This is the first time I've ever seen a Pac-10 representative go on record to say expansion is being considered:



The rumor is Utah and Colorado to the Pac with BYU possibly going to the Big 12.

Does it happen? Does the MWC try to get Boise State and others to survive, or does the league fall apart? We shall see. The Pac-10 just hired the guy who started the Big Ten Network so things are definitely changing out west.

http://www.abc4.com/sports/story/Utah-to-the-PAC-10-Not-BYU-It-could-happen/gpbSMZcBykqmrzztzmff7Q.cspx

not sure how much longer we can survive if these conference expansions take place...

This rumor will probably force the MWC to add 3 schools to keep BYU in the confernce. The rumors of BYU joining the Big 12 as a "chater member" back in early 1994 is what "forced" the WAC to add 6 schools. Texas politics kept the rumor from happening.

I seriously doubt the PAC-10 will expand. You need a unanimous vote of all 10 schools to get invited and the OR and WA won't be thrilled with the idea of not playing games in the Los Angeles every year for recruiting.

If the Big 12 does lose anybody, TCU has a better shot of joining than BYU.

why not just ditch the bcs and make 8 reorginized conferences?

Why it won't happen?

'Cos it would makes sense, save $$, and no one would belly-ach about it during the off-season.

anybody hear about pac 10 expansion? press release yesterday by pac 10 said expansion is seriously being considered over the next 12-18months.

From gather.com

What Schools to Expect for Possible Pac-10 Expansion
February 09, 2010 11:05 PM EST (Updated: February 09, 2010 11:25 PM EST)
views: 447
Earlier this evening, Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott stated that the debate about expanding his NCAA conference should be settled "over the next 12 to 18 months." That's a little too long for me to wait, so how about we start the speculation now as to which school(s?) might make the Commish's cut and get invited into the Pac-10?

Here are a few worthy candidates, ranked in descending order as to their odds of joining the Pac-10 in 2010 or 2011 in the event this expansion happens anytime soon. I've noted each school's 2009 basketball and football records, since these sports tend to garner the most national media attention (and the most money). Keep in mind this is pure speculation, and please be sure to list what schools you think could be playing in the Pac-10 soon in the comments.



1. Boise State Broncos (2009 football record: 14-0. 2009 basketball record: 19-11. Final AP Top 25 football ranking: 4. Final AP Top 25 basketball ranking: NR)

Boise State's basketball numbers might not be there, but nearly every other number is. The Broncos have every ingredient necessary to be a huge contender in the Pac-10--nearly 20,000 students, a location right on Oregon's eastern border, a devoted national media following, and a football team that's got swagger. Not only did they finish last season unbeaten and cap off their season with a big win over a very good TCU team, they have the stones to do it all on that hideous, eyeball-destroying blue turf. The football team has consistently played at a high level over the past several seasons, yet they have no BCS Championships to show for it due to their weak WAC schedule. The Broncos have proven they're more than ready for primetime. Put them in the same conference that holds annual weaklings Arizona, Stanford, and Washington and see what havoc the Broncos can wreak against USC, Oregon, and Oregon State. I promise you Pac-10 football will be more entertaining the moment Boise State crashes the party. (Odds of joining Pac-10: High)



2. Utah Utes (2009 football record: 10-3. Final AP Top 25 football ranking: 18. 2009 basketball record: 21-9. Final AP Top 25 basketball ranking: NR)

A year ago, Utah would have been ahead of Boise State on this list after the Utes' unforgettable trouncing of Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2008 Sugar Bowl, which also capped off a perfect season. Since that signature win, however, the spotlight has dimmed a bit despite the Utes' strong finish to last season with a win over Cal in the Poinsettia Bowl. That win should create a lot of positive buzz for Utah going into the expansion discussion, and it proves that the Utes can successfully compete in the Pac-10. And, unlike their more-popular blue-and-orange rivals, the Utes' basketball team finished with over 20 wins last season and went dancing before getting bounced in the first round by an underdog Arizona squad. (Odds of joining Pac-10: High)



3. UNLV Rebels (2009 football record: 5-7. Final AP Top 25 football ranking: NR. 2009 basketball record: 21-9. Final AP Top 25 basketball ranking: NR)

UNLV has a decent shot at getting into the Pac-10, but lately the football wins haven't been there for the Rebels (of course, the same can be said for most Pac-10 programs as well). Missing out on a bowl game last season hurt, and there's no sign the Rebels will be any better in the 2010 season. The only bright spot that's garnered any sort of national attention is UNLV's basketball team, a bubble squad that finished with over 20 wins last year. This season, the Rebels are currently 19-4 and just had a huge win over #12 BYU. If they can pull off a few upsets and run deep in the NCAA Tournament this March (perhaps channeling a little 2006 George Mason mojo), expect UNLV's name to pop up when the Pac-10 expansion is discussed. (Odds of joining Pac-10: Medium)



4. Hawaii Warriors (2009 football record: 6-7. Final AP Top 25 football ranking: NR. 2009 basketball record: 13-16. Final AP Top 25 basketball ranking: NR)

Location, location, location. That's the biggest thing the Warriors have going for them for the foreseeable future, and aside from gripes about having to pay for jet fuel to make multiple trips into the middle of the south Pacific every season, most Pac-10 schools would probably be happy about the venue (and media coverage) Hawaii provides for playing games. Now for the bad news. Hawaii's football team plays one of the most notoriously soft schedules in all of Division I, yet they were only able to muster a paltry 6-7 record last season and missed out on playing in the Hawaii Bowl by getting blown out by Wisconsin 51-10 in the last game of the year. A few years ago, Hawaii football was putting up lots of wins, but after Colt Brennan was drafted in the 6th round by the Redskins in 2008, they were quickly exposed. It also looks as if Brennan himself isn't going to have any impact at all in the NFL. To top it all off, the Warriors' basketball team finished below .500 last season, and both programs have lots of work to do before they'll ever be considered serious contenders, in the WAC or in any other conference. (Odds of joining Pac-10: Low)



5. Colorado Buffaloes (2009 football record: 3-9. Final AP Top 25 football ranking: NR. 2009 basketball record: 9-21. Final AP Top 25 basketball ranking: NR)

It's hard to put a positive spin on a 3-win football season and a 9-win basketball season in the same year. Yeesh. The only reason Colorado is even part of this discussion is because the school shares largely the same recruiting base with most of the Pac-10. If the Pac-10 Commissioner wants to invite another bottom-feeder into a conference that's already filled with them, that's his prerogative, but the rest of the country will be left scratching their heads--and changing the channel every time the Buffaloes play Stanford. On the plus side, there's nowhere for the Buffaloes to go but up (right?), and their basketball team has already done that this season, as they're currently at 11-12. (Odds of joining the Pac-10: Low)



Shrewd readers will notice one glaring omission to this short list: BYU. While it can be easily argued that both BYU football and basketball are better than any of the other programs on this list, the Cougars have no reason to leave the MWC, which they consistently sit atop of year after year. The differences between BYU and Boise State are that BYU isn't in a conference full of no-name teams and pushovers, and the Cougars play a tough schedule in both sports every season and still somehow manage to produce at a high level which garners loads of media adoration. Why change what works?

Of course, if you want to make an argument for why BYU should be in the Pac-10, be my guest .

Actually I think the University most against expansion is Stanford.

So which one of these schools have the 60 to 90 million to spend on athletics each year? Maybe, Colorado...but why would they leave the BIG 12 (who has a very lucrative TV deal that everyone makes money on) where as the PAC-10 TV is pennies on the dollars compared what other conferences get.....

On WyoNation, there's a lively discussion about this.

http://www.wyonation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2554

If any of you post on there (which I KNOW none of you will ), tell them wyokie sent ya.

Should be an interesting decade because the Big Ten wants to expand as well.

One team to the Big ten

Two Teams to the Pac-10

Texas has talked to the Big Ten about joining their conference.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation

so true...

so then the big 12 would have? OK? not even them now. they'd be the new big least.

Evidently gather.com doesn't have a clue as to what Hawaii would bring to the table. UH should be the team picked to go. Any team that gets into the Pac 10 will be able to recruit to play in the Pac ten so bringing up wins and losses is all B.S. Hawaii brings in more money, support, fans,and T.V exposure than those other schools do. At leat we compete in this area.

Hawaii will become better now that our coaching staff is getting the recruits they need. It takes time to build a program when you get new coaches.