Big Ten officially announces additions of USC, UCLA

USC and UCLA announced it earlier, but the Big Ten made it official, as well. Both schools will join the league in 2024.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren released a statement announcing the moves, which will take the league to 16 teams in just a few years. Now, the conference stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific — and conference realignment continues to be a huge part of the college football landscape.

“As the national leader in academics and athletics for over 126 years, the Big Ten Conference has historically evaluated its membership with the collective goal to forward the academic and athletic mission for student-athletes under the umbrella of higher education,” Warren said in a statement. “The unanimous vote today signifies the deep respect and welcoming culture our entire conference has for the University of Southern California, under the leadership of President Carol Folt, and the University of California, Los Angeles, under the leadership of Chancellor Gene Block.

“I am thankful for the collaborative efforts of our campus leadership, athletics directors and Council of Presidents and Chancellors who recognize the changing landscape of college athletics, methodically reviewed each request, and took appropriate action based on our consensus.”

Big Ten presidents unanimously approved the two schools’ invitations to join the conference in a vote Thursday. But the league might not be done yet, according to a report.

Report: ‘Several’ schools reach out about joining Big Ten after USC, UCLA announcements

Shortly after the announcements, Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported “several” schools reached out to the Big Ten about joining. Dellenger said the league will do its due diligence on the potential additions, but added nothing is expected soon.

The news broke about USC and UCLA’s decisions Thursday afternoon, and things moved quickly after that. Both schools will join the Big Ten in 2024 after more than 100 years as members of the Pac-12.

It comes less than a year after Texas and Oklahoma announced they’re leaving the Big 12 for the SEC in the near future. Now, another seismic change is coming to college athletics — specifically college football.