BREAKING: Utah Joins Pac 10

[UNHWildCats]

San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Conference realignment is not finished after all.

One day after Texas spurned the Pac-10 to remain in the Big 12 Conference, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area learned that Utah will be offered an invitation to join the Pac-10 with a press conference scheduled for Wednesday.

Utah is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference, which added Boise State last week. So, while the Mountain West added one football power, it is likely losing another. Utah posted a 10-3 mark and beat California -- which will now be a conference opponent -- in the Poinsettia Bowl last season.

Utah's highest profile athlete, former quarterback Alex Smith, took the football program to new heights before being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2005.

The conference chess pieces continue to move in a whirlwind seven days that saw Colorado bolt for the Pac-10, Nebraska move to the Big Ten, Boise State to the Mountain West and now Utah to the Pac-10.

[Fresno St. Alum]

too bad the MWC will probably just stay at 9 instead of adding Fresno St. or Houston or Nevada or all 3 of us to try and help them get a BCS AQ which they probably won't get now that Utah is gone.

[Gil Dobie]

Surprised the State of Utah would let Utah leave without BYU

[dgreco]

I guess the realignments are done once this happens.

[GannonFan]

Well, this should be the last one for the time being - great move by the PAC 10 through all of this - they get to 12 teams, the get the Denver and Salt Lake markets, and they'll be in great position when the Big 12 finally topples when the tv moneys that were promised Texas fail to be realized as the Big 12 gets squeezed out by the better positioned Big Ten, SEC, and Pac 10 (now 12). Certainly the Big Ten and Pac 10 have emerged as big winners in all of this.

[dbackjon]

Pac 10 and Big 10 biggest winners by far in all this.

[CitadelGrad]

I guess the realignments are done once this happens.

For the moment. The Big XII (-2) isn't viable over the long-term. Texas is still screwing everyone else in the conference and extorting money from them. As soon as the schools in the North are able to develop other options, they will bolt.

[youngterrier]

really?
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5289403" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Willie]

really?
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5289403" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's what I was just gonna say.

[89Hen]

The Pac 10 will NEVER, EVER ask Utah to join the conference.

NIce prediction idiot.

[UNHWildCats]

The Pac 10 will NEVER, EVER ask Utah to join the conference.

NIce prediction idiot.

it wasnt a prediction idiot

[UNHWildCats]

6 minutes ago onb ESPN.com:


Utah will join the Pac-10 Conference as its 12th team -- with an announcement coming as soon as Friday, a source tells ESPN.

Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson, interviewed Tuesday, would only say that he has been in contact with the Pac-10 regarding Utah.

"I did state yesterday morning that I had not spoken to [Pac-10 commissioner] Larry Scott," Thompson said during a break at the Collegiate Commissioners Association meetings. "Twenty-four hours is a long timeframe."

Asked if it was his understanding that an invitation had been extended to Utah to join the Pac-10, Thompson said, "I don't know. I just need to defer all comments."

The Pac-10 grew by one last week when Colorado accepted its invitation to leave the Big 12. Meanwhile, Scott also attempted to lure Texas and four other Big 12 schools. The conference would have become a 16-team league had Texas joined with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas A&M.

Instead, those schools decided to stay in the Big 12.

When the news came down that Texas and the rest were not joining Pac-10, Scott said he called Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe to congratulate him for saving his conference.

The addition of Utah is likely to bolster the Pac-10's football profile. Since 2003 the Utes have been a powerhouse in the Mountain West -- a perfect 6-0 in bowl games during that span, including a 2-0 mark in BCS games which capped off undefeated seasons.

Additionally, the Utes bring Salt Lake City's TV market, which is the 31st largest in the nation.

[89Hen]

NIce prediction idiot.

it wasnt a prediction idiot

You can't take it back now.

[bandl]

really?
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5289403" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That story was posted as 12:11AM
This story was posted at 2:42PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5293329" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Utah will join the Pac-10 Conference as its 12th team -- with an announcement coming as soon as Friday, a source tells ESPN.

Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson, interviewed Tuesday, would only say that he has been in contact with the Pac-10 regarding Utah.

"I did state yesterday morning that I had not spoken to [Pac-10 commissioner] Larry Scott," Thompson said during a break at the Collegiate Commissioners Association meetings. "Twenty-four hours is a long timeframe."

[UNHWildCats]

it wasnt a prediction idiot

You can't take it back now.

[bandl]

it wasnt a prediction idiot

You can't take it back now.

What the fuck are you talking about, Travis? Why can't you just admit you were wrong?

[UNHWildCats]

You can't take it back now.

What the fuck are you talking about, Travis? Why can't you just admit you were wrong?

Well mostly cause I'm never wrong Even when it appears I am, the reality is the other person is wrong.

[dgreco]

this thread just went to awesome.

[Willie]

What the fuck are you talking about, Travis? Why can't you just admit you were wrong?

Well mostly cause I'm never wrong Even when it appears I am, the reality is the other person is wrong.

Whatever drugs you are on...PLEASE...for the love of God, let me in.

[UNHWildCats]

Well mostly cause I'm never wrong Even when it appears I am, the reality is the other person is wrong.

Whatever drugs you are on...PLEASE...for the love of God, let me in.

[mainejeff]

Texas sure has set themselves up nicely for a future bidding war for their membership between the PAC-10, Big Ten and SEC. All 3 conferences could take up to 4 teams (Texas, Texas A&M or Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State). Of course, the Big Ten's main target will continue to be Notre Dame.

It sure looks like Big East Football now has a longterm shot at surviving as at least 8 of the remaining Big 12 schools will be ticketed for 8 of the 12 open spots in the Big 3.

[JMUDuke2002]

Surprised the State of Utah would let Utah leave without BYU

Not much the state can do. Utah is a public university, BYU is private. I suppose they could threaten the Utes funding or something, but I can't imagine that would fly well with the Utah populace. BYU is better fit than Colorado, but Berkeley will keep BYU out just like they kept Baylor out. It's a shame because BYU is far stronger athletically and academically than Colorado.

[UNHWildCats]

The Pac 10 will NEVER, EVER ask Utah to join the conference.

NIce prediction idiot.

Where and when did I say this? I still cant find it anywhere except in your little quote here.

[Fresno St. Alum]

dgreco, I don't think expansion is done yet. WAC will add 1 or 2. Soon I hope. The Big 10 said it may act again. So in Dec maybe they invite Rutgers and Maryland. ACC would then add UConn or Syracuse. Texas politicians are trying to get Houston in the Big 12. BE could add 2(not likely, unless the B10 comes they always bend over and wait for the rape)

WAC expands with BW school (CS Bakersfield and/or UCSD* get BW invites)
WAC expands with BigSky school (S.Utah get Sky invite), (Summit invites N.Dakota and maybe HBU)
WAC expands with SLC school (UTPA or Tarleton St.*, or Delta St.* get SLC invite)
WAC expands with UNT (SBC invites Texas St., SLC invites UTPA or Tarleton St.*, or Delta St.*)

Others, D-II Gulf South will likely split UNA, Valdosta St., W.Georgia, W.Florida and maybe Delta St. will be looking to join D-I

OVC invites N.Alabama*?
Big South invites Valdosta St.*?
A-Sun invites W.Florida* and W.Georgia*?

UWG would be a fb affiliate for the Big South.

*=D-II