The five American Athletic Conference programs that make the best Pac-12 expansion targets

meangreenfaninno · August 17, 2023

The fate of the remaining Pac-12 programs is still up in the air and while a program like Stanford is confident in their chances with the ACC, it would be foolish to count out Oliver Luck.

The father of the Stanford legend and former AD of West Virginia as well as commissioner of the XFL is currently tasked with figuring out the best options for the conference. A couple days ago he was doing his due diligence on expansion candidates from the American Athletic Conference and Mountain West conference, and was reportedly looking into 12 programs.

So, here are the five programs from the American that stand out as the best candidates based on their market and academic ranking. Honorable mention goes to UTSA and Tulsa.

read more: https://www.si.com/college/stanford/football/the-five-american-athletic-conference-programs-that-make-the-best-pac-12-expansion-targets#gid=ci02c6fde0d002246c&pid=tulane

Hunter Green · August 17, 2023

Bullish...

Mean Green 93-98 · August 17, 2023

Quote

If they do get the bump to the Pac-12, they may invest more in their program and also may have more success.

Umm, yeah. Couldn't that be said about any program?

NT80 · August 17, 2023

That's a huge risk betting Stanford will still be part of the Pac in 3 years.

The Pac could become the Wac very quickly.

TheColonyEagle · August 17, 2023

You can see the narrative starting to be pushed now....'REBUILT PAC CONFERENCE!"

These are the things that get FOMO going with existing AAC schools. They better be ignoring the noise or they're going to give these 4 PAC leftovers leverage they currently don't have.

Facts as of 2023:

This "100+ year old conference" does NOT have any value anymore with the big brands gone. It's just a left over logo

The PAC has no TV deal

The 4 remaining PAC teams have no national TV appeal

Adding AAC teams to these 4 teams (the ones that have no national TV appeal) will give a new "PAC" conference no more coverage than the MWC or AAC. ESPN doesn't give a damn about Oregon St now (a nationally ranked Ore St) What makes anyone think they will when they're sharing a conference with Memphis instead of Oregon?

Whatever money they get TODAY from the CFP is going to be very short lived and is not sustainable

The SEC/Big10&12 are not going to let this new version of the PAC stay in their club any longer than they have to

Objectively speaking, the fact that UTSA is being thrown around in these conversations shows they're not serious. They have had football success, yes, but the rest of their athletic program is horrible and underfunded with no facilities. Remember, they had arguably the worst basketball program in the conference and they took moving up so seriously they had to keep their coach because they couldn't afford to fire him. And the PAC is supposed to be bringing them on? It's all noise being drummed up by the press and social media....but presidents and ADs have horrible FOMO and it just takes one to get scared and then the dominoes start to fall.

I know it's too much to ask for these AAC leaders to have some common sense but they're going to have to use some here...the 4 PAC schools have nothing and they know it.

cousin oliver · August 17, 2023

2 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

You can see the narrative starting to be pushed now....'REBUILT PAC CONFERENCE!"

These are the things that get FOMO going with existing AAC schools. They better be ignoring the noise or they're going to give these 4 PAC leftovers leverage they currently don't have.

Facts as of 2023:

This "100+ year old conference" does NOT have any value anymore with the big brands gone. It's just a left over logo

The PAC has no TV deal

The 4 remaining PAC teams have no national TV appeal

Adding AAC teams to these 4 teams (the ones that have no national TV appeal) will give a new "PAC" conference no more coverage than the MWC or AAC. ESPN doesn't give a damn about Oregon St now (a nationally ranked Ore St) What makes anyone think they will when they're sharing a conference with Memphis instead of Oregon?

Whatever money they get TODAY from the CFP is going to be very short lived and is not sustainable

The SEC/Big10&12 are not going to let this new version of the PAC stay in their club any longer than they have to

Objectively speaking, the fact that UTSA is being thrown around in these conversations shows they're not serious. They have had football success, yes, but the rest of their athletic program is horrible and underfunded with no facilities. Remember, they had arguably the worst basketball program in the conference and they took moving up so seriously they had to keep their coach because they couldn't afford to fire him. And the PAC is supposed to be bringing them on? It's all noise being drummed up by the press and social media....but presidents and ADs have horrible FOMO and it just takes one to get scared and then the dominoes start to fall.

I know it's too much to ask for these AAC leaders to have some common sense but they're going to have to use some here...the 4 PAC schools have nothing and they know it.

I think the fear here is that we lose some of the better programs in the AAC to this which would be a shame. I feel like Stanford's indecision and willingness to wait it out is part of the problem. OSU, WSU and Cal are trying to rebuild the PAC with Stanford as the key piece. I assume that Stanford is saying they will listen and are open to this but in reality will bail at the first chance they are given.

TheColonyEagle · August 17, 2023

Just now, cousin oliver said:

I think the fear here is that we lose some of the better programs in the AAC to this which would be a shame. I feel like Stanford's indecision and willingness to wait it out is part of the problem. OSU, WSU and Cal are trying to rebuild the PAC with Stanford as the key piece. I assume that Stanford is saying they will listen and are open to this but in reality will bail at the first chance they are given.

That's my point.....why would we lose any of the better AAC programs to these 4 teams that no one wants? They don't offer anything.

"The Pac 12 is a P5 conference"

No....the Pac 12 WAS a P5 conference. All the "P" left and went to the Big 10. The only difference between Arizona/Arizona St and Oregon St/Wash St is the Arizona schools found the life boat sooner and jumped on it.

Of course there's a fear that the better programs will leave....but it's fear based on old assumptions based on people with grand memories of USC battling it out with Washington for a spot in the Rose Bowl and John Wooden leading UCLA to national championships and Matt Leinart leading USC to the BCS National championship game. Those days are LONG GONE and have nothing to do with the current "PAC" conference. People have got to let that go...it's gone.

wardly · August 17, 2023

11 hours ago, meangreenfaninno said:

The fate of the remaining Pac-12 programs is still up in the air and while a program like Stanford is confident in their chances with the ACC, it would be foolish to count out Oliver Luck.

The father of the Stanford legend and former AD of West Virginia as well as commissioner of the XFL is currently tasked with figuring out the best options for the conference. A couple days ago he was doing his due diligence on expansion candidates from the American Athletic Conference and Mountain West conference, and was reportedly looking into 12 programs.

So, here are the five programs from the American that stand out as the best candidates based on their market and academic ranking. Honorable mention goes to UTSA and Tulsa.

read more: https://www.si.com/college/stanford/football/the-five-american-athletic-conference-programs-that-make-the-best-pac-12-expansion-targets#gid=ci02c6fde0d002246c&pid=tulane

With University ranking of 263 I would be surprised if Memphis is included. The PAC 4 would need only 4 AAC programs for now and in 2025 could add SDSU and a school to be named later.

keith · August 17, 2023

Is it time to put an AAC/MWC merger back on the front burner. Getting tired of the intransigence of the PAC-4 and a "rebuild" that wounds the AAC and/or the MWC by picking off a handful of schools. There is strength in numbers and a combined AAC/MWC would have a lot of numbers (26 of them) and deny any opportunity for the PAC-4 to rebuild from the AAC or MWC and effectively kill off the PAC for good.

The combined AAC/MWC conference would obviously have a lot of complexities to work out, but could be arranged in 3 or 4 pods or divisions. OSU and WSU eventually realize their place in the world and join for a 28-school super conference. Stanford and Cal can fend for themselves.

cousin oliver · August 17, 2023

1 minute ago, keith said:

Is it time to put an AAC/MWC merger back on the front burner. Getting tired of the intransigence of the PAC-4 and a "rebuild" that wounds the AAC and/or the MWC by picking off a handful of schools. There is strength in numbers and a combined AAC/MWC would have a lot of numbers (26 of them) and deny any opportunity for the PAC-4 to rebuild from the AAC or MWC and effectively kill off the PAC for good.

The combined AAC/MWC conference would obviously have a lot of complexities to work out, but could be arranged in 3 or 4 pods or divisions. OSU and WSU eventually realize their place in the world and join for a 28-school super conference. Stanford and Cal can fend for themselves.

My only issue with this is that we would likely end up in the west division and as a fan I would prefer to be in the east.

wardly · August 17, 2023

Well another news report [ 20 hours ago] says that the AAC will dissolve and 11 schools will join the PAC 12.UNT, UTSA, Rice, UAB, and FAU will receive less media money to pay exit fees for SDSU, Boise, and CSU who will join in 2025. Charlotte and Wichita are SOL.

Jonnyeagle · August 17, 2023

2 minutes ago, wardly said:

Well another news report [ 20 hours ago] says that the AAC will dissolve and 11 schools will join the PAC 12.UNT, UTSA, Rice, UAB, and FAU will receive less media money to pay exit fees for SDSU, Boise, and CSU who will join in 2025. Charlotte and Wichita are SOL.

Not in love with the lower revenue component of this but would like to see us make the cut for the new PAC

keith · August 17, 2023

56 minutes ago, cousin oliver said:

My only issue with this is that we would likely end up in the west division and as a fan I would prefer to be in the east.

Given the size and the number of schools already in the west, I suspect we would be in a central pod/division (if it's segmented by geography).

wardly · August 17, 2023

42 minutes ago, wardly said:

Well another news report [ 20 hours ago] says that the AAC will dissolve and 11 schools will join the PAC 12.UNT, UTSA, Rice, UAB, and FAU will receive less media money to pay exit fees for SDSU, Boise, and CSU who will join in 2025. Charlotte and Wichita are SOL.

Guys, this is just another news report that may or not be true. However the president of OSU said they were going forward with rebuilding the PAC 12, and Andrew Luck is adviser to the Beavers, so maybe, just maybe, there is some truth to this report. I am going to listen to Trey Smith and hopefully get his take on the lay of the land, which changes daily

UNTLifer · August 19, 2023

The PAC thinks those three letters still hold some sway. The AAC schools should stick together as the PAC4 currently have zero leverage, zero media deal and zero loyalty to each other. Stanford wants to drive the boat yet their two big revenue sports are down right now, Cal is deft ridden and OSU and WSU are what they are. SMU has apparently taken on the title of twatwaffles and are only looking out for #1, just like Stanford. They both think they drive the boat because of their deep pockets. That earns them nothing. Nobody wants them so let them go Indy and die.

wardly · August 19, 2023

So for fun let's assume that SMU along with Stanford buy their way into the ACC this coming week. Let's also assume that the now PAC 3 decide to rebuild the conference. Rice, Tulane, USF, and Memphis appear to be high on their radar. Who might be the 5th? Tulsa, small market but good academics, perhaps a much smaller version of Rice. UTSA, good football but non factor in all other sports, large market, I don't know about their academics. UNT,so-so football, good in all other sports, good academics, part of very large Metroplex which has yet to translate into attendance. Who do you think the PAC 3 would pick as 5 th school to invite and why?

Wag Tag · August 19, 2023

How do you have 1 team on the east coast on the expanded PAC ? Stanford presents the same problem for the ACC. The logistics is going to be very expensive.

wardly · August 19, 2023

I looked at Rutgers playing Southern Cal and decided that logic and commonsense are not a factor in today's conference realignments. It's all about " show me the money." [USF just attained the high academic status that has been very important to the PAC 12 and BIG 10 conferences.]

C Rod · August 19, 2023

On 8/17/2023 at 9:28 AM, wardly said:

Andrew Luck is adviser to the Beavers, so maybe, just maybe, there is some truth to this report.

That would be Oliver Luck, not Andrew Luck the former Stanford QB.

wardly · August 19, 2023

2 hours ago, C Rod said:

That would be Oliver Luck, not Andrew Luck the former Stanford QB.

OPPS. Andrew is his son.

MrAlien · August 19, 2023

I dont see the ACC adding more schools, because they dont want to divide the profits up between more schools. The ACC is paying out $40 million+ per school, but neither Stanford or SMU can generate that much.

wardly · September 19

PAC 6 pod caster said 3 schools from AAC hired outside consultants to determine the financial benefits of moving west. Tulane was rumored to be one but they didn't know who other two are.

wardly · September 19

To me the question Tulane and Memphis need to answer is what do they gain moving from one P6 conference to another? Also some pod casters are saying that the PAC 6 only wants to add 3 more programs to get to 9 so throw UTSA into the mix. However,if as predicted is a few years, the top 60 or so P4 programs form their own football conference these schools are not going to make the cut so whats the point of moving west?