Conference realignment has made some strange bedfellows, and with the Pac-12 now down to four schools, more odd arrangements are being discussed.
On Monday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the ACC has two calls scheduled in the next 24 hours to “vet and have early exploratory discussions” on the possibility of adding Cal and Stanford to the league.
“One [call] is for ACC athletic directors and the other for the league’s presidents and chancellors,” Thamel tweeted.
Sources: In the next 24 hours, there’s two calls for the ACC to vet and have early exploratory discussions on the potential addition of Cal and Stanford. One is for ACC athletic directors and the other for the league’s presidents and chancellors.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 7, 2023
Needless to say, this report has raised eyebrows around the football world.
“The All Coast Conference works, tbh,” said ESPN’s Peter Burns.
The All Coast Conference works tbh
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) August 7, 2023
“So much for ‘Putting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the AFC West in their first NFL season is the worst mix of football and geography I’ve ever seen,'” said NFL writer Doug Farrar.
So much for “Putting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the AFC West in their first NFL season is the worst mix of football and geography I’ve ever seen.” https://t.co/w2hYzhkpmw
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) August 7, 2023
“Feels like a very #goacc move to add the schools all the other leagues left behind,” added longtime Virginia Tech writer Andy Bitter.
Feels like a very #goacc move to add the schools all the other leagues left behind. https://t.co/WrFtPMOGBO
— Andy Bitter (@AndyBitterVT) August 7, 2023
“What are we even doing anymore?” wondered WVSports.com’s Keenan Cummings.
What are we even doing anymore? https://t.co/SJVj3mTzUu
— Keenan Cummings (@rivalskeenan) August 7, 2023
“Cal and Stanford going to the ACC makes sense to me if they’re not going to the Big Ten. Remember that former ESPN president John Skipper mentioned that the ACC Network carriage deals automatically add any new state to basic cable (and California is the largest state),” added Illinois fan and college sports blogger Frank the Tank.
Cal and Stanford going to the ACC makes sense to me if they’re not going to the Big Ten. Remember that former ESPN president John Skipper mentioned that the ACC Network carriage deals automatically add any new state to basic cable (and California is the largest state). https://t.co/trFVu0KMXi
— Frank the Tank (@frankthetank111) August 7, 2023
“But… but… they’re on the PACIFIC coast,” pointed out sports reporter and UNC alum Simone Scott.
But… but… they’re on the PACIFIC coast. https://t.co/GzEeAKqWT0
— Simone Scott (@Simone_Scott) August 7, 2023
The Pac-12 was already losing USC and UCLA to the Big Ten in 2024, and the conference has been further raided in recent weeks.
Oregon and Washington are also Big Ten-bound, with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah heading to the Big 12. That leaves Cal, Stanford, Washington State and Oregon State as the last ones standing.