The Pac-12 is about to die. Stanford and Cal are about to move to the ACC. Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado are about to flee to the Big 12. USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington will soon pack their bags for the Big Ten. The conference we in the Western United States have known and grown up with will cease to exist in any meaningful sense. The pain of seeing the Pac-12 die was increased at the 2024 NFL draft. On the first night in the first round, eight Pac-12 players were picked, second only to the mighty Southeastern Conference.
USA TODAY Sports NFL draft analyst Nate Davis did not miss this point:
“The once-vaunted conference is effectively dead, cannibalized by the expansion of other FBS football leagues. But it went out with a nice bang, eight players – with (Caleb) Williams at the top – tabbed Thursday. It didn’t beat out the SEC, but a nice homage to the once-great West Coast football forum.”
It’s a real shame the conference couldn’t stay together, but its leaders — the Pac-12 CEO Group — can’t blame anyone else. This death happened from within.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.
Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.