Amid Pac-12 implosion rumors, George Kliavkoff remains unfazed and vows to win national championship this season: Reports
Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff is unfazed by the rumors of impending implosion of his conference. The 'Conference of Champions' is on the verge of collapse after witnessing a mass exodus of its schools a few weeks ago, potentially ending its more than 100 years of history in college sports.
Coming out of the College Football Playoff meeting in Dallas, Kliavkoff told The Athletic he is focused on the future of the Pac-12. When questioned about what the future held for him, the conference commissioner said:
"The Pac-12 is winning a national championship this year."
Kliavkoff's statement brings in a bit of hope amid uncertainties concerning the conference's fate after 2024. The USC Trojans are the highest-ranked Pac-12 contender, coming No. 6 in the AP Preseason Top 25.
With an implosion forthcoming, there is a possible way of survival for the "dying conference." College insiders believe the 'Conference of Champions' could end up going through an expansion.
Is a Pac-12 expansion possible?
Expansion is the only lifeline for the Pac-12 to survive, with just four teams left in the conference. Adding at least four more teams from Group of Five conferences and securing a new media deal practically ensures the league survives the months of chaos.
However, two of the four remaining schools are not open to the idea of expansion. Stanford and Cal are instead exploring the possibility of joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. This comes as a significant obstacle to the chance of seeing the expansion occur.
Nonetheless, former West Virginia athletic director and XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck has been hired to explore the possibility of keeping the league alive. With Oregon State and Washington State keen to rebuild the conference, something might be on the cards.
Can USC win the CFP national championship?
George Kliavkoff's assertion that the Pac-12 will win the national championship comes out as something wild, considering the last time a team from the league achieved that. The conference hasn't had a football national champion since the USC Trojans' success in 2004.
With USC outrightly the best team in college football currently, the question is whether they can go on to claim the national title in the upcoming season. The Trojans had an impressive season in 2022 but missed out on a CFB Playoff spot after losing the conference title game to Utah.
However, the team is back again this season to challenge for the title. With 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams still leading the team's offense, there’s a chance that the Trojans can make it to the College Football Playoff National Championship in the upcoming season.