Utah has 2 options

[UteThunder]

The more I think about things, the more it seems Utah has only 2 viable options. 

1) Go to the BigXII with at least 3 other Pac-12 teams. 

2) Remain in the Pac-12, but ONLY if the Pac-12 expands by taking some combination of Oklahoma State & Texas Tech along with at least two other BigXII teams.

Only one of these conferences has a chance to survive longterm, and it will be the one that poaches teams from the other. Without expansion, the new Pac-10 won’t last long before it is eventually raided by the BigXII and/or the B1G. 

[dystopiamembrane]

There’s always independence. We could be the BYU of the north.

[GameForAnyFuss]

No we couldn’t. We produce too much published research and too few underage marriages.

Question: Are you purposely gunning for as many thumbs down as you can get? Are we trapped in some weird social experiment here?

[dystopiamembrane]

Answer: No, I am doing nothing more than being me. People don’t like me. Example, I make a joke mocking BYU for saying they were the ND of the west and get down-votes. You intimate that members of the LDS church have underage marriages and you get up-votes.

[dystopiamembrane]

But, I am the bigot for mentioning their beliefs.

[UtahUtesRock]

I know this, what will be will be and all the worrying in the world on our parts won’t amount to a hill of beans. 

[krindor]

The hard part may be that Option 2 could happen slowly, in pieces. Big 12 TV contract expires the year after PAC12, so it might be an agreement that they’ll come a year after USC/UCLA leave. Which means there’s a chance that this all ends (for now) with a PAC10 anchored by Oregon and Washington and a Big12 with 4 newcomers as planned and nothing else. And then picks up again in a year.

[Yergensen]

Reported infant merger with ACC should be explored and exhausted before turning to Big 12.  PAC + ACC has a better chance of a P3 outcome than PAC + Big 12.  Bigger brands, bigger markets and potentially P2 competing revenues.

[UteHorn21]

Which markets are bigger than #3 & #4 Dallas/FT Worth and Houston that the ACC have?

[Yergensen]

New York, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, DC vs Houston, DFW

[PhiladelphiaUte]

This is what I’ve been saying all along.  There seems to be this narrative that without the L.A. schools, the Pac-12 is worthless, so Utah, Colorado, and the AZ schools should quickly jump to the Big 12.  But this didn’t make sense to me.  Why should WE go THERE, rather than some of THEIR schools coming HERE?  The Big 12 conference doesn’t have any L.A. schools either.  That conference has been weakened by the losses of Texas and Oklahoma.  Side-by-side, the remaining Pac-10 still looks somewhere between “no worse” to “notably better”.  If the Pac-10 poaches TT, BU, TCU, and OSU, we improve our profile, and prevent the Big 12 from destroying our league.  And if TT, BU, TCU, and OSU come aboard, they will get to avoid all those exhausting cross country trips to Cincinnati, Morgantown, and Orlando, as well no longer having to play in a conference where a full THIRD of its members are “midmajors”.  Also, by joining the remaining Pac-10 members, their revenues would only have to be split 14 ways, rather than the 16 ways they’re currently considering by raiding the Pac-10.

A “Pac-14” would be worth more than a “Big XVI”.  And it would be more stable.

[UteHorn21]

Truthfully, schools out west without a California base and recruiting draw need schools based in Texas and Florida more than those schools need universities based in Utah, Colorado, and Washington.

The Big 12’s recruiting base (TX, FL, OH) produced 983 FBS recruits. Every state in the “New” Pac-10 combined produced 124.

[Central Coast Ute]

We still have NorCal. Not as nice but still good.

[UtesRock]

I could undoubtedly see eliminating the system we have and forming something similar to the NFL, Div. IAA. A group of 32-64 teams that form 4-8 conferences that play for a playoff spot and NC title. Go Utes

[Trailgoat]

Problem with any scenario is once the BIG throws out invites to Oregon and UW and others the conference shuffle is over. None of the West Coast schools from a geographical stand point really want to join the BIG unless there is some sort of West Coast/Mtn division. USC can rationalize all they want the kids will get use to it…BS.

BIG made a power play on USC desperate for the good old days and UCLA is bleeding financially needing a bail out. At some point there will be a West division among the big conferences. No way USC and UCLA are going to sit out West isolated long term and navigate all the long distant travel among many other challenges. Question is, will Utah be part of the next cut? If the dual conference model stops at 32, I think Utah is screwed. Too many higher brand teams ahead of Utah. 40 teams, Utah is likely in. Utah should be more concerned about losing their developing players to the transfer portal/NIL when the season ends. Utah has a lot of break out players next season that will be pursued by the money bag schools. I would enjoy every minute of the coming season because the transfer portal, NIL, and all the conference changes are not in the best interest of Utah and many other programs working hard to break through.

Commish K needs to somehow get the remaining P10 members to stay the course, lock down media money and stay committed. The ACC connection is a quick fix with maintaining media money with ESPN. If he can change the paradigm and convince current P10 members to hang in there, especially UW and UO, the P10 or some variation can survive. A lot to play out over the coming months.

[Central Coast Ute]

Down vote me all you want but I don’t think Utah likely gets in without there being 48 teams.

[UteThunder]

You’re not wrong. There are currently 65 P5 schools, soon to be 69. Who are the 17 to 21 schools that Utah gets in ahead of in a 48 team scenario? Cut the number down to 40 and now we’re looking at having to edge out 25 to 29 schools to be part of the club. I’m not sure we are in with either of those scenarios.

[Charlie]

A division with 2 conferences and 40 teams seems odd. That would be divisions of 10 that would require 9 division games. Not much crossover but could be done. 4 conferences with 8 playoff spots allows for 4 at large playoff teams which provides the BIG and SEC a way to still dominate playoffs. The ACC is set for media contracts and can’t be ignored. 3 conferences in a division is, I think, awkward. I could see the SEC and BIG look at the Big 12 and Pac and say put a blended conference together, live with less money and don’t expect more than 1 of 8 playoff spots. I think that is a better place to draw a line, otherwise the next division makes a case that their champ could have taken it all. Maybe if the SEC and BIG have the most money and the most playoff spots they could be satisficed. For Utah, for the most part we pick athletes after the BIG and SEC already so not much changes other that access to playoffs either way. If Oregon and Washington stay I will find a way to stay happy. In the blended conference, I like Utah’s chances.