A week ago at Big Ten football media days in Indianapolis, Commissioner Tony Petitti was asked about the possibility of further expansion in the conference. Petitti insisted the Big Ten's focus was on making sure the transition of Southern California and UCLA into the league next year goes as smoothly as possible.
Turns out, the wheels in big-time college athletics turn quickly.
On Friday afternoon, the Big Ten announced that Oregon and Washington will join the conference, making for an 18-team league with the Ducks and Huskies beginning play in all sports in the 2024-25 season. The Big Ten's Council of Presidents and Chancellors approved the additions in a vote Friday after Oregon and Washington submitted applications earlier in the day.
"We are excited to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference," Petitti said in a statement. "We look forward to building long-lasting relationships with the universities, administrators and staff, student-athletes, coaches and fans. Both institutions feature a combination of academic and athletic excellence that will prove a great fit for our future.''
How did the additions come about so quickly?
According to reports published Wednesday, the Big Ten presidents started discussing the possibility of adding more Pac-12 teams if that western league couldn't stay united. The Pac-12 was working on a media rights deal this week that reportedly would have relied heavily on the Apple TV streaming service and might have resulted in schools getting only $20 million per year. The financial uncertainty prompted Pac-12 members to seek out conferences that are on better financial footing and that will distribute more money to members than the Pac-12 could. Enter the Big Ten, which is beginning a seven-year, $7 billion media rights deal that could soon distribute $70 million to each school that has a full share.
Colorado was the first to leave the Pac-12, announcing its intentions July 27. Then, on Friday, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah applied for membership in the Big 12, which gave its approval.
The defections leave the Pac-12, which has won an NCAA-best 533 team titles in its history, with only four teams: California, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State. The proud conference suddenly is hanging by a thread.
The addition of the four Pac-12 teams to the Big Ten is a move that largely revolves around football. The Big Ten in June released a framework for football scheduling for the 2024 and 2025 seasons for a 16-team conference. Those will be adjusted to accommodate 18 teams.
Both University of Minnesota interim President Jeff Ettinger and athletic director Mark Coyle issued statements after the Big Ten announcement.
"Washington and Oregon will fit the unrivaled tradition of academic excellence, discovery and innovation that's synonymous with the Big Ten,'' Ettinger's statement said.
Said Coyle: "These are two universities that prioritize academic excellence and broad-based athletic success. … Their addition strengthens the Big Ten and further solidifies it as the premier national conference in college athletics.''
What do Oregon and Washington bring to the Big Ten? Along with the two largest TV markets in the Pacific Northwest — Seattle and Portland — both have solid athletic departments.
In football, the Ducks and Huskies are the only Pac-12 teams to have advanced to the College Football Playoff. Oregon has won eight Pac-12 titles since 2000 and finished as the national runner-up in both 2010 and 2014. Washington has three Pac-12 championships since 2000 and won a share of the national championship in 1991. The Huskies finished 11-2 and ranked No. 8 in last season's final Associated Press Top 25, while the Ducks were 10-3 and ranked No. 15.
In men's basketball, Oregon has missed the NCAA tournament the past two years but had a string of seven appearances in nine years, including a trip to the Final Four in 2017. Washington has made the NCAA tournament only once in the past 12 seasons after earning berths six times in eight years from 2004 to 2011.
In women's basketball, Oregon has reached the NCAA tournament five times in the past seven years, including a Final Four trip in 2019. Washington hasn't made the NCAA women's tournament since 2017, though the Huskies improved from 7-16 in 2021-22 to 19-15 last season.
Oregon's women's volleyball team has advanced to the NCAA tournament 15 times in the past 17 years, reaching the national final in 2012. Washington's women's volleyball team has missed the NCAA tournament the past two years, ending a string of 19 consecutive appearances. The Huskies won the NCAA title in 2005.
