ESPN insider reveals factors in Oregon, Washington decisions in conference realignment

USC and UCLA are going to be out of the Pac-12 picture in a couple years. Could Oregon and Washington be next?

Those two schools have come up quite a bit in conference realignment conversations, and ESPN’s Pete Thamel said the Pac-12’s looming media deal could play a big role in a potential decision.

Thamel joined Wendi Nix on College Football Live to talk about the Pac-12’s future and what could happen after the current “collective pause” in realignment. He noted the money aspect, especially as the Pac-12 negotiates its next media rights deal, as a factor in Oregon and Washington’s next moves.

“It’d be naive to say three years or five years from now, Wendi, we’re going to be in the same place,” Thamel said. “But I think when the Pac-12 gets back some financial numbers, schools like Washington and Oregon are going to have to say, ‘OK, is that enough to sustain us going forward in a league that maybe adds a San Diego State and a Boise [State]?’ Or do they have to look elsewhere?”

Then, Thamel turned attention to the ACC. On July 6, a report from Sports Illustrated detailed a potential partnership between the Pac-12 and ACC that could involve the ACC Network. Thamel argued the ACC could benefit from a “western wing.”

“And I think the next logical move, Wendi, is the ACC perhaps adding a western wing, if you will, which could help fuel the ACC Network and help address some of the revenue concerns for the top ACC programs.”

ESPN’s Pete Thamel on ‘collective pause’ in conference realignment, where Notre Dame falls

Thamel also provided a timeline on a potential decision from Notre Dame, which is largely seen as the biggest fish in the pond as conferences expand. Basically, he doesn’t think anything’s happening soon.

“In the micro micro, I think we’re at a collective pause here,” Thamel said. “When I talk to sources around the country — different conferences, different schools — everyone’s wondering what is the next trigger? What is the next mile marker that could lead to more expansion? Right now, the Big Ten and SEC appear to be sitting pat at 16.

“Notre Dame is obviously the prettiest date on the dance floor, but they probably have two years until they have to make any decision because their TV deal has four years left and they need to see what happens with the College Football Playoff, and that also has four years left. So there’s no imminent rush for Notre Dame because the levers that they need to pull to move conferences aren’t going to be pulled in the near term.”