SAN FRANCISCO — The USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins shocked the college sports world in June when they announced plans to depart the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten Conference starting in 2024.
The move leaves the Pac-12 with just ten member schools, and rumors continue to swirl around both Oregon and Washington - two high profile programs who could realign elsewhere if given the opportunity.
Most of the conversation around the Pac-12 since USC and UCLA's announcement revolves around finding schools to add as replacements, in an effort to keep the conference at 12 institutions.
However, Spencer McLaughlin of the Locked on Pac-12 podcast made a case for the conference of champions to stand pat, bringing back the days of the old Pac-10.
"At a time when the Pac-12's future is in question, when it's longevity has been challenged by many a talking heads, online and beyond, can the conference really afford to take such a risk?" McLaughlin pondered. "Sure programs such as SMU, Boise State, San Diego State, Utah State, Fresno State, many others present interesting cases. Are there any that you can say with certainty would add immediate value to the conference?"
San Diego State has been the program mentioned most often for expansion, with many expecting the Pac-12 to find a way to remain in the Southern California media market after the loss of both USC and UCLA.
Additionally, San Diego State is traditionally strong in both football and men's basketball, making them among the safest potential additions.
However, any move would require a lot of nurturing to ensure they don't fall flat on their face, which would further weaken a conference that has fallen behind the rest of the Power-5 in recent years. And McLaughlin argues that the risk of adding a program - regardless of how good a fit they appear on paper - may not outweigh the benefits of focusing on the ten schools remaining.
"No matter how much of a home run you may think a certain team may be, there is no surefire thing," McLaughlin continued. "What is surefire is the ten teams that remain present value. They present certainty. You know what you have."