CORVALLIS, Oregon — The Pac-12 is down to just four schools after the 2023-24 season, with Stanford and Cal nearing an agreement to join the ACC and leaving just Oregon State and Washington State remaining in the 108-year-old conference.
The Beavers and Cougars are not getting invited into any remaining Power-5 conferences, leaving them with three real options: join the Mountain West in a standard realignment move, join the AAC also in a standard realignment move, or rebuild the Pac-12 using schools in the Mountain West - a move dubbed the 'reverse merger'.
However, as Locked on Pac-12 host Spencer McLaughlin broke down on a recent episode, convincing the Mountain West to give up their brand and join what's left of the Pac-12 is not going to be an easy feat.
"There is presently no media deal that has been agreed to by anyone for the Pac," McLaughlin said. "The Mountain West schools who would be coming over as part of this reverse merger would have to be willing to trust that the Pac leadership would be able to get them a deal."
The reasoning for this from Oregon State and Washington State's perspective is simple, as a full dissolution of the Pac-12 would result in all 12 former members equally splitting the conference's assets - whereas a reverse merger would entitle the two remaining schools to everything.
But would the Mountain West be willing to abandon their brand and currently secure media rights deal to join a conference on the verge of dissolving, especially when the current leadership was unable to deliver a media deal in the first place? It's hard to imagine, although a few factors could help turn the tide.
The Pac-12's current status as an autonomous five conference gives them independence from standard NCAA rules, and if they were able to keep that it would be enticing for the Mountain West schools, as well as access to the Pac-12 Network and any additional assets the conference still currently has.
It's easy to see the appeal of a reverse merger for the two remaining Pac-12 schools, assuming Stanford and Cal do depart, but convincing the Mountain West to make this jump is a significant hurdle and one that may not be resolved anytime soon.