How Colorado to the Big 12 shakes up the Pac-12's expansion and media rights plans for 2023 and beyond

Rumors of Colorado’s switch to the Big 12 are intensifying. If it happens, it is going to have a resounding effect on conference realignments, college football fans, and most significantly, the Pac-12.

Colorado left the Big 12 for Pac-12 in 2011 and a potential return to its former conference will undoubtedly have an impact on Pac-12’s future.

The ongoing conference realignments have hit the Pac-12 hard with USC and UCLA exiting the league. As a result, it is caught in a struggle to keep up with the revenue and exposure of the other major conferences.

Against that background, one can imagine what the exit of another valuable market and founding member would mean to the conference.

The first challenge would be finding a suitable replacement for Colorado or adding even more members. Some of the names brought up include Boise State, San Diego State, BYU, and UNLV. But none of these schools can realistically fill Colorado’s vacuum in terms of reputation, fan base, and commercial value.

What the Big 12 could potentially gain from Colorado's move

Big 12 Championship - Kansas State v TCU

Conversely, the Big 12 welcoming Colorado will establish its presence in the Mountain West region and the advantage of a strong academic partner. It will also be an opportunity for the conference to increase its membership from the current 10 members.

The addition of Colorado will definitely attract other programs as the conference would have increased appeal.

Perhaps the biggest effect Colorado’s potential move will have is in the negotiation and closing of media deals. With the Pac-12’s media deal expiring, it is in a race against time to conclude a new deal before going ahead with its planned expansion.

The task can become extremely difficult, if not impossible, should Colorado proceed to join the Big 12.

Without a lucrative TV deal to keep its members happy, Pac-12 might have a difficult task keeping its members from encroaching conferences. The conference simply cannot afford to lose another member, much less an important member like Colorado.

The switch is not official yet, but with the volatile nature of realignments, it is hard to rule it out. If it does happen, it has the potential to shake up the college football landscape.