Conference Realignment

CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah recaps yesterday’s Pac-12’s Media Days, where the Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff took shots at the Big 12 for allegedly attempting to poach Pac-12 teams. The weird thing is that Kliavkoff took no shots at the Big Ten.

ac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff started cordial, but couldn’t help but take shots at a Big 12 that he claimed was trying to “destabilize” his league — as recently as this week.

“The tampering continues,” Kliavkoff told 247Sports. “The good news is my presidents and chancellors and athletic directors forward me all those messages. I have a big collection of those messages.”

The Pac-12 and Big 12 are battling for many of the same media rights as the leagues have contracts that end in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Several Big 12 schools fought to try to get into the Pac-12 last year, but now several Big 12 schools have turned their eyes on adding Pac-12 schools.

“I’ve been spending four weeks trying to defend against grenades that have been lobbed from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our remaining conference,” Kliavkoff said. “I understand why they’re doing it, when you look at the media value between the two conferences. I get it, I get why they’re scared.”

CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd writes that Kliavkoff said that no Pac-12 school is joining the Big 12 and Pac-12 presidents are evaluating options:

Now, those presidents are evaluating their options. Sources told CBS Sports the Big 12 is optimistic about their annual media rights being “much bigger” than $30 million per year beginning in 2025. That figure is currently the Pac-12 ceiling with its 10 remaining members, according to industry sources.

SMU has been mentioned as a possibility for the Pac-12 to get into the rich Texas recruiting grounds, but there is a reason it’s still in the American. TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech (Big 12) and Texas (leaving the Big 12 for the SEC) are more valued by other conferences.

San Diego State looks like Utah from a few years ago — poised for entry into the big time after years of investing in its athletic infrastructure. The new Snapdragon Stadium is one of the finest venues in the country.

I don’t know that I had seen a concrete figure for the Pac-12 deal, but this says that it is $30 million and it would seem the Big 12 could do better than that.

Football

Hell yeah.

College Football News has their Preseason All-Big 12 team and no Red Raiders made the team, but Tyree Wilson and Tyler Shough made their top 30 players.