Dennis Dodd on Pac-12 survival: 'It's a 50/50 proposition'

Ever since UCLA and the USC Trojans surprised college athletics and decided to inform the Pac-12 that they were moving to the Big Ten Conference in 2024, many across the college football landscape automatically assumed the Pac-12 would not be able to survive as a conference. CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd recently discussed the issue on 92.9 ESPN in Memphis on Wednesday,

“You know, that’s a 50/50 proposition,” said Dodd. “Literally minutes after I filed my story, the Pac-12 came out with a statement saying they were going to market with their media rights,” Dodd began. “That wasn’t supposed to happen – wasn’t supposed to be concluded until 2024. The problem there is, what are they telling the rights holders? Who’s in the conference? There are 10 remaining, there was no loyalty oath statement. And as one person in the Pac-12 told me, ‘This is what we’re doing today, in three months it could be different.

“I think they’re the most at risk. I wouldn’t say they are going to die, but I certainly think it’s a proposition. It’s possible.”

Pete Thamel reveals USC, UCLA departure could negatively affect Pac-12 TV deal

Last week, ESPN’s Pete Thamel spoke about how brutal the loss of the two Los Angeles schools will turn out to be for the Pac-12. He said losing USC football may be the biggest blow of them all. Thamel also pointed out that TV networks that would be bidding for the Pac-12 will now be going after the Big Ten.

“It’s hard to overstate what a bad day yesterday was for the Pac-12 conference,” Thamel said on SportsCenter. “You have to remember — part of the reason why USC and UCLA are leaving when they did was because the league was on the cusp of a new television deal. Which, obviously, is going to happen after the 2023 season. So, they’re essentially entering negotiations and instead of pocket aces now with the LA market and USC Football as the two biggest draws to the Pac-12, they now have to recalibrate the league.

“And the suitors that would be paying for the Pac-12 and have in the past, are dumping more money into the Big Ten. So, everything is spiraling wrong for the Pac-12 right now and it’s going to be a true test of Commissioner George Kliavkoff — who is just celebrating his one-year anniversary in the league — how he puts Humpty Dumpty back together out west.”

On3’s Nick Schultz and James Fletcher III also contributed to this article.