REPORT: Utah To Pac-10 Monday?

by Jeremy Mauss on Jun 12, 2010 7:13 PM PDT in Conference Expansion

This is coming from Tom Cella's who is the head writer at Utah's Rivals' site UteZone.com and he tweeted that Texas A&M is out and Utah will be the next member of the Pac-10 on Monday. Doing some research this is the only person that said Utah is to the Pac-10. Others have said it is down to Utah or Kansas if A&M is out, or that Utah is preferred over Kansas. Not sure if this is accurate just because Pac-10 commish Larry Scott is traveling to Oklahoma and Texas in the next few days to personally invite the five Big XII South members. Plus, Texas and Texas Tech are having their regent meetings Tuesday of next week, and unless they know A&M is out or the league wants to sit at twelve and wait for these other schools is a reason Utah would get an invite.

Here is a twist from Rebelfan1 in the comment section of another post:

But, here’s a new scenario. What if A&M turns down the invite to the Pac-10 just to be turned down by the SEC. Then we would have our choice of A&M, Missouri, and the Kansas – Kansas St. package. Here comes the next fork in the road. Will Utah accept? Let’s say Thompson finds some way to keep Utah in the MWC (probably not going to happen, but this is speculation). At that point we could add Texas A&M and Missouri. Both are good football programs with big TV Markets and lots of fans. At that point it would be no question that the MWC is a BCS Conference.

Now that would be interesting.

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Comments

Utah's not going anywhere

At first everyone was acting like it was a sure thing that Utah was going to join the Pac-10 with Colorado. That didn’t happen. Now Utah fans are hoping A&M chooses the SEC so Utah can be considered as the 16th team, but I’ve learned something during all the speculation. The Pac-10 doesn’t really want Utah as long as there’s a quality team from a BCS conference they can get instead. If A&M chooses the SEC I guarantee you the Pac-10 will go after Kansas over Utah. The markets are about the same size and it just seems the Pac-10 doesn’t really want Utah unless they have no better option. Sorry Utah but you’re not going anywhere.

Don't trust this guy. He lies.

by urnext on Jun 12, 2010 8:25 PM PDT reply actions

Agree with most

Utah is the backup plan. Plain and simple, but I do see Utah more attractive then Kansas mainly because football is the money maker and Utah is better then Kansas in football. A small side for minor sports is travel which would be a pain to go from Seattle to Lawrence, KS but if the money is there for their super tv deal then go for it.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Jun 12, 2010 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions

There's no doubt football is king

And Utah has been better than Kansas although Kansas did have a great year a couple years back when they finished 12-1 I believe. But Kansas isn’t just a good basketball program, they’re one of the most storied college basketball teams in the history of the game. The Pac-(16?) looks like they’ll add several great football teams already with Texas and Oklahoma so it won’t be as huge a priority. And let’s be honest. The Pac-10 was horible last season in basketball sending only 2 teams to the dance. The huge lift KU would give to Pac-whatever basketball I believe would outway the small increase Utah would bring over Kansas in football IMO. And it just looks like they’d prefere to add BCS teams over non-BCS teams, even if that non-BCS team has a good football team.

Don't trust this guy. He lies.

by urnext on Jun 12, 2010 9:09 PM PDT up reply actions

The big problem with Kansas is Kansas State.

The state legislature has the ability to require that both schools stay in the same conference, which would kill KU’s shot at the PAC.

That having been said, it’d be hard for the Kansas gov’t to deny KU the chance to go to the PAC if invited. The revenue stream is far too inviting.

As far as the PAC is concerned, the real beauty of KU is the ability to expand any TV coverage to the Mississippi river (effectively). The Salt Lake area will already be reasonably well enticed simply due to proximity and the number of PAC alums in the area, but KU extends you the the east of Kansas and even some modest parts of Missouri.

by David Hooper on Jun 12, 2010 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions

And if Utah got an invite, they'd spend approximately 0.038 seconds thinking about it.

Then accepting it. I have no doubt that Utah would bolt for the PAC.

by David Hooper on Jun 12, 2010 10:28 PM PDT up reply actions

I don’t think Utah is going anywhere, but I do like scenarios that have TCU play A&M. The only SWC school who has been unwilling to schedule us since the breakup.

It won’t happen though. A&M will get an SEC invite, but will likely join the Big-Pac.

by HawkeyedFrog on Jun 12, 2010 9:13 PM PDT reply actions

According to Chip Brown...

Kansas now has the edge over Utah. I just created a fanpost with the link, or you can go here.

"Hi, my name is Doug. I enjoy walks in the rain and bags of pork rinds."

by JRig on Jun 12, 2010 11:48 PM PDT reply actions

I think its the same reason that urnext stated above

Kansas is an established BCS member who’s played against BCS teams. I mean let’s be honest, the conference schedule is much tougher for Kansas than it is for Utah. All other reasons that urnext said also applies to this comment.

UNLV is going all the way this year!

by rebelfan1 on Jun 13, 2010 6:42 AM PDT up reply actions