Rebuilding the PAC-12 - What Schools Would Get an Invite to Join the PAC-12 Version 2.0?

[@mikefredd3390]

Cal and Stanford can keep flying East to be disrespected. No skin off the PAC12’s nose.

[@gregvogel9859]

I don’t think any schools leave the big 12 unless a rebuilt pac can gain power conference status. As such I think SMU would be a more likely Dallas team than TCU if the ACC implodes

[@jbrock8596]

Exactly right.

[@dylanwade9825]

I third that

[@toddwebb7521]

That's a bingo

[@okolo22000]

Unfortunately there’s a better chance that both the Big 12 and the ACC will lose their power status by 2027!

[@glstewart2324]

The PAC will never get a B12 school

[@jeh58]

I agree & I am a Beaver fan. I do wish you were wrong, but you're not.

[@devinmackey83]

West: WSU, OSU, Stanford, Cal, SDSU, FSU. East: BSU, Air Force, Col St, UTSA, UNLV, Wyoming. No way Big 12 teams come back, last spots in East could go to Memphis if you want to sacrifice travel for a better program

[@robert5755]

sdsu, fsu,, unlv ,smu cal and stanford, other teams markets are too small

[@atgdcommish608]

Memphis and Tulane are right on the Mississippi River, not that far East at all.

[@Artic-wolf77]

I agree. Especially with adding UTSA. What about SMU?

[@Artic-wolf77]

​@@robert5755not for long. Growing fast.

[@crab1]

No Big 12 schools would move over, it's taking too steep a pay cut. Here's mine: OSU, WSU, Stanford, Cal, Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State, UNLV, SMU, Tulane, Memphis. That conference would have a lock on the last auto-bid to the CFP every year.

[@mason2430]

Thanks again guys for looking out for the PAC

[@lonnyrowden2630]

Cal and Stanford don’t want to be in a conference with Boise or Fresno State. Any moves they make are contingent on heavy ACC losses, which I do expect. I still think you have the possibility of Stanford to the Big 10 with Notre Dame. I do think Cal would join Wazzu and Oregon State if the ACC loses most of their teams. You need to lose almost all the ACC teams, but that’s how you can get SMU. Utah didn’t want to leave the Pac because they wanted to keep research. Some say Stanford was the big draw, but I doubt they leave a conference that has 4 other AAU members. I don’t think anyone leaves the Big 12. So far we have SMU, Cal, Wazzu, and Oregon State. You need 8 and the issue is how many before you lose value. San Diego and Fresno State make 6. That’s one that wants to leave and one who has a good fanbase. You have to take Boise for the value. Colorado State and Air Force bring value and make 9. I don’t see anyone jumping from FCS. I also think New Mexico stays ahead of New Mexico State and UTEP. Texas and Texas Tech have more fans in El Paso and West Texas than UTEP. Nevada and San Jose State will get lost in the shuffle and I think the same for Wyoming. You have to go with UNLV for #10. I don’t know that they go to 12. Hawaii, New Mexico, and Utah State are left for those spots. If they really want 12, I think the Aggies lose out. Whoever ends up being left behind will end up in a conference with New Mexico State and UTEP.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Great detail! And we largely agree with all of it. Thx Lonny!

[@tylernelson3343]

@@TheBigMountainPodcast does Fox want Stanford in the Big Ten

[@ironwill1362]

ACC needs to add Washington State, Oregon State, San Diego State, Fresno State and possibly Boise State. Then group them with Cal, Stanford and SMU to make the Pacific Division of the ACC. The remaining ACC schools will be the ACC Atlantic Division. The Pacific champ plays the Atlantic champ for the conference championship... Of course this is only my opinion

[@kafkakaraoke]

This is reasonable and logical. Unlike this whole show, you should start a podcast.

[@SurfCityBill]

This would be good but Stan and Cal are out. They will go independent rather than align themselves with schools they deem inferior which to them is everyone.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

You basically rebuilt the ACC, not rebuilt the PAC. But good thoughts.

[@ccast6290]

I can see Cal and Stanford returning if ACC implodes. Helping them return would be adding SMU and San Diego State, Fresno State. Then, in a Mountain division, SMU, CSU, AF, UTAH, UNLV, BOISE STATE ( not one BOISE fan, or alumni, or the AD would want to be left in the MWC ) If there were any thoughts to improve the basketball strength of this conference, they could also add, not a BYU who UTAH hates, but Utah State, and Gonzaga. Outside of SMU, the whole conference works with regional approximation and future rivalries! TCU used to be in the MWC. However, I believe Stanford and Cal were pulling for SMU and Tulane before the PAC implosion.

[@michaelwall3393]

@@TheBigMountainPodcastbecause the ACC will have more valuable teams remaining and be able to maintain Autonomy status and ACC has media coverage the PAC does not. Also Boise State and Fresno State are inferior. What will happen if 6 or more schools leave the ACC, the ACC will add the three service academies for all sports, add WazzU, OzzU, San Diego State, and Wyoming out West and back East add Memphis, Texas State, Tulane, USF, CCU, App State, & JMU. Resulting in ACC East Division 1. BC 2. Syracuse 3. Pitt 4. Army 5. Navy 6. JMU 7. App State 8. Duke 9. Wake Forest 10. Coastal Carolina 11. Georgia Tech 12. USF ACC West Division 1. Louisville 2. Memphis 3. Tulane 4. Texas State 5. SMU 6. Air Force 7. Wyoming 8. San Diego State 9. Stanford 10. Cal 11. OzzU 12. WazzU Now could the ACC West Division break off and become the PAC years down the road? It is possible. If that happens, then certain schools in AAC and SBC and CUSA and MAC who would make more sense to add if not for the need to address the issue with Stanford and Cal and SMU would be added eventually for a more regional ACC. And could see four teams of the West Division move over to the East as part of the new ACC. The ACC West Division breaks off and becomes the recreation of the PAC, then it could focus on AAC, CUSA, and MWC schools that would meet the recreated academic standards and requirements that Stanford and Cal and five others would definitely need and require to be included in a conference with them. That means schools like Fresno State and Boise State will not be included. In fact the best way and only way the PAC gets rebuilt is this way realistically. So in this scenario I would think Louisville, Memphis, Tulane, and SMU would depart from ACC West division and join the East division to make up the new ACC. The remaining ACC West division schools coalesce to form the new PAC and include in the new PAC the following schools: PAC Mountain 1. Wyoming 2. Colorado State 3. Air Force 4. UNT 5. Texas State 6. UTEP 7. New Mexico 8. New Mexico State 9. Utah State PAC Pacific 1. WazzU 2. OzzU 3. Cal 4. Stanford 5. U.C. Davis 6. San Diego State 7. Hawaii 8. Nevada 9. UNLV From this chaos comes the new AAC which will literally be the best of the rest best of the Non Autonomy teams almost and will look like the following. AAC Atlantic/Central 1. Temple 2. Miami-Ohio 3. Buffalo 4. Toledo 5. Liberty 6. Marshall 7. ODU 8. Georgia Southern 9. Georgia State 10. East Carolina 11. FAU 12. FIU AAC Gulf/Pacific 1. Troy 2. South Alabama 3. Southern Miss 4. La Tech 5. Sam Houston State 6. UTSA 7. Rice 8. Tulsa 9. UAB 10. Boise State 11. San Jose State 12. Fresno State Heck while I am at it, here is the new MAC and notice the SBC, CUSA, and MWC no longer exist in this scenario as I lay this out. So the new MAC and will just number them and not create divisions as there are about three different ways one could create divisions. New MAC 1. UMASS 2. New Hampshire 3. Vermont 4. Delaware 5. Ohio 6. Akron 7. Kent 8. Ball State 9. SIU 10. NIU 11. EMU 12. WMU 13. CMU 14. WKU 15. MTSU 16. Missouri State 17. Ark State 18. Charlotte 19. Kennesaw State 20. Jax State 21. ULL 22. ULM 23. ACU 24. SFA

[@kwikdraw01]

Interesting take from both of you but Utah has its eyes set on the Big10. No way they will take a step backwards to re-join the PAC. As a matter of fact if WSU /OSU want to make an elite conference they will have to take no more than 4 MWC schools and the rest from either the ACC and Big12. If they bring in FCS schools or lower level G5 schools the conference is not going to get the respect. Hate to say it but their best options are: 1, ACC 2. Rebuild PAC 3. Big12 4. Reverse merger/MWC

[@Spitfirethedragon]

The Montana schools and North Dakota State and South Dakota State are the better FCS schools that are better than a lot of G5 schools and could compete against the power schools. Outside of those 4? Yeah, the FCS schools are hard no for right now unless they are the four I mentioned or the likes of JMU, Jacksonville State or Appalachian State.

[@ardentlions6636]

Utah ain’t going to the big 10.

[@lonnyrowden2630]

Flugaur updated his theatre. He started the Pac-2 and Friends matinee yesterday. Wazzu and Oregon State are in VIP boxes. Nobody is on stage. There are no commissioners or TV in the theatre. Teams will move closer or further away. Closer means more relevant at the time. 40 rows in the theatre. Row 40- UTSA, North Texas, Rice, and Memphis and they’re truly backup plans. Row 25- Tulane and Navy and they’re not favored, either. Row 15- San Jose, Wyoming, Utah State, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico are nervous. They should be because they’re on the cut line. Row 5- Boise, Air Force, Fresno, Colorado State, San Diego, and UNLV should be the favorites and I think will make it. Greg said people will start talking about this soon and I saw another person who had the same tiers. This is Pac-2 plans not considering ACC things.

[@terryfox9344]

Well done guys. Very interesting and thoughtful. Some schools are more probable than others but every school on your lists might plausibly decide to join such a conference.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Thx Terry! Hypo’s are fun.

[@brentkellner5107]

It all hinges on TV$. Any B12 no go. Add UT San Antoino and Texas St.

[@thatcollegefootballguy]

Interesting video. Kind of a fantasy take on a Pac-12 expansion. Perhaps down the road you could do a video on a realistic take on who they could get without them going to the ACC and without a Mountain West full merger. And you can't grab any Power schools. That might be the third best option.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Basically only pull from G5 or add FCS. That Could be interesting. Thx.

[@tylernelson3343]

@@TheBigMountainPodcast can you talk about possibly scenario where ESPN walked away from the ACC contract. How does that affect expansion and realignment?

[@frisbeedriver]

Interesting but I can't think of any scenario that could happen that would bring any Big 12 teams back to the PAC. The big 12 is the clear number 3 conference and even your "new PAC" would not come close to displacing that position.

[@shallojalloh]

Clear #3? Lol lol Sir you spelled ACC wrong. ACC rakes in thr 3rd most media money. ACC also gets 17% CFP money, the B12 gets 14%. I'm not mathematician but 17 is greater than 14. But I digress

[@jeh58]

@@shallojalloh The ACC will be < B12 after they lose FSU & Clemson.

[@jeh58]

Unless the new PAC12 can get a media deal equal to the B12, none of those teams will leave. Not to mention CFP money as well.

[@shallojalloh]

@jeh58 | getting CFP money equal to tht B12 is rather easy. They get the lowest amount. If the pac teams + BYU were to reconstitute today, they will get that. The top b12 teams currently are the old pac teams. Utah, CU + Arizona.

[@kafkakaraoke]

@shallojalloh When FSU, Clemson and others leave, which will happen, the B12 will be the 3rd conference. You might want to start accepting this reality sooner rather than later. The PAC is a relevant cautionary tale for the ACC. You survive if you accept reality and act accordingly. Let FSU & Clemson go now, add OSU & WSU, & try to keep your current pay out and teams. This is your best possible outcome at this point. If you deny this reality, you will lose more teams, more money, and relevance as a whole. 😉.

[@atgdcommish608]

The ACC and Big12 teams make too much TV money to leave (30M+ per year per team), even without FSU and Clemson. But the top G5 teams should join up with the Pac2 to create the clear No. 5 conference, with the inside track on the last CFP auto bid every year. They have the financial incentive to leave their small time TV deals (5 to 10M per year per team) for a new conference that might pay 15M a year, and make more playoff money (in hoops as well as football).

[@mathewblood5113]

I actually think the best case scenario we can hope for Pac 12 rebuild would be: Western Division: Washington State Cougars Oregon State Beavers Colorado State Rams Boise State Broncos Fresno State Bulldogs San Diego State Aztecs UNLV Rebels Eastern Division: Tulane Green Wave Memphis Tigers USF Bulls Temple Owls UCONN Huskies Troy Trojans UAB Blazers …this would decimate the American and Mountain West, but I also tried to think of the best Sun Belt program that could be poached too. I lived in the Florida panhandle for years, Troy is popular and football is King in Alabama. It would be a FUN conference and West vs East! Who wouldn’t love that. Have a west and east division and play 1-2 crossover games in a rotation along with non-conference games with the P4. I think it could work. Basketball would amazing too and I think it would be great to do a similar concept by adding a few of the best basketball programs out west from WCC and east from maybe the Big East if we can wiggle UCONN loose, others would follow.

[@atgdcommish608]

Good choices. Here is what I would propose for a new 16-team Pac-X: Washington State, Oregon State (foundation) Boise State, Fresno State, Air Force, UTSA, Tulane, New Mexico State, Memphis (recent football success) UNLV, San Diego State, Colorado State, San Jose State, North Texas, Rice, Louisiana (bigger TV markets) And if you want to get to 20 teams and go national: Liberty, James Madison, Appalachian State, and Coastal Carolina.

[@tonymartin3818]

If Cal and Stanford do not come back then you should add SJSU. They are in a huge media market and were second only to Boise in the MW for TV viewers per game.

[@jimmieleonardjr.7264]

The Major problem with any former PAC schools coming back would be insane they left for a reason and main reason no TV contract. And if you add so many mountain west schools you might as well reverse mergers.

[@teacherjoe7019]

Good conversation. I think it's best for the MWC and the PAC to to merge but throw off Hawaii because they aren't all sports and Air Force because they belong with the other academies. Calford is gone but Hawaii and Air Force need regional schools on their schedules, sort of like the Notre Dame type relationship with the ACC. This leaves the PAC-MWC as the top group of five conference and maybe being the fourth best overall conference, depending on what happens to the ACC.

[@gregorycoan8871]

Thanks for the interesting discussion. I just don’t think you can pull the bigger teams into your new conference, and the teams that could join would not be better than the Mountain West.

[@IknowthatBrent]

Don't overlook them adding UNLV. Big market, NFL stadium, home of the championship game and a bowl game. UTEP may sound odd but similar situation with the Sun Bowl and history. No to joining the ACC as it's next to be plucked apart and Calford needs to get a clue. Nice job guys!

[@adamcompean9385]

I think Uath would love ❤️ to come back to the Pac! & Arizona State, BYU as well. And add Gonzaga Zags for basketball 🏀.

[@jeh58]

UTAH won't unless the media & CFP money are there.

[@markmelo2779]

New Mexico offers good basketball and baseball and could make a good travel partner for a Texas school; SMU?

[@Mr.Ed_Wayner]

Elitist Calford would go indy or drop FB before they are in a conference with Boise,and Fresno. So both of you realignment plans on this video are very unlikely because of academic snobbery. Plus Utah & TCU would only leave the B12 for a P2. WSU & OSU’s best bet is if the ACC crumbles and 7-10 schools remain. Have a ACC wing with Calford, OSU, SDSU, CSU & AF, SMU & UTSA. East wing depending on which ACC schools are left over. BC, Wake, Syracuse, GT, Duke, USF & Tulane.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Thx for the comment. We tried to do this without a full ACC collapse. But that is certainly a scenario.

[@jerrysanders1851]

Trying to reach out to Cal and Stanford, might as well do SMU. Smu will be that team in place for that Texas team

[@charleswebsterjr.6350]

SMU might want to look at being Independent

[@kafkakaraoke]

OSU & WSU should wait on the ACC. They're in the drivers seat for expansion once FSU, Clemson & others leave. 🙄. The teams available and their value just aren't there for a new PAC conference to be a competitive viable conference. Joining a revamped ACC is a more lucrative, easier proposition, and where their focus should be.

[@jamesmckenzie9529]

OSU and Wazzu can't take anything less than a full share of they join the ACC. They can't take what Cal, Stanford, or SMU took. Not worth it.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Joining a revamped ACC could be more lucrative and easier, but that missed the entire point of this episode. This wasn’t a “where will the Beavs and Cougs end up” discussion, it was a hypothetical on rebuilding a pac. Those are two totally different questions.

[@tylernelson3343]

@@TheBigMountainPodcast what about SMU

[@kafkakaraoke]

Reality-based new PAC. Boise St., San Diego St., Fresno, UNT, UTSA, UTEP, CSU, NDSU, SDSU, Air Force. There are no current p4 schools because it's unreasonable. It is better to wait and join the ACC rather than join this imaginary conference.

[@chrislucier1423]

Entertaining fantasy. Utah leaving the BIG12 (before they’ve even started) to join some hodgepodge is not happening.

[@Spitfirethedragon]

Montana and Idaho were part of the original PAC 10 schools. For me, no schools out of the Big 12 nor Calford will join or rejoin the PAC 12. The schools mentioned are looking to join the Big 10. Here is what I look at this. Boise State is the number 1 team. Boise State needs to leave the MWC to get away from the schools that are getting very low ratings. Fresno State San Diego State UNR have the better football and basketball than UNLV in recent years. Utah State do get high tv ratings. Air Force Colorado State Wyoming Those are the best of the MWC that could make the PAC 12 strong. Now, they could go to 16 to 18, maybe go to 20 to have a strong league. Montana and Montana State, Montana would renew old rivalry games with Oregon State and Washington State. North Dakota State and South Dakota State, PAC 12 was reported interested in adding the Dakota schools. UTSA and North Texas gets you into the Texas markets. UTEP does not bring anything right now. UTEP could be a MWC replacement. Tulane would get you one of the last power schools from the AAC. Memphis would actually kill the AAC. You would get a much better tv deal with that lineup, and it would make you the better conference than AAC, and they could be as strong to be part of the M3 with the Big 12 and the ACC.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Great thoughts. Thx!

[@tylernelson3343]

@@TheBigMountainPodcast I don’t think that Big Ten will add Stanford and California to the conference. Remember that Fox determined which schools go to the conference. I don’t see any Fox execs getting on board with Stanford and California.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

@@tylernelson3343 we will look to address this Q and a few others Wednesday on our Live Ep. We appreciate your questions and thoughts!

[@Patrick-sg7cm]

Cal and Stanford might come back to the PAC 12 if the ACC suffers from heavy depletion.

[@rickker20]

TCU and Utah going to the Pac 12 lol to funny

[@tpatrickl9539]

I can’t imagine the big 12 loses any teams to an ACC that would be rebuilding. I think it goes the other way. I think the big 12 cannibalize is what they want from the ACC. The Big Ten and SEC don’t need anymore teams. If it’s down to three leagues, it would be the big 12 over the ACC if the ACC implodes

[@myrhino70]

OSU, WSU, Cal, SDSU, Fresno St, Boise St, Col St, UNLV, AF, Wyoming, UNR and Hawaii. Maybe add Gonzaga to PAC for basketball. I think Utah stays and Stanford goes Indy until moving to Big10 with ND.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Solid list. Thx for the comment.

[@user-od3hf1rm9h]

The goal is to get to 8 teams to maintain status. The teams they could get now in the 9 to 12 team range are not quality teams and they dilute a better media deal. Get the best you can now to maximize an interim media deal and then go to stage two. No BIG12 school is going to give up their media deal. Utah is looking up not down. Stanford won't come back as they are filthy rich and don't want to be associated with these schools. So WSU, OSU, Cal, SDSU, Fresno, Boise, CSU, Wyoming. It would be nice to have Stanford, Utah, BYU, but I don't think that will happen until the PAC gets a solid media deal.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Solid take! Thx for the comment.

[@eddiedebartalo5985]

OSU WSU SMU Cal Stanford BSU SDSU FSU USF Memphis temple & Uconn (Fball only)

[@warrenp3922]

New PAC: The Pac-2 schools, all of the MWC, Hawai'i, Gonzaga, and St. Mary's

[@perrystevenson6364]

good riddance disloyal 4...As a UNLV fan....if we're going leave the MW....I would prefer to set our sights on the BIG 12 and do whatever is needed to get that done. Instead of the PAC whatever they're going be. the MW and PAC-12 are a G-5 league. We've proven we can compete with the BIG 12 (see 2 wins against HOUSTON and KANSAS of the BIG 12), UNLV has the facilities, Allegiant stadium, and the capability to host big time games in Las Vegas. I believe UNLV is an up and coming sleeping giant on the west coast.

[@abrahammorrison6374]

NDSU, ND, SDSU Jackrabbits and SD should join the MW or Pacific 12.

[@TyListoe]

OSU,WashST,Stanford,Cal,SMU,SDST, Utah St. UNLV,Colo st,Wyo,Tulane,Rice

[@serrincroft7771]

You are not getting BYU, BYU is way too proud that they were in the big 12. If you can’t get Utah, you have to go for Utah State. Their stadiums are full and their merch is all over Utah, western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho. Why do so many people sleep on them?? They are a better program than Wyoming in both football and basketball. They’re just an all-around better education by far as well.

[@abqnm8811]

Stanford, Cal, WSU, and OSU are obvious. ASU and Utah left very reluctantly. Texas is important, and SMU & Rice are only realistic choices. SDSU and BSU are the best MW choices. UNLV for the market Maybe Gonzaga despite no football. FSU is possible.

[@tonymartin3818]

If you dont get Cal and Stanford back there is no way you leave SJSU off the list. Their media market is just to big. Also if you look at their tv numbers last year they were second only to Boise in viewership.

[@larry93343]

I think you have a lot of good picks and it was very entertaining… I don’t see any big12 teams leaving only because money. The new pac will probably only be Apx 8 million a team and no team will leave from 35+ million that they are making now. The only team I see is Colorado with Dion sanders because he could control and win the conference and make the playoffs as a group of 5 team. The team I think you missed maybe Nevada? And smu? Just my opinion

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Thx. Appreciate the comment. Lots of SMU comments. Probably our biggest miss.

[@Jerrieinthepark]

None of the Pac 12 teams that went to the big 12 will leave even for a new version of the Pac 12

[@jimmieleonardjr.7264]

I totally disagree with that list and to take back any old members of the PAC would lose them money and here are my list of schools San Diego State, Boise, UTSA, Memphis, Liberty, Tulane, SMU, Fresno State, Colorado State, FAU, and Air Force , and that would take them cost to cost cover a lot of states and market also a lot of these schools are borderline G5 schools anyway.

[@gregorycoan8871]

I don’t see Cal, Stanford or any Big 12 teams coming back to the PAC. I think Cal and Stanford would stay in the ACC unless the whole conference falls apart. I think WSU and OSU need to accept reality and join the Mountain West.

[@jeh58]

They would loose the PAC12 assets if they did that, and that is too much $$$ to give up.

[@josephross7936]

When the Big 12 lost Texas & Oklahoma, the Pac-12 should have gone aggressive and peeled off Houston, TCU, Oklahoma St. & Kansas. You get the Houston & Fort Worth market, along with the second biggest Oklahoma market & and largest Kansas market. Plus, Houston & Kansas help your basketball footprint. Instead, they did nothing and got eaten up by the Big 10 & Big 12 primarly.

[@josephross7936]

You primarily got 2 main sports channels, ESPN & Fox Sports. ESPN-Choose SEC & Fox took the Big 10. Big 12 should go all in with CBS & do a Thursday evening game with NFL, just like Fox is doing with Big 10 Friday coming later this year in 2024.

[@atgdcommish608]

Yeah, the Big12 outmaneuvered the Pac, first by adding top G5 and independent programs with real fan bases in BYU, UCF, and Cincinnati, and a big TV market in Houston, and then by signing a TV deal first.

[@DrinkingmeadwithsamAdams]

Unlv is a commuter school most kids there go upstate to Nevada, unlv does not have a college feel , and no one goes to the games

[@atgdcommish608]

All the visiting team fans would go to the games though.

[@ChrisJones-jn5rb]

You lost me at “discontent in the Big 12”. No way any of the Big 12 schools (current or future) leave for a new PAC.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

It’s unlikely. But never say never!

[@ChrisJones-jn5rb]

A new PAC wouldn’t make nearly as much as the current Big 12 does or likely any future media deals they can obtain. Without, USC and Oregon there’s no draw for a rebuild PAC.

[@ChrisJones-jn5rb]

*rebuilt

[@collinsezebuihe8408]

How about SMU coming into the PAC-12 with Cal and Stanford?

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Yes. Good pick up.

[@wesleyhale4614]

If you have any chance at getting CALFORD back...at least Cal...Boise St and Fresno St are both off the list, CALFORD could hold their nose and tolerate SDSU but not FSU and BSU. Getting CALFORD back also opens the door to getting Utah ( and POSSIBLY AZ St) back. SMU , not TCU and a big fat no to UTEP. Col St, UNM, UNLV and Wyoming would be academically acceptable to Calford as well as Montana and Idaho. AFA (and BYU, but they are happier in the BIG12 I think) would not be "politically" acceptable to CALFORD. So a 12 team PAC that included CALFORD would look like OSU, WSU, Cal, Stan, Utah, SDSU, CSU, UNLV, UNM, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Thx for this well articulated list. Very strong!

[@ABQREDorGREEN]

There will only be one option. Merge all schools from the MWC. PAC has no leverage and the MWC has the better TV Deal especially going into 2026 when it's redone.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

While this may be the case, it’s fun to think about hypotheticals.

[@atgdcommish608]

Merging with the MWC is financial suicide. The MWC TV deal is 5M a year. A rebuilt Pac with the top G5 programs could earn 2 or 3 times as much, plus get more football playoff appearances and basketball tournament money.

[@Ckellertwin]

I think you need to go 16 schools period. No fcs. That's absolutely out if your trying to get back up to status... Pac: Wazzu OSU CAL STAN SANDIEGO FRESNO ST BOISE ST UNLV Mountain: UTAH TCU OKLAHOMA ST COLORADO ST ARIZONA ARIZONA ST NEW MEXICO WYOMING

[@vernonsheldon-witter1225]

No teams leaving the Big 12 for a renamed MWC.

[@Ckellertwin]

Wanna bet? Money talks... Utah still isn't solid in the Big 12. It's not unrealistic, and it's disgruntled opinion of sharing space with byu. Ask Houston, Kansas state, Iowa State on their NIL annual dues....

[@mikehickmanvloggamessingin3604]

What reasonable, logical is: WSU, OSU, BSU, Fresno St, SDSU, UNLV, Airforce, CSU, Utah St, Cal Cal will, can come back, for the reasons they said. Stanford is TOO STUCK UP Almost no way Stanford comes back. Utah won't rejoin a PAC that won't be a P4, etc, conference. Same for BYU, Houston, UCF, Colorado, ASU, Arizona, etc. SMU, UTSA(University of Texas San Antonio), University of North Texas, Texas Tech(Big 12), Houston, would be best bets from Texas. UTSA is pretty good. So is SMU. Texas Tech, Houston probably would't leave Big 12 to join a lesser PAC, but better chance of that then TCU leaving. Taking UTEP would be like taking Stephen F Austin University. NO. San Jose St, even tho they are near bottom of MWC, would better then UC Davis, Sac St. FCS cal teams. SJSU has had good years, and can do so again. and the San Jose Cal metro gives a foothold in Cali, and SJSU is better then Sac St, UC Davis. SJSU would be a good replacement for not getting SDSU, Fresno St. Utah St, gets into Utah, and Utah St's basketball program and football program are USUALLY pretty good. Utah St can become a semi Utah in rebuilt PAC, semi like what Utah did when joined PAC. Also might get SMU from ACC when ACC falls apart, and that would get Dallas, TX. If do get FCS, you get THE BEST of FCS. NDSU, not way weaker UC Davis, and not a Paul Wulf Sac St. Also might be able to get either Tulane or Memphis. Also might be able to get those that if get kicked out of their conferences to make room for more attractive additions. Vandy types. Iowa St, Texas Tech, Iowa, Minnesota, etc.

[@tonymartin3818]

SJSU is not near the bottom of the MW in football. They tied Boise and UNLV last year for the best conference record. They also have gone to 3 straight bowl games and won a MWC championship in the last 4 years

[@mikehickmanvloggamessingin3604]

@tonymartin3818 Like I said, they have been capable of doing that as at least a occasional outlier. The question is can they sustain that beyond about 2,3,4,5 or less occasional outlier seasons, as historically, and in recent history(except very extremely recent history, as you pointed out), except for the occasional outlier, SJSU has semi at, near the bottom of the MWC conference in both football, basketball, and have not made waves, made a name for themselves in the conference, except their reputation for being one of the bottom of the conference teams. Now if SJSU can sustain the very recent outlier success, and have near bottom of conference finishes be the outlier, instead of the norm, THEN one can rightly say that SJSU is not a bottom of MWC program. But despite SJSU being a bottom of MWC program, until, unless they prove otherwise, SJSU still would be a semi good, ok, decent replacement for SDSU, Fresno State, because of SJSU's TV market, recruiting territory, and their potential to turn it around with SUSTAINED better coaching, better recruiting, etc.

[@roderickturner9806]

I stopped listening after the parameters of how you would invite teams were mentioned. The Big 12 is about as stable as stable gonna get given the circumstances. I also don't see the ACC completely imploding either. The best thing for PAC is to invite the best of the MWC and AAC and roll with it.

[@EZ-ri3pl]

UTEP is more NM than Texas.

[@collinsezebuihe8408]

JY and Steve, you left out SMU. Why wouldn't SMU join Cal and Stanford to the PAC?

[@michaelwall3393]

because the ACC will have more valuable teams remaining and be able to maintain Autonomy status and ACC has media coverage the PAC does not. Also Boise State and Fresno State are inferior. What will happen if 6 or more schools leave the ACC, the ACC will add the three service academies for all sports, add WazzU, OzzU, San Diego State, and Wyoming out West and back East add Memphis, Texas State, Tulane, USF, CCU, App State, & JMU. Resulting in ACC East Division 1. BC 2. Syracuse 3. Pitt 4. Army 5. Navy 6. JMU 7. App State 8. Duke 9. Wake Forest 10. Coastal Carolina 11. Georgia Tech 12. USF ACC West Division 1. Louisville 2. Memphis 3. Tulane 4. Texas State 5. SMU 6. Air Force 7. Wyoming 8. San Diego State 9. Stanford 10. Cal 11. OzzU 12. WazzU Now could the ACC West Division break off and become the PAC years down the road? It is possible. If that happens, then certain schools in AAC and SBC and CUSA and MAC who would make more sense to add if not for the need to address the issue with Stanford and Cal and SMU would be added eventually for a more regional ACC. And could see four teams of the West Division move over to the East as part of the new ACC. The ACC West Division breaks off and becomes the recreation of the PAC, then it could focus on AAC, CUSA, and MWC schools that would meet the recreated academic standards and requirements that Stanford and Cal and five others would definitely need and require to be included in a conference with them. That means schools like Fresno State and Boise State will not be included. In fact the best way and only way the PAC gets rebuilt is this way realistically. So in this scenario I would think Louisville, Memphis, Tulane, and SMU would depart from ACC West division and join the East division to make up the new ACC. The remaining ACC West division schools coalesce to form the new PAC and include in the new PAC the following schools: PAC Mountain 1. Wyoming 2. Colorado State 3. Air Force 4. UNT 5. Texas State 6. UTEP 7. New Mexico 8. New Mexico State 9. Utah State PAC Pacific 1. WazzU 2. OzzU 3. Cal 4. Stanford 5. U.C. Davis 6. San Diego State 7. Hawaii 8. Nevada 9. UNLV From this chaos comes the new AAC which will literally be the best of the rest best of the Non Autonomy teams almost and will look like the following. AAC Atlantic/Central 1. Temple 2. Miami-Ohio 3. Buffalo 4. Toledo 5. Liberty 6. Marshall 7. ODU 8. Georgia Southern 9. Georgia State 10. East Carolina 11. FAU 12. FIU AAC Gulf/Pacific 1. Troy 2. South Alabama 3. Southern Miss 4. La Tech 5. Sam Houston State 6. UTSA 7. Rice 8. Tulsa 9. UAB 10. Boise State 11. San Jose State 12. Fresno State Heck while I am at it, here is the new MAC and notice the SBC, CUSA, and MWC no longer exist in this scenario as I lay this out. So the new MAC and will just number them and not create divisions as there are about three different ways one could create divisions. New MAC 1. UMASS 2. New Hampshire 3. Vermont 4. Delaware 5. Ohio 6. Akron 7. Kent 8. Ball State 9. SIU 10. NIU 11. EMU 12. WMU 13. CMU 14. WKU 15. MTSU 16. Missouri State 17. Ark State 18. Charlotte 19. Kennesaw State 20. Jax State 21. ULL 22. ULM 23. ACU 24. SFA

[@atgdcommish608]

Boise State and Fresno State are better than half the ACC right now. They used to regularly beat Pac12 teams.

[@michaelwall3393]

The PAC will not be rebuilt. The ACC will remain a conference and will keep Autonomy Status and backfill. No one from the Big12 or ACC or AAC will leave to join a conference that doesn’t exist or will exist.

[@atgdcommish608]

The Pac will definitely be rebuilt, the money will dictate it. I agree that no one will leave the ACC or Big12. But all the top G5 teams will be lining up to get in to a new mid-tier conference. It will have the inside track on the last CFP auto bid each year, and a better TV deal than the MWC or AAC right now.

[@DavidGonzalez-jb2mg]

This looks like the PAC/WAC

[@rcud1]

There is not any "New PAC". There's simply 2 left-behinds. And 99% of the reason has virtually nothing to do with how good or bad their athletic teams are.

[@atgdcommish608]

There will be a new Pac. OSU and WSU have a chance to build the premier G5 (now G6) conference, with the inside track to the last CFP auto bid, and a better TV deal than the G5 conferences have now.

[@averiezonn8663]

It ruins my ego that I'm so desperate for reallignment news that I'm watching this. So far behind the curve of what is actually happening.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

You realize this was just for fun, right?

[@tylernelson3343]

@@TheBigMountainPodcast can you talk about the idea of the Big Ten Conference going into Texas.

[@vernonsheldon-witter1225]

No teams in Texas that academically qualify for Big 10 membership.

[@donovangillies9506]

I agree the pac will never get a big 12 school

[@JasonE1972]

But couldn’t Cal and Stanford have just stayed and done this in the first place? 🤔

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

It’s possible. But they chose to go to a conference that could be the next PAC.

[@terristiver5291]

Washington State Oregon State Stanford CAL UC- Davis San Diego State Fresno State Boise State Air Force Colorado State SMU Rice Tulsa Tulane

[@saxonjf]

Delusional

[@pllsuperfan4ever256]

San José makes more sense then FCS schools

[@dolfrenaud8772]

Great post guys! BUT I don't see any scenario where any Big 12 team leaves that conference to join the P12 2.0. Would need a mega media deal to make that happen which is highly unlikely. Just say No to WYO, lol.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Pulling any B12 team would be difficult or impossible. Your last sentence is unreadable to us. 😉

[@rickker20]

Nobody is leaving to the New Pac 12 stop it please.

[@philipdolan426]

You know I found this channel and I liked it. But you guys are so unrealistic when it comes to rebuilding the Pac12. First off, none of these teams are going to come back unless they're going to get guaranteed money. So nobody's leaving the big12 for the Pac12 with no guaranteed money. The only way to rebuild the Pac12 is to do it through the G5 schools. California: San diego, fresno state, & maybe ( San Jose State ) unless you can get Stanford or Cal back. And SJSU was going to be a founding member of the Pac until that invite went to Stanford! Colorado: Colorado state & Air force TEXAS: SMU , Rice, & UTSA Rice gives you an AAU school UTSA has 34,000 student body and Average of 35000 fans at their football games.

[@johnhawkes4048]

Cal, Stan, S.S.U. Boise, Co.st. AZ st. / Louisville, GA.Tech VA. Tech. Pitt. N.C. St. Miami.

[@bryanrothrock5082]

you lost all credibility when you mentioned Wyoming would bring in the denver market. The only team that does that is the broncos. the denver market barely recognizes CSU, let alone Wyoming.

[@brandongilligan6893]

West OSU WSU SDSU CSU CAL STAN EAST SMU TULANE UAB SFU remains of acc BC, SYRC, wake etc If you want calford you gotta keep academics high

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Wow - east is WAY east! But we like your ideas! Thx for the comment.

[@mattritson7564]

Oregon state Washington state Stanford cal frenso state Boise state tcu smu Utah Arizona and asu and San Diego state

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

AZ and AZST are interesting. We didn’t include them, as you heard, but they would be huge adds if attainable.

[@dylanwade9825]

Other than Utep, the 2nd conference makes the most sense at least geographically, but both lists are very optimistic. They have 2 years to operate as a 2 team conference. The minimum is 8. The best move is to add the minimum requirements and make it an 8 team conference, and then exercise PATIENCE to get to the RIGHT 12 teams eventually.

[@SurfCityBill]

Realistically, these lists should be based on not including Cal and Stanford. They will not align themselves with most of these other schools. JY, Boise State's dream is to get into an autonomous conference. Why do you think they wouldn't leave the MW? The extra million they get ends in 2025 and is peanuts anyway.

[@jeh58]

Cal may have to if the ACC implodes. CAL can't afford to be snobby unless they drop football, they are too far in debt. Stanford has the money to go independent.

[@SurfCityBill]

@@jeh58 Cal is going to survive on UCLAs bread crumbs. Gov Gruesome saw to that.