinching pennies but because they can pick up some of the preferred PAC schools and not have to pay any appreciable amount for the rest. Saving money is never a bad thing, whether you're being frugal or not. ESPN can probably pick the leftovers up cheap as filler here and there.

If you're the B10, I think you can then get Oregon/Washington for the B12's 31M price or cheaper. Now do the B10 presidents want to do that now or not? Who knows. I think they should if the opportunity arises but we'll see. They can squeeze them the same way they squeezed us.

Everything depends on whether Colorado is the first domino or the only domino. Does it lead to more or can the PAC backfill enough. SDSU would've been nice to have in your back pocket. It probably still is but maybe not on the same timetable anymore because of the PAC stiff arm.
 
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A lot of rumors of Oregon talking to the B12 about accompanying Colorado,

I’m not sure I agree with the B12 if that happens. Yes, it gives you a short term boost, but why take a school that was old always have its eye on the B1G when you could take a school like Arizona that is a much better long term fit?
Maybe Arizona isn't as eager to jump yet and regardless even if you want Arizona, having Oregon leave puts more pressure on Arizona. The more schools that jump off the ship the more pressure is put on others who haven't yet.

Also Oregon could be putting that out there to get the B10 to make a move too. Trying to leverage whatever they can to get an invite. The B10 can get them and Washington for that B12's 31M or less maybe. Now will the B10 move? We'll see. I always figured the B10 would add more from the west but timetable was uncertain. Are they willing to push up the timetable if the PAC falls apart? We'll see.
 
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Was listening to the Yahoo CFB pod and they brought up a good point. The PAC won't have a 9th conference game in 2024 if Colorado leaves. Finding that game won't be cheap or easy on such short notice if they can't fill that void quick.

Since SDSU could be stuck longer now (prior 17M exit fee vs mid 30s exit fee now), maybe that brings SMU into picture first. I don't know what their AAC exit conditions are.
 

bigmatt718

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A lot of rumors of Oregon talking to the B12 about accompanying Colorado,

I’m not sure I agree with the B12 if that happens. Yes, it gives you a short term boost, but why take a school that was old always have its eye on the B1G when you could take a school like Arizona that is a much better long term fit?
Exactly. Who's to say the B1G just doesn't exert its dominance over the Big 12 by grabbing Oregon/Washington a couple years later?
 

krup

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Maybe Arizona isn't as eager to jump yet and regardless even if you want Arizona, having Oregon leave puts more pressure on Arizona. The more schools that jump off the ship the more pressure is put on others who haven't yet.

Also Oregon could be putting that out there to get the B10 to make a move too. Trying to leverage whatever they can to get an invite. The B10 can get them and Washington for that B12's 31M or less maybe. Now will the B10 move? We'll see. I always figured the B10 would add more from the west but timetable was uncertain. Are they willing to push up the timetable if the PAC falls apart? We'll see.
I can see why Oregon would do it. I just think it is foolish of the B12, which against all odds won the battle against the PAC12 and will survive against all expectations, to take on a school like Oregon that might create instability for them in 3-5 years.

They should just solidify their status by adding more 4 corners schools, and start the long term planning to set themselves up to benefit when the ACC blows up in 10 years.
 
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I can see why Oregon would do it. I just think it is foolish of the B12, which against all odds won the battle against the PAC12 and will survive against all expectations, to take on a school like Oregon that might create instability for them in 3-5 years.

They should just solidify their status by adding more 4 corners schools, and start the long term planning to set themselves up to benefit when the ACC blows up in 10 years.
Well if Oregon did join, which I don't think will happen, the B12 would have them for the duration of the GOR which is about 6 years. Why not have the flashy Nike brand for whatever amount of time you can have them. Who is to say Oregon leaving might not trigger others to move to the B12 as well.

If Oregon left after the GOR, it won't hurt because the B12 would be at a greater number so the pinch felt is less, if at all. Aresco even said similar about the AAC and 14 schools.

 
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AntiG

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Rumor is that Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona, Utah are all considering a move as well, while PAC probably backfills with MWC like SD State, Colorado State
 
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Rumor is that Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona, Utah are all considering a move as well, while PAC probably backfills with MWC like SD State, Colorado State
Oregon State? Why would the B12 want them unless maybe it's a condition of getting Oregon.

As to the MWC and PAC. Even if the PAC loses most of its schools, it's still probably better for MWC schools to jump. The PAC has the autobid as opposed to the G5 shared bid. I don't think that will change much with whatever new CFP deal gets negotiated in a couple years. The CFP money might be better than the CFP money they get from the G5's allocation of CFP money too. So assuming that kind of stuff is grandfathered into the the future, the PAC could still be more desirable to the MWC.
 

brgRC90

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It's pretty absurd that college football might leave programs like Oregon, Washington and Stanford out in the cold. It's a terrible system.
 
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krup

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Well if Oregon did join, which I don't think will happen, the B12 would have them for the duration of the GOR which is about 6 years. Why not have the flashy Nike brand for whatever amount of time you can have them. Who is to say Oregon leaving might not trigger others to move to the B12 as well.

If Oregon left after the GOR, it won't hurt because the B12 would be at a greater number so the pinch felt is less, if at all. Aresco even said similar about the AAC and 14 schools.


I would much rather go into the next battle (with the ACC) in a position of strength rather than as a conference that has recently been losing schools.
 

RUScrew85

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Seems like close to a done deal. Assume uconn comes with them. Be interesting to see what further (re)action this creates within what's left of the pac12

UCONN to the Big 12? Won't that wrest away the title of "Farthest Away Conference Foes" from BCU?
 

50 yd line RR

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Like I’ve said, most schools don’t leave because they want to but because they feel like they have to for financial reasons.

I don’t even think the PAC had to beat or be even with the B12 deal but just be within striking distance. GK has been stringing it along without details, probably cause he has no choice.

So if you’re a school there’s only so long you can have patience and wait before you become stuck because you waited too long.

I'm sure ESPN/Fox are holding back not only because everyone is pinching pennies but because they can pick up some of the preferred PAC schools and not have to pay any appreciable amount for the rest. Saving money is never a bad thing, whether you're being frugal or not. ESPN can probably pick the leftovers up cheap as filler here and there.

If you're the B10, I think you can then get Oregon/Washington for the B12's 31M price or cheaper. Now do the B10 presidents want to do that now or not? Who knows. I think they should if the opportunity arises but we'll see. They can squeeze them the same way they squeezed us.

Everything depends on whether Colorado is the first domino or the only domino. Does it lead to more or can the PAC backfill enough. SDSU would've been nice to have in your back pocket. It probably still is but maybe not on the same timetable anymore because of the PAC stiff arm.
I think you’re right. Why are the media outlets squeezing out the PAC 12?
Why can’t they work out a deal? Seems like the PAC is the sacrificial lamb for the media moguls that run college athletics.
When Colorado jumps it’s going to be interesting to see if the acquisitions are swift or it’s a long drawn out process.
 
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Former Fox sports president. Would the B10 look ahead and think they should move now if the PAC falls apart.

Inaction sometimes is the right course but sometimes it also can mean you get acted upon instead like the PAC12 now.

 

cicero grimes

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How bad of a Commissioner is GK? Losing USC/UCLA and now Colorado? How is he still employed?
Honestly I think he inherited a bad situation from his predecessor who was a tennis guy if I recall correctly. Not expanding when they had a chance, and not partnering the Pac12 network with a major broadcast partner started the dominoes in motion in my opinion. GK comes in and immediately has to deal with the USC / UCLA defection. Its hard to negotiate a new TV deal when you lose your two most valuable assets on just about day one on the job.

Now GK does deserve criticism for not replacing the LA schools right away and going for a new TV deal but I think he was dealing with an old big east scenario where everyone left was looking for an exit and did not want to commit long term.
 

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cicero grimes

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UCONN to the Big 12? Won't that wrest away the title of "Farthest Away Conference Foes" from BCU?
It would be an interesting decision. Their football fans would be all for the move. The BBall fans who were driving the bus to get back to the BE might not be as thrilled. Yes the B12 is an excellent basketball conference but they would be back to an almost AAC geographic outlier. Their bball fans love the idea of playing many of their old rivals each year and getting to MSG every March. Not sure they will be as happy playing in KC each March.
 
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Honestly I think he inherited a bad situation from his predecessor who was a tennis guy if I recall correctly. Not expanding when they had a chance, and not partnering the Pac12 network with a major broadcast partner started the dominoes in motion in my opinion. GK comes in and immediately has to deal with the USC / UCLA defection. Its hard to negotiate a new TV deal when you lose your two most valuable assets on just about day one on the job.

Now GK does deserve criticism for not replacing the LA schools right away and going for a new TV deal but I think he was dealing with an old big east scenario where everyone left was looking for an exit and did not want to commit long term.
I think the biggest mistakes were not taking out the B12 when Texas/OU left (some presidents, including USC were against it) and getting outmaneuvered on the tv deal by the Yormark.

These conferences should learn that appeasing the big fish is often pointless because in the end they will do what they want anyway just like the BE schools, just like Texas/OU and just like USC/UCLA. Think about what's best for the whole not just a select few.

What's happened is like those mafia movies or old tribal war movies. You leave an enemy/competitor hanging around when they're down and out and they can rise back up and take you out instead. Credit to Yormark to actually pull it off.
 

bigmatt718

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It would be an interesting decision. Their football fans would be all for the move. The BBall fans who were driving the bus to get back to the BE might not be as thrilled. Yes the B12 is an excellent basketball conference but they would be back to an almost AAC geographic outlier. Their bball fans love the idea of playing many of their old rivals each year and getting to MSG every March. Not sure they will be as happy playing in KC each March.
UConn hoops fans would rather UConn be bankrupt and playing SHU in February than collecting $40M a year and playing Kansas or Baylor in February.
 
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AntiG

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It's pretty absurd that college football might leave programs like Oregon, Washington and Stanford out in the cold. It's a terrible system.
I think Stanford and Arizona State ultimately end up in the B1G
 

AntiG

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I also read that and read that OU and OSU were willing to still go as a package but the PAC turned them down.
yep this was the beginning of the end of the PAC as a power conference. Now they are on the way of being the new old BE/AAC where the top schools will leave and they backfill via the MWC who will backfill via CUSA whose leftovers will merge into the SBC or drop to Indy/FCS play

AAC will end up benefiting from this since it will push Air Force to them
 
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AntiG

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long term prediction:

PAC will backfill with mostly MWC (probably SD State, Fresno State, UNLV, Nevada, Colorado State, and maybe Boise State & SJ State) which will then raid CUSA/SBC which will force those two conferences to start merging with leftovers left for dead as indy/dropping to FCS.

Air Force will jump to the AAC and they'll finally get Army to join.

Arizona and Utah jump to B12

Stanford and Arizona State end up jumping to the B1G, along with Washington and Oregon.

PAC lose their autobid status.

history repeating itself
 

topdecktiger

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long term prediction:

PAC will backfill with mostly MWC (probably SD State, Fresno State, UNLV, Nevada, Colorado State, and maybe Boise State & SJ State) which will then raid CUSA/SBC which will force those two conferences to start merging with leftovers left for dead as indy/dropping to FCS.

Air Force will jump to the AAC and they'll finally get Army to join.

Arizona and Utah jump to B12

Stanford and Arizona State end up jumping to the B1G, along with Washington and Oregon.

PAC lose their autobid status.

history repeating itself
Autobid to what?
 
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Will Scarlet

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Honestly I think he inherited a bad situation from his predecessor who was a tennis guy if I recall correctly. Not expanding when they had a chance, and not partnering the Pac12 network with a major broadcast partner started the dominoes in motion in my opinion. GK comes in and immediately has to deal with the USC / UCLA defection. Its hard to negotiate a new TV deal when you lose your two most valuable assets on just about day one on the job.

Now GK does deserve criticism for not replacing the LA schools right away and going for a new TV deal but I think he was dealing with an old big east scenario where everyone left was looking for an exit and did not want to commit long term.
After UT and OU announced they were leaving the B12 for the SEC, the PAC12 setup a working group to assess if it would be worth raiding the conference to snag the best of its leftovers (KU, Texas Tech, OSU, etc.). Rumor had it that the President of USC was the most vehement in opposition to expansion and did her best to assure that the PAC12 stayed put at 12. Of course, a year later USC led the charge to get into the B1G. Had the PAC12 expanded by taking out the B12 when it had the chance, the tables would be turned today. USC certainly didn’t do their conference mates any favors. They’re sort of the BCU of this round of expansion, “loyal members of the conference” surreptitiously negotiating behind the scenes to get hell out.
 

RU_87

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Just like I’ve said about FSU in the past, Oregon isn’t struggling for money lol.


Seems odd that they called a last minute meeting yesterday, for today, just to approve Lanning's contract. Makes me wonder what other items were on their agenda.
 
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long term prediction:

PAC will backfill with mostly MWC (probably SD State, Fresno State, UNLV, Nevada, Colorado State, and maybe Boise State & SJ State) which will then raid CUSA/SBC which will force those two conferences to start merging with leftovers left for dead as indy/dropping to FCS.

Air Force will jump to the AAC and they'll finally get Army to join.

Arizona and Utah jump to B12

Stanford and Arizona State end up jumping to the B1G, along with Washington and Oregon.

PAC lose their autobid status.

history repeating itself

The CFB playoff autobids are for the conference champs of the top-rated conferences that year. No conference has a specific autobid. I think the top six conference thing may be a bit of tailwind against the trend of ever-larger conferences.
 

MADHAT1

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I don’t think that what happened. SDSU was ready to move but the PAC and GK stiff armed them saying we’re not adding anyone til we have the tv deal done. Then SDSU went crawling back to the MWC and may get stuck there for a bit as opposed to being ready to come on board in 2024.
you're probably right , but SDSU might be glad they had to go back to the MW ,even if it was hands and knees style seeing the PAC starting to fall apart by losing more programs and no TV right deal yet .
The MW might wind up a better conference than the PAC after all is said and done .
Making GK stiff arm a boon to them and something that hurt the PAC more then stabilizing that conference

On another note:
I think the B1G will give Oregon,Washington and Stanford invites .
But at a long term entrance revenue sharing adjustment where it will take much longer than it took Rutgers to get to full revenue sharing status.
As for Cal, they'll be invited after a big push to get Notre Dame fails
Shoring up the West Coast as B1G Territory
 
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The CFB playoff autobids are for the conference champs of the top-rated conferences that year. No conference has a specific autobid. I think the top six conference thing may be a bit of tailwind against the trend of ever-larger conferences.
You’re right there are no autobids but I use that term loosely because it’s low probability a PAC champ wouldn’t be in that grouping of top 6 conf champs. Even in a weakened state I think more often than not it would be the case. Plus the CFP money split is better for the PAC at least for the next few years. When the next CFP contract comes up, that split could change but I still think it’s possible they could still be in a tier higher than the rest of the G5.

I think one time the G5 would’ve gotten two teams in but most of the time it was just one.
 
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you're probably right , but SDSU might be glad they had to go back to the MW ,even if it was hands and knees style seeing the PAC starting to fall apart by losing more programs and no TV right deal yet .
The MW might wind up a better conference than the PAC after all is said and done .
Making GK stiff arm a boon to them and something that hurt the PAC more then stabilizing that conference

On another note:
I think the B1G will give Oregon,Washington and Stanford invites .
But at a long term entrance revenue sharing adjustment where it will take much longer than it took Rutgers to get to full revenue sharing status.
As for Cal, they'll be invited after a big push to get Notre Dame fails
Shoring up the West Coast as B1G Territory
I think the PAC should invite not just one but a few of the stronger MWC teams now while they still have some benefits the next two CFP years after this one and possibly similar grandfathered in the future.

You still have some semblance of strength vs the MWC currently while the conference is largely in tact. Add when you can or in the future you might not get the chance. They made that mistake when the B12 lost OU and Texas. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Inaction cost them dearly then and it cost them again on a lesser scale recently with the SDSU stiff arm. Will they finally learn that sitting on your hands isn’t a good move right now in this environment? Like the Fox sports president said you have to think ahead and that mean buttressing yourself to more losses in the future. It’s still probably possible now before any big movement but if there’s a mass exodus then who knows.
 
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cicero grimes

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I think the PAC should invite not just one but a few of the stronger MWC teams now while they still have some benefits the next two CFP years after this one and possibly similar grandfathered in the future.

You still have some semblance of strength vs the MWC currently while the conference is largely in tact. Add when you can or in the future you might not get the chance. They made that mistake when the B12 lost OU and Texas. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Inaction cost them dearly then and it cost them again on a lesser scale recently with the SDSU stiff arm. Will they finally learn that sitting on your hands isn’t a good move right now in this environment? Like the Fox sports president said you have to think ahead and that mean buttressing yourself to more losses in the future. It’s still probably possible now before any big movement but if there’s a mass exodus then who knows.
I agree but it may be the ship has sailed.
 

Retired711

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I think the PAC should invite not just one but a few of the stronger MWC teams now while they still have some benefits the next two CFP years after this one and possibly similar grandfathered in the future.

You still have some semblance of strength vs the MWC currently while the conference is largely in tact. Add when you can or in the future you might not get the chance. They made that mistake when the B12 lost OU and Texas. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Inaction cost them dearly then and it cost them again on a lesser scale recently with the SDSU stiff arm. Will they finally learn that sitting on your hands isn’t a good move right now in this environment? Like the Fox sports president said you have to think ahead and that mean buttressing yourself to more losses in the future. It’s still probably possible now before any big movement but if there’s a mass exodus then who knows.
I don't think there are many MWC schools that the Pac-whatever schools would regard as a good fit. Of course, the remaining Pac schools have few options unless the B1G decides to rescue them.
 
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