Reports: USC & UCLA Joining Big Ten

I have no idea who reported this first, maybe The Athletic?  Not trying to be coy or dismissive, as I absolutely want to properly attribute things…just know, I didn’t break this news…not that you would have assumed that from a semi-retired sports blogger.

I am just here for the possible fallout…or rather, here to discuss it.

1. This came out of NOWHERE.  NOWHERE.  It’s amazing that something of this magnitude could have remained under wraps.  Props to all involved on that front.
2. Is this why there has been an unexpected delay from the Big Ten announcing their new media rights contract?  Possibly, and, I hope so. BUT…how in the world could this have stayed a secret if the B1G would have been talking about this to the networks?  No way they would have talked about this with ESPN.  So, it probably is the reason, but just at how it was being delayed.
3. The P12, already on hard times and all too often out of sight and out of mind, won’t be able to survive this.  There aren’t enough potential sources of gravity that either remain or could join them.  So the rest of the P12 schools not named USC or UCLA are on outright scramble mode.
4. If you want to look at who else the B1G might ask to join, and I think that is a strong likelihood, look at other P12 members who are also members of the AAU; Arizona, Cal, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Stanford.
5. Yes, I know that Nebraska is no longer in the AAU…but they were when they were admitted into the league.
6. What about Notre Dame?  If the Big Ten would want them, and I think they would, I’d tell them that this is the last shot…you either come now, or you are done and none of us will ever play you again.
7. Some folks are also looking at some ACC schools…but their Tier 1 Media Rights are tied up for another 10 years or so…of course, contracts are written to be broken…but…still a road map.
8. The Alliance is Dead.  Long live the Alliance…so much for agreeing not to poach one another’s programs.
9. The Big Ten and SEC are now at 16 schools each…seems like a move to 24 is in the cards…the Superconference Era is upon us.
10. Our friends in the B12 always seem to be in scramble mode…unfortunately for them, more scrambling….I would think Arizona State, Oregon State and Wazzu will be available if the B1G doesn’t snap up the other P12 AAU members I listed above.