Tag: Pac-12 Conference

Jul 21, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The Pac-12 Conference logo during Pac-12 Media Day at Resorts World Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Washington State, Oregon State file legal complaint vs. Pac-12

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Washington State and Oregon State filed a legal complaint Friday to solidify their roles as the only voting board members remaining in the collapsing Pac-12 Conference.

With 10 schools within the Pac-12 set to leave the conference at the end of the current academic year, Washington State and Oregon State intend to clarify their roles in, among other things, the distribution of the conference’s assets.

In a filing in Whitman County (Washington) Superior Court, where Washington State is located, both Washington and Oregon State seek a temporary restraining order to define who now sits on the board of directors.

According to the Pac-12 bylaws, any institution that withdraws from the conference prior to Aug. 1, 2024 is no longer allowed to be a member on the board of directors. That would prevent such institutions from voting on matters of importance within the conference.

At issue is a Sept. 12 meeting called by Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff, where board members from all 12 schools were invited, including the 10 that are set to depart. The exodus began in June 2022 when Southern California and UCLA elected to depart to the Big Ten Conference starting with the 2024-25 school year.

When USC and UCLA left, neither institution was able to take a seat on the board of directors. When Colorado announced a move in July to the Big 12, the school also was not allowed to participate in board meetings. Since then, seven more schools have elected to depart.

If the conference is disbanded permanently, assets from the Pac-12 Network, the College Football Playoff in January, the men’s basketball tournament at Las Vegas in March and the Pac-12 brand itself all come into question.

There has been no decision on whether the Pac-12 will cease to exist, or if Washington State and Oregon State will remain in a conference that will need to be reconstructed.

The legal filing by Washington State and Oregon State does not request a halt on the 10 institutions leaving to new conferences. Its primary goal is to define what schools can now sit on the Pac 12 board and hold a vote.

–Field Level Media

Oct 13, 2021; San Francisco, CA, USA; Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff speaks to the media during the Pac-12 men s basketball media day. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Pac-12 commissioner cautions of ‘harm’ from USC, UCLA departures

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff took an optimistic approach in his address at the opening of the conference’s media day Friday, while also chastising Southern California and UCLA for what he characterized as a money grab over their impending moves to the Big Ten.

While USC and UCLA will continue to participate in Pac-12 athletics for the next two academic years, their conference opponents starting in 2024 all will reside in the Midwest or in the East.

“Increased revenue can help us support our student-athletes but a singular focus on money will certainly cause more harm than good,” Kliavkoff said.

Some of that harm for student-athletes, according to Kliavkoff, could come in the form of longer travel for the departing programs, which now ill be subject to more difficult travel requirements.

“Our long-term measure for the success of college athletics cannot be how much money we consolidate into 10 or five or two conferences, but rather should be our ability to support the largest number of student-athletes while still facilitating competition between schools and conferences,” Kliavkoff said in prepared remarks. “We should be measuring how many lives we can change.”

But he stopped short of burning a bridge in the relationship with both Los Angeles-based schools, particularly with UCLA.

“There are a lot of constituents related to UCLA who are very, very, very unhappy with the decision,” he said. “Student-athletes, the families of student-athletes. The faculty, the staff. The politicians, the fans, the alumni. There’s a lot of really, really upset people with that decision …

“I think it is unlikely. But if they come back, we welcome them back.”

While the Pac-12 is actively exploring the addition of new member schools, it also is not done with the Los Angeles area despite the upcoming departure of the only two Division I football programs in the region.

“Southern California is really important to us,” Kliavkoff said. “I think there are different ways of approaching staying part of Southern California. We may end up playing a lot of football games in L.A.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 27, 2020; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Tyler Shough (12) throws against the Oregon State Beavers during the first half at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Oregon to use lifeline against USC for Pac-12 title

Posted on | by Field Level Media

When the pandemic-delayed Pac-12 Conference football season started, Oregon and Southern California were the favorites to reach the title game.

The Ducks and No. 15 Trojans will indeed play for the Pac-12 championship on Friday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but not without some twists and one final unexpected turn.

The Ducks (3-2) finished second in the Pac-12’s North Division behind Washington, but a COVID-19 spike in the Huskies’ program knocked them out of the title game Monday morning. Oregon’s game with Washington last weekend was canceled.

That left South Division champion USC (5-0) to start tweaking its game plan Monday afternoon.

“We control what we control, and that’s us,” USC coach Clay Helton said. “We’re just happy to be in this opportunity, and we’re going to make the most of it. We’re going to have a great plan, and we’re going to execute that plan because we’re going to do the things that we do well.”

The Trojans, who rallied from an 18-point deficit to defeat rival UCLA 43-38 on Saturday, knew there was a possibility Washington might not be able to play. So Helton had his coaching staff prepare for the Huskies during the day and the Ducks at night.

USC’s first three opponents of the season — Arizona State, Arizona and Utah – were playing their 2020 openers when the Trojans lined up against them, so the team is used to having limited game film to study.

“Not knowing who we’re going to play, I think our coaches make it easy on us,” said USC’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has a conference-leading 36 receptions. “I think it’s harder on them than it is on us. They’re making the game plan, doing all the hard work. If we listen to our coaches and go out there and do what they say, I think we’ll be fine.”

St. Brown’s 8-yard touchdown reception with 16 seconds remaining capped the comeback against UCLA, the third time this season the Trojans have rallied to win in the final seconds.

The Ducks were on pace to win the division title until dropping their past two games on the road:41-38 to Oregon State and 21-17 to previously winless California. Oregon was No. 21 in the College Football Playoff rankings before its latest loss.

“I see a team that’s really trying. I see a coaching staff that’s working their tails off,” Ducks coach Mario Cristobal said. “We haven’t done good enough the last two weeks.”

Oregon’s Tyler Shough is the conference’s top-rated passer, having completed 91 of 143 passes for 1,389 yards and 11 touchdowns against four interceptions. USC’s Kedon Slovis has thrown for a league-best 1,601 yards and 15 TDs, including five Saturday. He is 149-of-212 passing on the season.

The Trojans might be without their leading rusher, Vavae Malepeai, who sprained his knee late against UCLA. Malepeai rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown in the rivalry game.

Just having a chance to play is good enough for the Trojans.

“Having come from not having a season at all to being in the Pac-12 championship is awesome,” St. Brown said.

–Field Level Media