Pac-10 considering possible expansion

I predict San Diego State and University of San Diego. Or possibly Cal Poly and UCSB.

Stanford is the only school that really holds true to recruiting high academic athletes. Schools like UCLA and USC have good academic reputations and graduation rates for their ordinary students, but their athletes are admitted with much lower standards (if they are studs), and the graduation rate for the athletes is pretty bad.

Whoever it is I would assume it would revolve around football first, basketball second and then other sports. This means Idaho would be in the running, and maybe one of the Utah schools. Cal Poly just redid their football stadium so maybe they could upgrade their program(s). I don’t see it at UCSB necessarily, maybe one of the San Diego schools. I have heard that UCSD is looking to upgrade their baseball to D1 status in the next 5 years, but again it would not be based on baseball. Pac-12 ugh.

Rumored in the mix: Utah, Colorado...slight chance TCU...Pac-10 tried to get Texas/Colorado to join about 15 years ago and came close.

Rumored not in the mix: BYU, Boise State.

Personally, I think Utah/BYU fit best into their current format of "rivalry pairs."

Because of the BCS football status of the conference, it will almost surely not be UCSB, Cal Poly, USD or others like them trying to upgrade from lower level D1 football.

I am hearing the same as justbaseball. Heard today reason BYU is not a strong candidate is because its rule against playing sports on Sundays (I guess Utah doesn't have the same rule). Too bad because of the teams I heard as possibles, I think Utah and BYU would make the most sense.

Completely forgot about the football side. That does rule out my guesses.

I still think they would try to stay near the Pacific vs. in the Rockies.

UCSB would not be trying to upgrade from lower D1 football. Do they even have a club team anymore? Anyone remember who the quarterback was who transferred to UCLA when UCSB ended their football program and led them to a victory over USC?

Ahh...the wonders of Google - John Barnes.

I wonder if they would consider Duke?

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I hear BYU/Utah...in state rivalry, established national caliber FB programs...

IMHO...The MWC has no problem scheduling for BYU..FB is moot...and for the other sports? I have to assume that the Pac 10/12 has a scheduler smart enough to do the same...football money is s huge motivator.


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PAC 10 will soon be called the 12 PAC! That is the joke around here in AZ if it ever expands.

As a fan of both Utah and BYU I would sure like to see them added to the Pac 10. With the coaches they currently have the football is in great shape. Both have fared well historically in basketball vs Pac 10 teams. BYU is a solid baseball program, has an excellent track history and many above average women's teams.

Utah has a great med school (the original "Artificial Heart of America"), both have well respected law and business programs. Utah county, home of BYU, is a mini Silicon Valley.

One stumbling block for BYU is that it is not a research institution. On the other hand because they have a strong fan base in the west, especially California, they increase attendance virutally wherever they play.

I would expect the Pac 10 to pursue Utah and Colorado. However, I just can't see Colorado leaving the Big 12. Then, it would not be surprising to see the two as Utah and UNLV.

How about Boise State as a long shot ?

quote:

On the other hand because they have a strong fan base in the west, especially California, they increase attendance virutally wherever they play.

One time I was driving to Salt Lake City from LA on a Friday night when BYU was playing SDSU the next day. I-15 couldn't have been any busier. Hundreds of miles of cars headed south with Utah license plates and BYU stickers.

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IMO...UNLV is not in the current Pac 10 "Sphere" overall by any stretch of the imagination...Hoops definitley qualifies, best college basketball venue and fans on the west coast and an emerging team in the national picture...but Football at this point makes no sense in the Pac 10 either for facilities or quality of program...and Football is what this move is all about.


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quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
How about Boise State as a long shot ?

Boise State to the PAC-10 and Pitt to the Big 10.

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:

quote:

On the other hand because they have a strong fan base in the west, especially California, they increase attendance virutally wherever they play.

One time I was driving to Salt Lake City from LA on a Friday night when BYU was playing SDSU the next day. I-15 couldn't have been any busier. Hundreds of miles of cars headed south with Utah license plates and BYU stickers.

BYU certainly "travels" really well...great argument for them in any conference.

Hawaii.

BTW, are there other oldsters who remember the days of the Pac 10 North and Pac 10 South in baseball that included non-Pac 10 schools?

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Hey, I was a Pac 8 fan...


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Colorado and SDSU have large TV markets
and it is about TV isnt it?

A guy who works for me is a big UCLA fan and he said that there are discussions about who to add, but that the PAC-10 has a rule that any new additions had to be a “research school”. He said that Wash St. and Oregon St. were grandfathered in. Utah fits the profile, as does Colorado. BYU and the other State schools do not.

It is important to understand that the Pac 10 is an aggregation of academic institutions first and athletic entities second. Television market also is important. Also, public schools will be preferred over schools with a religious affiliation. The post by BOF in regard to research institutions is absolutely accurate.

With that in mind, the two that fit best are clearly Utah and Denver.

San Diego State and Boise State never would qualify from an academic standpoint. Same with Freno. BYU has the religious affiliation and shares the same television market as Utah.

However, as I mentioned earlier, it is highly unlikely -- although not impossible -- that Colorado would leave the Big 12.

UNLV has a growing market, the visibility of Las Vegas (both good and bad) and has made major investments on the academic side of the the past 10 years. Football is indeed weaker, but membership in the Pac 10 automatically provides the resources and incentive to make major upgrades to facilities and commitments. After Colorado -- and for these reasons -- it might make the most sense.

Texas would be the most desired addition (and would be added in a heartbeat along with Texas A&M) but it is nearly inconceivable that those two would leave the Big 12, much less put up with the geographic disruptions.

quote:

Originally posted by westcoastbuckeye:
Colorado and SDSU have large TV markets
and it is about TV isnt it?

Unless things have changed in recent years SDSU plays in a half empty stadium (The Murph). When I lived in San Diego no one talked about SDSU sports unless they were having a big year.

Utah and UNLV could be developed into a rivalry based on geography. It would be the I-15 rivalry or "family and fortitude" versus "fun and fornication."