Is the Pac-12's collapse inevitable as the Big Ten plans for further expansion? Top suitors include Oregon, Stanford, and Utah, among others

The Pac-12 Conference is on the verge of collapsing. The downfall of the conference has been predicted since the beginning of the year. That looks inevitable right now as the Big Ten conference plans further expansion.

The conference became vulnerable after it failed to secure a new media rights deal with its television partners. Reports on Monday suggest the conference might decide to switch to a direct-to-customer (D2C) model after finding no breakthrough in negotiations.

After the loss of USC and UCLA to the Big 10, the conference is now set to plunge into a significant existential crisis over the next couple of weeks. A couple of its members have already held extensive talks with the Big 12, and the Big 10 expansion creates further threats.

Why the Pac-12 Collapse looks inevitable

The result of the long-anticipated media rights negotiation has been deemed crucial to the future of the conference. Many of its members have kept their realignment plan on hold to see what comes out of the long series of talks with the television partners.

However, after it's been revealed that the conference might not be able to strike a new broadcast deal, an exodus of its top members is inevitable. SEC analyst Paul Finebaum stated in June that the conference might not survive beyond 2026 and this is now looking likely.

The Big 10 and the Big 12 are already working extensively on luring the Pac-12's top programs away. The two programs boast lucrative television deals, which guarantee financial stability and stable cash flow for their teams. This is a huge point of attraction for many teams, potentially leaving the Pac-12 to dry out.

The Big 10 Expansion Plan

After adding USC and UCLA, the Big 10 is maintaining flexibility for the next stage of its expansion. The conference has diligently evaluated prospective members for the conference, carefully examining up to 10 teams from various locations nationwide.

Among the 10 universities considered by the Big 10, five belong to the Pac-12, namely Oregon, Washington, Cal, Utah and Stanford. Having held talks with conference officials, Oregon and Washington have emerged as the two primary contenders for the Big Ten.

The addition of two teams from the Los Angeles area demonstrates that the conference does not consider the geographical location of schools as a significant factor in determining interest or potential expansion.

The exit of Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten, coupled with the potential realignment of Colorado and Arizona with the Big 12, will be a huge disaster for the Pac-12.