The decision by the Universities of Washington and Oregon to ditch the Pac-12 for the Big Ten has sent shockwaves through the world of college sports.
Earlier this month, both schools announced they applied and were subsequently accepted to join the Midwest-based Big Ten, meaning the Huskies and Ducks will become official Big Ten members at the start of the 2024-2025 college football season. The teams’ exits now leave the Pac-12 — which has been in existence for more than 100 years — on life support, especially given the recent departure of Colorado and the expected exit of Arizona.
Remaining member schools such as Stanford and California are also reportedly looking to jump ship, with ESPN reporting that both West Coast-based teams could be joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. You read that correctly. Two schools based on the Pacific coast could potentially migrate to an Atlantic coast league to play in matchups that hold no historical meaning for them.
Washington and Oregon’s exit from the Pac-12 is hardly the only major conference switch to occur in recent years, however. In 2021, Texas and Oklahoma announced they will be leaving the Big 12 for the SEC starting in 2024. Similarly, USC and UCLA announced last year they will join the Big Ten in 2024.
History and Tradition Sacrificed for Money
The main reason for Oregon and Washington’s respective departures from the Pac-12 can be traced back to the league’s apparent failure to secure a lucrative media rights deal
