PAC-12 Second Round: KEY Updates on Expansion Talks

PAC-12 to Mountain West I dive into it all. This is getting wild! #pac12 #pac12football #collegefootball

[@nnnnnopenoway8418]

You can't listen to people who say this isn't important. They live in a box. The 4 schools the Pac 12 poached have MASSIVE fan bases. Boise alone would be an average SEC brand value at the moment with a dramatic upside in the future because they have so much room to grow. SDSU, even larger. Can't listen to those people, they have 0 perspective.

[@HuntleyHuddle]

I've been telling people to me it seems to be a fabricated narrative built up on social media/TV by legacy media for an easier way of talking about this rather than actually diving into it. They can tell the P4 fanbases they clickbait 24/7 "Ah it's nothing they're not as important as you... NOW BACK TO WHY ARCH MANNING WILL WIN THE HEISMAN TROPHY AFTER THIS INSANE THROW IN PRACTICE."

[@bobgonzalez5845]

Fresno leads the group of five in attendance every year, and has a potential television viewing audience of over 2 million people from Sacremento to Bakersfield.

[@jish55]

This. Many of the schools in the Pac 12/joining the Pac 12 bring in a nice amount of viewership in their own ways, so it just makes sense to get them into one of the most historic college football conferences around.

[@fighterck6241]

​​​@@HuntleyHuddle​They (the networks) want to be able to box them out so that they can create a closed shop. They have had their way for over a decade of not allowing different schools to be a part of the conversation, which allows them to SAVE money in the long run. They've been doing the same thing in European soccer, another famously open league format with multiple levels and hundreds of teams. They've created the conversation that only England and Spain matter, and unless they create a "Super League," the sport over there is doomed. Does anything sound familiar? Only two conferences supposedly matter over here. The fans over there fought back, but so far American college football fans have beeen pretty docile.

[@natgeojacob2220]

I think Texas State is a little more serious than people may think. Let me specify, I’m not from around the school, but I have a good number of friends who attend as master’s students. For one, they just finished a multi-million dollar expansion onto their stadium. A separate but same amount went into campus renovations and expansions as well. They have also had a new record for enrollment set every year the past 3 years in a row now. They’re very quickly becoming a MASSIVE school (projected to have 50,000+ by next year) because they are positioned perfectly between 2 major Texas cities. And lastly, probably most importantly, the president of Texas State, Kelly Damphousse, is very close with the presidents of Oregon State and Washington State. If you follow him on social media he makes posts with them every so often.

[@mmmcounts]

Remember when the Pac-12 wanted to add Texas, Oklahoma, and a couple of other Big 12 schools?

[@HuntleyHuddle]

Seems like yesterday

[@rpeterson1989]

As a Miami Hurricanes fan, I agree with your point that this matters. I’m also a true college football fan and want the Pac 12 to be relevant again

[@westernciviccapital3075]

Done right, the new PAC will be deep in the 2 most football crazy regions in the country: the south and the mountain west.

[@sghanchey]

Rice can barely manage 15,000 fans in their cavernous Rice Stadium, and gets little media attention in Texas. No added value to the PAC-12.

[@nategz9875]

They have the largest endowment. It's up there on par with Stanford.

[@drgat6953]

Endowments are often tied to specific academic missions such as reaserch or scholarship. Schools can't just shift that money around. Look at Rice's athletic facilities and tell me that it is a school capable of putting major money into athletics.

[@sghanchey]

@@nategz9875 most definitely. Top tier academics. But the "PAC-6" is no longer a conference of academic excellence. All the AAU schools have left.

[@itsme209]

Media market.

[@scottyking7161]

​@@drgat6953I just looked up athletic budgets wazzou 53rd, Oregon st 54th, Air force 57th, SD ST 58th, UNLV 59th, Memphis 60th, Colorado St 61st, USF 63rd, ECU 64th, fresno 65th, Boise 68th, app st 88th, UAB 89th, utsa 90th, Texas st 92nd.wyoming 69th and Tulane 70th

[@thedemonhamster]

great video, glad to see people talking about this realignment in the smaller schools too

[@HuntleyHuddle]

Thank you and thanks for watching! I've enjoyed following CFB at the national level since I was a kid so I pay attention to everything 🤣

[@lastpme]

I would stay away from Rice. The Big 12 messed up taking UH since nobody comes to the games.

[@lucasvidsTV]

I think Houston was a basketball add. Big 12 has been trying to be the dominant basketball conference for a while now

[@bwbdalek1]

Last year around this time i felt like the absolute pits. This year is just unbridled excitement at the possibilities of the future. Go cougs! 😊

[@fer78130]

If i were an advisor to Memphis and Tulane, i would tell them to hold off unless the AAC ups the ante as far as penalties are concerned. The PAC would take either one in two or three years once the ACC and PAC's media situation becomes clearer. Moving too soon into the PAC could cause them to lose an opportunity. For that reason, both Tulane and Memphis especially at least a $10 to $13 million/year media deal, signed sealed and delivered before moving west. UTSA is in a different situation. The road runners are currently getting less than three million/year from the AAC share. All recent move ups are in that situation. Surely the PAC media rights rights will be much better than three million! For that reason, think, the PAC will aim high and miss out on both Memphis and Tulane. For the time being at least and will settle for building that Texas bridge. All the Texas schools should be more ameable to listen to the PAC even without a media contract in hand. At least two and preferably three. UTSA, UNT and TXST. All three are rather large universities with high upside representing three of the four largest metro areas in the state. Circle back to get UNLV and you got ten.

[@fer78130]

Just wanted to state that I'm a TXST fan. Absolutely no way we go to the MWC. 7-10 years ago, sure, signs us up. Since then the Sun Belt has become a decent G5 conference. Outside of an opportunity like the PAC or an AAC with Texas schools still being members, there is no reason to leave the SBC.

[@HuntleyHuddle]

This is a great analysis. All I know is I want to see UTSA/TXST in the same conference. Two booming programs with great HC's and community buy in. I was surprised looking into NT as well once I got more information on how it is growing. Also I did not know UTSA's share was that low.

[@brandongilligan6893]

ESPN has the option to cancel the aac tv deal in 2026. The exact time the new pac 12 deal is supposed to begin. After aac lost cincy, SMU, Houston, UCF, usf, Memphis and tulane this guaranteed to happen

[@fer78130]

Sorry for making to many posts but i love this topic! Concerning the MWC. There are only two viable FBS candidates that will be willing to join the MWC. Those are NMSU and UTEP. The MWC needs to pull out all the stops to get those two schools on board. The need to maintain eight-school viability at all costs. Without that it starts becoming a sinking ship. This is what happened to the WAC. Once you start sinking under eight even FCS schools start having doubts about joining. They're going to have the money, start paying and get those schools onboard asap.

[@DocSkirv]

AAC schools get $7m and the PAC media deal will be in the 13-15m range. It’s a no brainer for Tulane and Memphis to go to PAC. It’s the fifth best conference in America already without them.

[@drgat6953]

The PAC thought they were worth 50 million without USC and UCLA. I don't know if I would trust their predictions of their media value.

[@jamiethornton6101]

If they want Memphis and Tulane, they had to bring in schools with the most value. USF is one of them. Yeah, it's even farther from the west coast. But it's a plane trip into Tampa Florida. Once a year for football. Who doesn't want to have a trip to Florida? So IMO, Memphis, Tulane, USF, UNLV. Stop at Ten. You could probably add Gonzaga and St Mary's for basketball only. There is some media value in basketball, as it's the only sport that makes money outside of football (roughly 20%). SDSU, Memphis, UNLV, Gonzaga, St Mary's would make you a very strong basketball conference as well.

[@HuntleyHuddle]

Selfishly I really want USF to go because I believe with all their current buy in and Golesh as the HC they are set for a boom. I'm hoping the P12 shapes into all the elite G5 teams coming together for a national footprint. I hate regionality is gone but it's just the way of the world now but these schools being able to go to all these new states would be great for exposure and recruiting. I agree 100% on basketball.

[@drgat6953]

It isn't just football it is every other sport as well. If you are a volleyball player in Florida looking at colleges, chances are you are not going to pick the school where most of your away games are a 4+ hour commercial flight way.

[@whats_holden_up]

Id throw in UTSA for the Texas market then maybe like Air Force since they're a solid football brand

[@ThreeSixOhGriz]

Montana fan here appreciate your videos

[@nnnnnopenoway8418]

Also the B1G and SEC if they get their way, football as a sport is doomed. The NFL knows this. Centralized power is unattractive and the greed is already turning people away from the sport.

[@HuntleyHuddle]

They will and as a fan of an SEC school I hate it. Sadly, it is changing so fast nobody even knows what is going on even in positions of power. It's almost as if we're watching an experiment just waiting to see what happens.

[@johnmarshall3140]

It would be fun to bring the SD &Montana schools aboard!

[@HuntleyHuddle]

It really would. I love all those brands. I hope to one day go to a Brawl of the Wild game.

[@manzac112]

What I truly wish is for the Pac-12 to always remain a geographical conference and honor that tradition. Merge with the Mountain West, get New Mexico State, get UTEP, and become a fun geographically Western Conference. I just want to see a geographically correct conference with a fun regional tradition.

[@ulisesgonzalez8968]

Bro Texas State would never go to the MWC that completely dumb - Texas State is a national brand and the Sunbelt is arguably the best g5 conference

[@northdakotagamer]

A few things: The American has a look in at their contract coming in 2026 triggered by their membership changes where their payouts will almost certainly be lowered as they got that 8 million figure with Houston, UCF, and Cincinnati all of whom are of course now gone. The schools that are there now could look to jump ship before that happens. Also the different thing about UNLV-Nevada as compared to OSU-Oregon is that the former has the same board of regents. UCLA-Cal and ASU-Arizona also share a board of regents. As a result, UCLA pays part of their B1G money to Cal, sometimes nicknamed "Calimony". UNLV may end up with the same situation with Nevada. I think Rice makes sense if you believe the ACC will collapse and want to better your academic pitch for a potential Calford return. We've hear that Calford care about the academics of their conference mates, and Rice is a school in their academic tier. Now maybe picking up Boise State hurts that pitch so much that Rice couldn't save it, but it's something to consider. Rice also betters the conference's baseball pedigree, although they've had a rough few years since Wayne Graham retired.

[@HuntleyHuddle]

Great addition! I'm loving all this information flooding in here from everyone.

[@DayOneRob]

Great video sir! Appreciate the take.

[@maxwellr2533]

great vid

[@HuntleyHuddle]

Thank You!

[@seanevans9329]

Everyone is forgetting TNT/Tbs will have 5-7 billion dollars.. at their disposal when NBA contract is up 2026... They need to fill that sports programing..they want to be a major player in college football..they could offer the new pac12.. 40-50 mil a school easy .. still have 5-6 billion leftover for other sports.. nascar, soccer, MLB ect... That could be why keeping a pac12 alive.. you heard it hear first...

[@EZ-ri3pl]

UNLV and Nevada have been in many different conferences over the years. They are not tied at the hip.

[@HuntleyHuddle]

I think they just have to get "board approval" (which won't be an issue) is what I've seen but they are not tied together. I initially understood that wrong.

[@dazc]

Being Nevada up

[@terryfox9344]

Thank you, and I don't hold being an SEC fans against you. In fact, there really are quite a good number of great SEC fans who actually LOVE college football, not just their school, or the current national champion. I agree with your take, because I despise people who say, "Nobody cares," just because they are too limited to care. I regard such people as "ignorant snobs", but I'm a bit direct in my opinions. One small correction is that Idaho has been in the FBS as recently as 2018, so I'm reasonably certain that the FBS would allow them to come back with the same stadium.

[@-State-Of-Mind]

Sam Houston State would be a great add for MW. They are growing fast with fan support and crushed Hawaii and Rice. Only 1.5 hours from Houston.

[@chitowntiger1]

Memphis/Tulane/USF/Texas school of your choice...Gitter done!

[@jamesking4089]

I heard in 2026 the winner of the pac12 conference is automatically in the college football playoff.

[@rpannier]

For people who think these teams don't matter -- in the 2010s nobody cared about Liberty Baptist -- now they're a Top 25 team (or hover close every year for the past 4-5)

[@nnnnnopenoway8418]

Good video

[@HuntleyHuddle]

Thanks for watching!

[@KTBClub777]

selecting Colorado St over UNLV is a huge Miss. Not only football wise but basketball and all other sports. Only reason to take Colorado St over them is the hopes to draw in Colorado one day

[@velazquezhome2775]

But if the four teams ever are leaving and Air Force, UNLV and one other team leaves…. Can’t they vote to dissolve the conference?

[@fer78130]

I heard it's nine schools have to leave before dissolution

[@gaea116]

why would they go after North Texas? besides being regional is it because they're in dallas and have a big tv market?

[@drgat6953]

If I was Memphis, Tulane, and USF I would go to the AAC leadership and tell them we will stay IF you go back to ESPN and get an amended deal where the three of us get an extra 2-3 million a year. ESPN is getting a good deal out of the AAC and might not want to compete for PAC assets. It would be worth trying.

[@SKUIZZZ1]

Agree these programs, fans, traditions, rivalries, all matter. CJ from Grind City Media is out of touch and doesn’t understand college football, or fanbase passion.

[@ricardotrevino2775]

How about UTEP to the PAC12 at a reduced payout for four years.

[@zenshinroshi186]

MWC will add Sac State Memphis and Tulane if not UTSA and Texas state to Pac. might add hwaii football only.

[@patsheets6499]

What about Toledo? or Liberty? I think they should get the absolute best football programs they can.

[@123axton]

I would also add,,,you join the Pac 12,,,then in 3 years,,,fla st, and clemson leave AAC,,,then they go get Oregon St and Wash. St.,,,,then you got problem....

[@aaronbrown9156]

Engrossed

[@HuntleyHuddle]

THANK YOU!

[@alexanderschulz7973]

The pac12 truly only owes 43 million. You are assuming that the early exit fees are also the pass responsibility and they aren't unless they are negotiated. The pac has some leverage here as the move for the 4 universities is seen as an upgrade from their current situation. From what I've read, 43 mil is for sure from the pac. But the exit fees aren't promised. In reality osu and wsu try to leverage the media package and use the bump as a way to offset the exit fees. If they are making 8mil and the media package offers 12 that would be 4 mil less per school that the pac would be on the hook for. It won't end up being 110+mil to the pac. The pac wouldn't go for it. The pac wants to maximize the war chest remaining to be successful. It makes no sense for the pac to burn all that cash for it not to produce anything. And there's also the stanford/cal conversation that you aren't having. Theres talk about keeping the seat warm for them to return if the courts decide fsu and Clemson can leave, that decision also impact the pacs recent acquisitions. Adding back standford and cal would be huge. If the acc implodes Stanford and call will be back. If the new pac get 15 mil per school in a media package Stanford and cal might choose 5o come back as I seem they make only 11 mil and have to travel twice as much as they do now. It's a numbers game and I think cal and Stanford blinked and are gonna get caught out on it. Theres a lot left to be determined and a lot of assumptions you are making. Is it likely the Memphis and Tulane get added probably but the expansion won't stop there. The pac laid a solid foundation on which they can grow. And osu a wsu won't add teams that are already above them in the pecking order. This whole exercise is to position osu and wsu to be gobbled up by a power 4 in the next 3-6 years.

[@BozzmanCole]

PAC12 will add UTSA, UNLV, and Gonzaga. Look for this to occur by the ned of next week. Stop listening to the UNLV-Nevada politically connected affiliation, it is not a factor. Two huge media markets with Las Vegas and San Antonio coupled with a great basketball brand in Gonzaga. UTSA has become a very good football program. AAC will add Air Force in football only over the next 10 days. They will most likely join the WAC in all other sports, which makes perfect sense. MWC will add UTEP, Tarleton State, and Texas State. Lets be honest here the MWC commissioner better start adding schools quickly to prove that their brand still has cache and value. TEXAS schools bring huge market and growth to a conference in need of eyeballs.

[@drgat6953]

I would think that the WCC would be a better place for AF non-football if they don't take it all to the American. Also if the MWC wants a pair of Texas schools I would go with Sam Houston over Taltaron.

[@ralphputt933]

Memphis!!!!

[@ChristopherNaylor-o7d]

Collins Track

[@westernciviccapital3075]

Memphis and Tulane UTSA and Rice Utah State and Wyoming South Florida and Southern Miss

[@jeremyjohnson2398]

Tulsa to pac 12

[@Crusaderknight6277]

Go after the big sky

[@Cahluvca]

Doesnt look to be a power conference going forward

[@BlumeRaymond-x4s]

334 Oleta Mews

[@RatnaAkhtrr-c8q]

Robinson Anna Jackson Thomas Garcia Donald

[@mickstevens6443]

Rice would be PERFECT….!!!!

[@HuntleyHuddle]

For the next round I just don't see it. Future though I would love it. Add another footprint in Texas and obviously an incredible university. I am also a big fan of their uniforms.

[@adamcompean9385]

​​@HuntleyHuddle Adding Gonzaga Zags knowing no football program, it would really help move the dollar figures up $$$ Money 💰 for the Pac12 conference!!!

[@HuntleyHuddle]

@@adamcompean9385 Hopefully as is the speculation that schools like Gonzaga will be sought after once this realignment phase finishes solidifying the football teams.

[@wminer6567]

No intreast in Air Force or Rice .

[@jeffmansell898]

Pac12 expansion is completely superfluous. Why upend your university for an absolute lateral move. The is no and I stress no way the P4 will give the diluted Pac12 equal standing with an automatic bid into the 12 school playoff. That will never happen. This is a joke and shows just how the tail wags the dog in Colligate athletics.

[@HuntleyHuddle]

1. Thank you for teaching me a new word today. “Superfluous” 2. Everyone knows where the sport is going, separation is imminent for the SEC/Big Ten and whoever they decide comes along. So why not put yourself in the best position possible for when that happens. For some it is up and not lateral. It is more so about becoming the best of the rest and trying to survive in the best position possible rather than hoping for a CFP auto bid imo. 3. Nobody is arguing this will get the PAC-12 back to the power status that seems to me a fabricated narrative built up on socials by legacy media for an easier way of talking about this rather than actually diving into it.

[@jeffmansell898]

@@HuntleyHuddle IMO the conference model is broken, and no longer serves the great majority of universities. They serve the commissioners and Media interests, that seems to be clear. I believe it’s time for the 60+ universities not part of the P4 to take control of the situation, by coming together under one flag, one commissioner, a nationwide league of schools with 7 regional divisions. The biggest benefit would be collectively bargaining for all media rights for all games, a 16 school football playoff and a full league basketball tournament. Yes, good by to the NCAA. You want your non P4 school (Evan some of those will join) to make the most money, and have the most exposure with strong regional connections for fans. This is the way to do it. Fighting between conferences surely is not the way. My thoughts on what’s best for all schools, not just mine.

[@Runninrebel17]

There is literally nothing linking us to Reno except the regents and their fuckery