Dan Wetzel: Big Ten could 'kill' Pac-12, get Oregon, Washington and Stanford at 'discounted rate'

The Big Ten and Big 12 have been picking apart the Pac-12 over the last couple of seasons. With the Big 12 having added Colorado last month and likely taking Arizona sooner rather than later along with the departures of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel, the Big Ten could become a proverbial vulture flying around the ever-vulnerable Pac-12 once the Big 12 is done having its fun. We all know how this story ends — and it could only be a matter of time until the conference is gone for good because the Big 12, Big Ten and even potentially the SEC absorbed their programs.

“The [Big Ten] doesn’t want to be the conference that killed another conference, especially their supposed alliance partner. It was a really beautiful relationship that they had,” Wetzel told On3’s Andy Staples on his podcast. “I find this comically hysterical because it encapsulates college athletics. We’re not going to kill you, but we already killed you … Taking USC and UCLA away is what will eventually kill the Pac-12.

“There is a scenario where they survive, but if Arizona goes and all of a sudden it gets rocky. If Utah and Arizona State go with them to the Big 12, we don’t know if the Big 12 can get to 16 teams. Will their broadcast partners keep giving $31 million to the bill to add Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. … If this thing falls, the [Big Ten] is circling the [Pac-12’s] carcass and saying, ‘What do we want?’ and just pick this apart.”

It’s unlikely the Big 12’s media partners, ESPN and FOX, could continue to give teams the same rate ($31.7 million) as they’re set to give their current members and Colorado. Arizona will get the same payout if they were to join the conference, but those millions add up fast when you’re adding multiple programs at once.

Of course, that’s why the Big Ten is waiting in the wings for the Big 12 to make their move on those programs. After that, the Pac-12’s heavy-hitters will be available for the picking.

“It’s quite amazing because they could essentially get Oregon, Washington and Stanford at a discounted rate … [The Big Ten] could own the west coast,” Wetzel said. “The whole thing makes no sense.”

To gain three programs of that magnitude could see the Big Ten gain enough man-power to eclipse the SEC. At that point — it could be a two-conference race to the top with the rest being left behind in the dust.