Report: Why today was critical of USC, UCLA moving to Big Ten

USC and UCLA are planning to move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten – but the news doesn’t come as a spur of the moment decision by the Los Angeles-based universities amid a slew of conference realignments throughout college football.

According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, June 30 marks the last day either program would have been able to inform the Pac-12 that they intend on leaving the conference if they want to “avoid potential additional financial penalties.”

The active Pac-12 grant of rights expires on June 30, 2024. Following the expiration of the rights, both programs are free to join whichever contract they so choose.

Norlander also reports that college sports across the board are expecting a formal announcement by the end of Thursday about USC and UCLA’s intention to leave the Pac-12 with Friday being the latest the reports will likely become official.

“One conference commissioner who has been involved in realignment decisions previously told CBS Sports: ‘You don’t leak it unless it is done,'” Norlander wrote.

Report: USC, UCLA planning to leave Pac-12 for Big Ten

USC and UCLA plan to move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten as early as 2024, according to college football insider Jon Wilner. The deal has not been finalized at this time but would provide another major shakeup in the landscape of college athletics.

Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger later confirmed that the two schools have entered negotiations with the Big Ten. He added that “teams are jockeying” to gain membership in the Big Ten and SEC.

USC and UCLA are not only two of the Pac-12’s most successful schools across athletics, but are two of the largest brands in the country which offer a new market opportunity for the Big Ten. While they fall far outside the current geographic landscape of the conference, the move promises to provide great financial benefit for all parties.

The move would serve as the next major domino to fall in conference realignment after Texas and Oklahoma announced their intention to join the SEC by 2025. As conference commissioners failed to come to a resolution on a College Football Playoff format, the race to stockpile blue-blood programs together seems to be heating up