Amid Washington to Big Ten rumors, President Kirk Schulz releases a public statement on his readiness to accept reality
Washington to Big Ten seems to be on the cards as another Pac-12 team is finding a new home. However, not every team is happy about the decision, as some wanted to stick together with the Pac-12 and look to improve from within.
The leadership of the Washington State Cougars filed a joint statement about the decisions of some Pac-12 members.
Washington State President Kirk Schulz and Director of Athletics Pat Chun said:
"We are disappointed with the recent decisions by some of our Pac-12 peers.
"While we had hoped that our membership would remain together, this outcome was always a possibility, and we have been working diligently to determine what is next for Washington State Athletics. We've prepared for numerous scenarios, including our current situation.
With exceptional student-athletes, a strong Cougar tradition and incredible support from our fans, donors and alumni, we will chart the best path forward together."
With the Pac-12 down to just four teams remaining after Washington joins Big Ten, there seem to be some hard feelings going around.
With Washington heading to the Big Ten, what's next for the Pac-12?
With Washington to the Big Ten seemingly in the works, the Pac-12 seems to be at the end of its life cycle. With a majority of programs finding new homes throughout the Power Five, there is a huge issue with expecting the Pac-12 to be a solid conference going forward.
The four remaining teams - Oregon State Beavers, Washington State Cougars, Stanford Cardinal and California Golden Bears - do not have much drawing power on their own.
The Pac-12 media deal seems to be struggling as their most public offer was the Apple TV deal that was behind the paywall and had no linear television.
Furthermore, Washington's move means there is a huge absence in the Pac-12 while the Big Ten continues to expand. The Pac-12 needs to establish a new media rights deal as they are struggling to find a partner.
Having a deal would establish how much money each program would make and help attract more programs to the conference.
The Pac-12 reportedly asked for a merger with some conferences and since that does not seem to be in the cards either, the Conference of Champions may just be another conference.
College football as a whole is dealing with a lot of changes to its core and Washington to Big 12 proves just that.