Pac-12 escapes extinction with a 2-year lifeline to compete in NCAA after a tragic turnaround of events in latest conference realignment

The Pac-12 will get a chance at survival in college sports due to an NCAA regulation. The NCAA provides conferences with a two-year grace period during which they can work towards meeting membership requirements before any mandatory changes become necessary.

This offers Pac-12 the hope of staying alive amid the ongoing crisis that has engulfed the conference over the past few months. The conference is left with just two members, Oregon State and Washington State, following a mass exodus of 10 teams during the offseason.

The conference is on the verge of disintegration after this athletic season. Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah will join the Big 12, while UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington are set to become part of the Big Ten. Also, Stanford and Cal will be affiliated with the Atlantic Coast Conference.

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College Football Playoffs to wait for more clarity

The College Football Playoff management committee has decided to hold off on making any alterations to the upcoming 12-team format, scheduled to commence in the 2024 season, until there is more certainty regarding the situation within the Pac-12 conference.

Private discussions among commissioners have been ongoing regarding a potential revision of the currently agreed-upon model of 6+6, which involves rewarding the six highest-ranked conference champions along with the next six highest-ranked teams in the poll.

If the Pac-12 dissolves or loses its Power 5 status, maintaining the 6+6 model for the next two years would potentially open up guaranteed access for two Group of Five champions. This is because the current model was established before the Pac-12 implosion.

There is a notable preference to transition to a 5+7 model among the Power Five league should the Pac-12 dissolve. This would involve selecting the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams for participation in the College Football Playoff.

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What are the options for the Pac-12?

The Pac-12 has been exploring its options in the last few months in the bid to stay alive in college sports. Notably, the conference had employed the service of former West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck to explore the available options for survival.

The most probable outcome appears to be a partnership between the Pac-12 and the Mountain West Conference. This could involve either those schools from the Mountain West joining the Pac-12 or Oregon State and Washington State moving to the Group of Five.