Comments about ‘BYU football: Source says BYU, Big East still talking’

MLH

Serious question:

IF the PAC 12 decides or is compelled to expand to 16 teams, who is the PAC 12 going to invite?

NOBODY in the Big 12 is available because they signed away their television rights for the next TEN years, a poison pill that not even Larry Scott's magic could overcome. Even if they leave the Big 12, the Big 12 would still own their television rights. So you can forget listing Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, and TCU among your list of possible candidates.

Just like the ACC finally accepted reality and caved on their once rigid "standards" by inviting Louisville, the PAC 12 could easily find itself in the position of being forced to lower its "standards" in order to expand to 16 teams.

Without being able to poach the Big 12, the only realistic teams west of the Mississippi River would be BYU, Boise State, San Diego State, and/or teams from the MWC.

So, which four teams would the PAC 12 choose?

MLH

"If you get into a conference though there will no longer be 6 gimme wins."

As far as the Utes are concerned, there's no such thing as a "gimme" win - see 10-loss Colorado and 10-loss UNLV.

skywalker

From a purely marketing perspective, which is what drives television contracts, and the reason the Big Ten invited Maryland and Rutgers:

BYU would be a slam dunk
Boise State, UNLV, and Air Force would all be strong contenders

It's doubtful USC, UCLA, California and Stanford would want to dilute their brands by adding teams from California. The San Diego market is already controlled by USC and UCLA and the Bay Area is controlled by California and Stanford.

CordonBleau

I agree with your teams, but I think SDSU would have to be considered also. There's always Fresno State, and maybe Nevada too.