Utah to Pac-12, Plus Possible Pac-12 Divisions?

Might as well get used to the Pac-12, so we’ll start referring to it from now on…..

Anyway, possible breaking news here, as Rivals.com is reporting this AM that Utah has already told the Mountain West that they are leaving for the Pac-12:

Sources close to UteZone indicate that Utah informed the Mountain West Conference Monday of its intentions to leave the conference. When asked about this report, a representative from the Conference could neither confirm nor deny the alleged report. If sources are to be believed then, the deal to invite Utah has already been done, and is merely a formality at this point. All that would remain of course is the announcement from the PAC-10 and a press conference by the University of Utah.

Also included is a little tidbit, that the Colorado-Utah package deal was agreed upon FOUR months ago!  The caveat, however, was in case Texas could be convinced to move:

Behind the scenes four months ago, a deal was made with the University of Utah and Colorado to bring them in as the 11th and 12th members of an expanded PAC-10 conference. One caveat for Utah that was inserted into the tentative agreement however was a scenario in which Texas could be lured away from the Big 12. Conspiracy theorists would have you believe that the PAC-16 had actually been in the works for two years, beginning with Kevin Weiberg’s handpicked replacement of Dan Beebe to run the Big 12. The truth is most likely somewhere in the middle.

Hmm.  Long live conspiracy theories!  Much like the theories that are now floating around today, that the whole Texas/Orangebloods.com stories of the Pac-16 as a done deal in order to force the hand of Nebraska and Colorado to jump?  Therefore leaving less mouths to feed at the table, so Texas could gobble up more cash AND get their TV deal?  Hmmm.  Who knows.  But as Jerry Brewer in the Seattle Times writes, greed is active and unceasing in this type of power play.

So, 12 teams.  Got it.  But how about the alignment of the conference?  Is it even possible to have one 12-team conference, or is a split of the schools inevitable?  Sure sounds like we need to prepare for two six-team divsions.  There’s this from a Denver TV station, CBS-4:

Sources close to C.U. have told CBS4 Sports the Buffs are projected to be in a 6 team division in the new Pac-10. The Buffs will be joined by USC, UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and probably Utah, which is expected to receive an invitation to join the Pac-10.

IF true, that means that the Pac-12 North division would be the Washington schools, the Oregon schools, and the Bay Area schools?  Meaning USC and UCLA would be on the other side, and, there would be a Pac-12 championship game after all. 

And Jon Wilner from the San Jose Mercury News adds on:

The 12-team Pac-10 would split into two divisions and hold a football championship game. Although the per-school revenue wouldn’t approach the $20 million mark, it would be at least 25 to 30 percent greater than the current annual payout of $8 million to $9 million per school, a source said. (Football championship games alone are worth $12 million to $15 million per year.)

And by adding the television markets from Denver (No. 16) and Salt Lake City (No. 31), the “Pac-12” might have enough TV sets within its geographic footprint to create its own TV network.

From a NW school perspective, this is NOT GOOD.  And you better believe the NW AD’s are going to SCREAM about this, for the obvious recruiting ground that would be taken away by not being in the same division as the LA schools!  We will find out how Bill Moos feels about things, as he’ll jump into a SeattleTimes.com chat at 12 noon PST.

I guess if the league can somehow guarantee that each team from the Pac-12 North will play a road game in LA, then it could work?  But there is no way WSU, UW, Oregon and Oregon State are going to sit there while the LA market is taken away.

All for now.  GO COUGS!