The Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies will join the Big Ten in 2024, the conference officially announced on Friday.
“We are excited to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference,” said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “We look forward to building long-lasting relationships with the universities, administrators and staff, student-athletes, coaches and fans,” Petitti said. “Both institutions feature a combination of academic and athletic excellence that will prove a great fit for our future.”
Oregon and Washington are the second and third schools to depart the Pac-12 recently, following the Colorado Buffaloes, who are moving to the Big 12 Conference.
“I’m thrilled that the University of Oregon has the opportunity to join the nation’s preeminent academic-athletic conference,” said University of Oregon President John Karl Scholz. “Our student-athletes will participate at the highest level of collegiate athletic competition, and our alumni, friends, and fans will be able to carry the spirit of Oregon across the country.”
Also leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten in 2024 are the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans, which was officially announced last summer.
“The Big Ten is a thriving conference with strong athletic and academic traditions, and we are excited and confident about competing at the highest level on a national stage,” said University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce. “My top priority must be to do what is best for our student-athletes and our University, and this move will help ensure a strong future for our athletics program.”
Oregon and Washington were members of the Pac-12 Conference since its inception in 1915. It was known as the Pacific Coast Conference at the time, before later adopting the names Big Five, Big Six, Pacific-8, and Pacific-10.
With the addition of Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA, the Big Ten will expand to a total of 18 members spanning from coast-to-coast.
Per Brett McMurphy of Action Network, Oregon and Washington “…will not immediately receive full shares in the Big Ten’s new media rights deal with FOX, CBS and NBC but will still make more than they would have by remaining in the Pac-12, sources said.”
What will happen to the remaining Pac-12 schools? Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah will reportedly announce soon that they are joining the Big 12 Conference, per McMurphy.
That would leave the Pac-12 in shambles with only California, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington State. Here’s more from Brett McMurphy.
With additional schools leaving the Pac-12, the Mountain West would “be open” to adding remaining Pac-12 schools to the league, sources told Action Network.
The Mountain West currently has a linear television deal with FOX and CBS Sports Network with additional games on CBS through the 2025 season. Another possibility for the Mountain West, depending on how many schools are remaining in the Pac-12, could be a merger of some type between the two leagues, a source said.
Stay tuned as more college football realignment is expected in the near future as the Big Ten and possible others decide if they want to add additional teams.