The Bruins and Trojans are not the only programs making the trek to the Midwest.
Oregon and Washington announced their acceptances to the Big Ten Conference on Friday evening, becoming the 17th and 18th partner schools for the 2024-2025 athletic year. The Pacific Northwest universities join UCLA and USC as the four active Pac-12 schools to switch conference affiliations to the Big Ten.
“We are excited to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference,” said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti in a statement. “Both institutions feature a combination of academic and athletic excellence that will prove a great fit for our future.”
Friday’s news almost didn’t happen, with a last-minute attempt to hold the remaining Pac-12 schools together occurring.
The Pac-12’s then-nine remaining programs – excluding Colorado, which had already departed back to the Big 12 July 27 – were set to sign a Grant of Rights agreement, according to Yahoo Sports’ senior college football reporter Ross Dellenger, which would have locked Oregon and Washington into the conference’s new media rights deal with Apple.
Dellenger reported hours later, however, that Oregon had concerns over the media deal and that the agreement was off the table, adding that the Big Ten had a meeting planned for later in the day.
By the end of Friday, the Ducks and Huskies were officially the newest members of the Big Ten.
“Accepting membership into the Big Ten Conference is a transformational opportunity for the University of Oregon to change the short and long-term trajectory of our university and athletics department,” said Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens in a statement.
Washington shared similar sentiments in its announcement.
“The Big Ten’s history of athletic and academic success and long-term stability best positions our teams for future success, and we are energized at the opportunity to compete at the highest level against some of the best programs in the country,” said Washington athletic director Jen Cohen in a statement.
When UCLA and USC joined the Big Ten in June 2022, the programs earned full shares in the conference, worth more than $60 million annually. Unlike the Los Angeles schools, Oregon and Washington will receive half shares at $30 million, with one-year, $1 million increments until 2030, before earning full shares in the next television deal in fall 2030, according to ESPN senior writer Adam Rittenberg.
[Related: UCLA, USC to leave Pac-12 for the Big Ten as early as 2024]
The Big Ten announced its 2024 and 2025 football schedules on June 8, reviewing the Bruins’ new foes. But now, with the introduction of the Ducks and Huskies to the slate, the conference will have to restructure the games ahead.
UCLA and USC have yet to announce travel-related solutions for soon-to-be regular trips to the likes of Rutgers and Wisconsin, but familiar flights to Eugene and Seattle will give student-athletes and coaches some familiarity in the first few years of the transition.
UCLA Athletics declined a request for comment about Oregon and Washington joining the Big Ten alongside UCLA and USC.
Other Pac-12 programs made announcements of their own following Oregon and Washington’s move. The Big 12 later accepted Arizona, Arizona State and Utah as partner universities Friday night.
California, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State – the four remaining Pac-12 schools – have not been invited to the Big Ten or the Big 12.
Possible mergers for the Pac-12 with the Mountain West or Big West have not been reported yet, but the Atlantic Coast Conference has explored adding Cal and Stanford, according to ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel.
As of Monday, the West Coast’s only Power 5 conference is left with just one-third of its teams.
The Pac-12’s current athletic schedule will continue as planned for the 2023-2024 year in UCLA’s final season among its Pacific rivals.
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