LOS ANGELES – The future of the Pac-12 Conference was thrown into doubt Thursday amid reports that two of its premiere athletic programs — UCLA and USC — could be eying a move to the Big Ten Conference as early as 2024.
The San Jose Mercury-News first reported the possible moves, which have not been finalized and were still in the discussion phase, according to the report.
It was unclear if the universities were considering a complete withdrawal from the Pac-12, or only moving select programs such as football and men’s basketball.
“Everything is on the table,” a Pac-12 source told CBS Sports.
The departure of two of the conference’s biggest names would be a major blow to the Pac-12, which is expected to begin television-rights negotiations in the coming months.
The possible move is similar to the situation faced by the Big 12 Conference, which will lose two of its top athletic programs — Oklahoma and Texas — in 2025 when the schools move to the SEC.
Adding USC and UCLA would give the Big Ten a total of 16 teams.
