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USC, UCLA reportedly trying to leave Pac-12 for another conference

By Cody Williams

Nov 20, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Kazmeir Allen (19) catches a touchdown pass against Southern California Trojans cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart (6) in the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Kazmeir Allen (19) catches a touchdown pass against Southern California Trojans cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart (6) in the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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USC and UCLA are two dominant brands in the Pac-12 but that relationship with the conference might not be for long according to reports. 

The USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins are two of the most iconic brands in numerous sports for the Pac-12. Losing either or both programs would be devastating for the conference and its future, particularly with other leagues getting stronger at the time.

Now, it seems like we might be heading towards a future in which both programs join another conference and leave the Pac-12 in the dust.

According to Pac-12 insider Jon Wilner, USC and UCLA are planning to leave the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten, hopefully by 2024.

As Wilner notes, this move is far from finalized and there are certainly more negotiations to be had between the schools and the conferences involved, but the report does indicate this is what the Trojans and Bruins want.

Report: USC, UCLA eyeing Big Ten move, leaving Pac-12

Just to address the elephant in the room, yes it’s extremely weird to think about two California schools playing in a conference in which the identity is heavily rooted in the midwest. But alas, that’s the way modern conferences are moving.

Outside of that, though, this is truly a wild bombshell to get dropped at the end of June. In the same yearlong span that we saw Texas and Oklahoma set plans to leave for the SEC and thus shake up the Big 12 in the process, it appears we are now on the brink of two more Power 5 leagues getting shaken up.

Beyond that, this does raise concerns about the future of the Pac-12. Yes, there are still quality programs that have had success in various sports, but losing brands like USC and UCLA is not going to be easy to recover from. As such, seeing what the conference’s next move would be if these two programs do leave would be fascinating moving forward.

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