Mike Bohn reveals when USC considered move to Big Ten

The conference realignment news of the summer came out of Los Angeles, with USC and UCLA bolting from the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten. It’s a move Trojans athletic director Mike Bohn has been looking for, saying he wants to school to be competing with the best. Now with the Big Ten, they will have the opportunity to do so.

Bohn revealed when USC considered moving conferences, saying it all began the prior years with Texas and Oklahoma. The Big 12 schools were switching over to the SEC, being the first true domino in the latest round of realignment.

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“I think there are so many complexities associated with our enterprise right now,” Bohn said on The Gene Smith Podcast. “I think when Oklahoma and Texas made the move — I have roots in the Big 12, even back to the Big 8 and you start watching that move and what that represented.”

Mike Bohn credits growth of Big Ten for move

When speaking with Smith, Bohn said the growth and mindset of the Big Ten was a huge reason for the move. He gave a lot of credit to conference commissioner Kevin Warren, saying USC wanted to be on the biggest stage in college athletics with some of the best leaders.

“I think when you saw some of the moves the Big Ten was putting together… ‘Hey, how do we get better? How do we do special things and create special games and an incredible environment and following?’

“You want to be a part of that. I think when you think of the movement across the country you begin to think ‘alright, we want to be with the best. Want to be on the biggest stages with the best leaders and best institutions.'”

Los Angeles fits in ‘biggest stages’ category

Bohn said the culture of Los Angeles, at least athletically, fit into the ‘biggest stage’ category with the Big Ten. He listed off all of the successful professional teams in the city, saying USC needs to be up there at the college level. That’s what the Big Ten can offer in his opinion.

“It’s about trying to stay on the biggest granted stages that you can,” said Bohn. “I think that’s what LA represents… In the end, it’s about being with the best and the brightest. That’s what it’s all about. Academically, athletically, socially, brand-wise.”