Laying out future of Pac-12 with four teams left, per ESPN

The future of the Pac-12 is as grim as it’s ever been. Stanford and Cal might be two schools where it’s really up in the air, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich.

The Big Ten was reportedly interested in the two schools, but no offer came when the conference added Oregon and Washington.

With Washington State and Oregon State, presumably, going to a Group of Five conference per Dinich unless there’s a miraculous save of the Pac-12, Stanford and Cal could have their proverbial hands empty.

“It’s really unfortunate (and) sad,” Dinich said on Get Up. “It depends on who you ask Greeny because you’re at a point now where we’re talking about an academic institution, as prestigious as Stanford University, that doesn’t know where it’s home will be in 2024. 

“They have endowment money that they could dip into to save their sports but if they wind up in the Mountain West Conference, which I’m assuming that’s where Washington State and Oregon State will land, Stanford and Cal are probably going to be begging the Big Ten to add them as well.”

Both are elite academic institutions. One would assume the Big Ten would find that attractive and get its conference to 20 schools and give itself a fifth and sixth school out west.

Without proper money from a power conference, things could get ugly and both academic powers, particularly Stanford which just saved over 10 programs from being cut just a few years ago.

“But this is very detrimental if they have to join a conference that’s not in the power ‘four’ because they’re not going to be operating with $30 million of TV money and so they would be forced to dip into endowment or cut sports,” Dinich said. “That’s where it is right now.”

Big Ten formally adds Oregon, Washington from Pac-12

The Big Ten released a statement shortly after the mechanics of the moves, welcoming the new members while spelling out the timeline. They will become official members of the conference on Aug. 2, 2024 and also become members of the Big Ten Academic Alliance.

Multiple reports also state that both schools will enter the conference at a reduced revenue share slated for about $30 million, with $1 million increases each year of the current deal.

The release also included a bevy of quotes from various stakeholders in the process from both Washington and Oregon and the Big Ten.

“We are excited to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said in the release. “We look forward to building long-lasting relationships with the universities, administrators and staff, student-athletes, coaches and fans,” Petitti said. “Both institutions feature a combination of academic and athletic excellence that will prove a great fit for our future.”