Oregon and Washington will join the Big Ten, and Arizona, Arizona State and Utah will jump to the Big 12.
Dealing a crushing combination to the Pac-12 on Friday, the Big Ten announced Oregon and Washington would be joining the conference next August, and the Big 12 completed its raid of the beleaguered league by adding Arizona, Arizona State and Utah.
The day began with hope and nine members for the Pac-12. It ended with the Pac-12 — with roots that date back a century and more NCAA championships than any other — down to four schools and facing extinction because it was unable to land a media rights agreement to match its competitors.
“Today’s news is incredibly disappointing for student-athletes, fans, alumni and staff of the Pac-12 who cherish the over 100-year history, tradition and rivalries of the Conference of Champions,” the conference said in a statement. “We remain focused on securing the best possible future for each of our member universities.”
The super-conference era has arrived in college sports, and it has swallowed the Pac-12 — the conference the produced Jackie Robinson, John Elway, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
After the Big Ten paved the way Friday morning for the Pacific Northwest rivals to join, the Ducks were first to make it official with a unanimous vote by the school’s 13 trustees. The Big Ten a short time later said its presidents’ council had voted to accept Oregon along with Washington and become an 18-team coast-to-coast conference, with four West Coast members.
“Our student-athletes will participate at the highest level of collegiate athletic competition, and our alumni, friends, and fans will be able to carry the spirit of Oregon across the country,” Oregon President John Karl Scholz said.
The Big 12, meanwhile, had three more Pac-12 schools in its sights, a week after luring away Colorado.
Arizona’s entry was approved Thursday night, but the Big 12’s long-brewing expansion plan was far from complete.
Once it became apparent on Friday that Oregon and Washington were leaving the Pac-12, Arizona State and Utah didn’t have much choice but to jump, too.
