Move to the Big 12 was about survival for Colorado

Colorado was the latest team to jump overboard within conference realignment with their move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. From where On3’s J.D. PicKell is standing, he can’t do anything but salute the Buffaloes for their decision.

PicKell discussed Colorado’s move to the Big 12 during ‘The Hard Count’ on Thursday. He sees this as a fantastic move by those in Boulder to keep their athletic department in a position to make their own calls, especially when it comes to leaving a ship that looks as though it’s sinking and sinking fast.

“As nice of an add as this is for the Big 12 and all the Big 12 fanbases? This is a great thing for them. For Colorado, though? This was a matter of survival,” PicKell said. “I cannot commend the administration at Colorado enough because they saw the boat that is the Pac-12 starting to take on water. And when USC and UCLA jumped ship is when you kind of saw a couple of holes in the ship that was the Pac-12. But credit Colorado. They didn’t wait around and say, ‘Hmm. I wonder if this thing is going to sink?’.”

“(They’re) having trouble getting a TV deal done. It’s sounding like it’s going to be after this coming season when they’ll finally, hopefully, get something done. And Colorado is like we’re not going to stick around and see what Oregon does, stick around and see what Washington does,” explained PicKell. “We’ve got an option here with the Big 12. And we’re going to jump, we’re going to take it. We’ve got some leverage right now with a brand that’s gathering a lot of intrigue currently. We’re jumping back in the Big 12 Conference, baby. Let’s make it happen.”

In the end, PicKell says, overall, Colorado’s move came down to what every realignment move has to this point: relevancy. Money comes as part of that as well. With the Pac-12 appearing dead in the water, he continued to credit the Buffaloes for taking the initiative in order to navigate themselves to a league where they could be in the spotlight.

“For where Colorado is right now? This whole deal of the conference expansion thing and the conference realignment thing? It’s about relevancy. Like, the SEC and the Big Ten? They’re locked and loaded. They’re going to be relevant. The Big 12 right now is trying to keep pace. They did a nice job adding Colorado,” said PicKell. “But think about the teams that are still in the Pac-12 right now. What happens to Washington State? What happens to Oregon State? I think they’re at the mercy of what Oregon and Washington do.”

“Colorado, again, to their credit, decided we’re not going to be at Oregon’s mercy, we’re not going to be at Washington’s mercy. We’re going to decide for ourselves where we want to be,” PicKell said. “Let’s make it happen, baby. Let’s go continue to play at a top conference in college football. It’s not the SEC, it’s not the Big Ten. But it’s the Big 12 and they’re going to continue to expand.”

Realignment is a bloodbath as teams trip over one another to get to a place where they can gain recognition. With the direction in which the Pac-12 seemed like they were headed, and definitely seems as though they’re headed now, PicKell respects Colorado for not just being a captain that chose to go down with his ship.