10 schools the conference should target

The Pac-12 is at a loss following the sudden departures of UCLA and USC to the Big Ten. Nearly six million households in the Los Angeles area are now gone from the conference, making expansion an almost required next step.

A merger is another option, but the Big 12 isn’t interested, and the ACC would be difficult logistically.

Acknowledging the expected impact of the Pac-12’s potential next media rights deal, commissioner George Kilavkoff has the Mountain West nearby to poach from. The Big 12 and AAC are also of possibility, albeit not many of those schools are likely interested.

Below are 10 schools (varying in viability) that the Pac-12 should target for expansion:

UNLV

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Not a Power 5 school, but the Las Vegas market is valuable — just ask the Raiders. UNLV also has a strong basketball history. Football needs to improve, though.

Gonzaga

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Gonzaga’s recent success makes the Bulldogs an intriguing basketball-only school for the Pac-12 to add.

TCU

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While TCU’s religious history may not be attractive for the Pac-12, the Horned Frogs would be a valuable first footprint in Texas. The Athletic wrote this on TCU potentially joining the Pac-12:

TCU brings one issue in that the Pac-12 typically has had little interest in schools with religious affiliations. But over the past several years, TCU has distanced itself from those ties. The Pac-12 is also in no position to be picky.

San Diego State

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Perhaps the most obvious school for the Pac-12 to seek, San Diego State would allow the conference to get at least some of that Southern California market back.

Boise State

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Boise State football has earned my respect.

SMU

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SMU, like TCU, is also a school with religious affiliations. But, Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News sees some upside:

If the conference desires a foothold in Texas, the Mustangs stand as the easiest add. Unlike Houston, they were not invited into the Big 12 and remain in the depleted American Athletic Conference.

SMU carries the obvious religious affiliation and is neither a member of the AAU or an R1 research…