6/30/2022 football Edit

USC and UCLA to the Big Ten. What does it all mean and what's next?

Alec Lasley • TheHoosier

Senior Writer

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On Thursday, it was announced that USC and UCLA would be leaving the Pac-12 and joining the Big Ten -- news that shook college athletics.

While the move won't take effect until 2024, its a move that not only rivals the Texas and Oklahoma move from the Big 12 to the SEC, but may even take the conference re-alignment to the next level.

There is no question that the Big Ten was one of the least 'sexy' markets being in the midwest and despite large contracts for media rights, there was and still is no renewal contract after 2023. The Big Ten is in the midst of a six-year, $2.64 billion deal with Fox and ESPN that expires in 2023.

Now you add in one of the largest markets in the entire country and it's monumental for this conference and what could be next in college sports.

So, just what does it mean for the Big Ten and the rest of the conferences moving forward. TheHoosier.com sat down with some of Rivals national analysts on both the football and basketball side to discuss the impact.

"More than anything, it shows there is no conference loyalty and it all just comes down to TV money and contracts and wherever you get the biggest TV markets into the conference," Rivals national football recruiting director Adam Gorney said. "But I do think it makes it a whole lot more interesting of a landscape."

The Big Ten has 'star power' like Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State among others who have dominated much of the Big Ten on the football side of things for the last decade. Basketball wise, you have an Indiana program on the rise and Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin who have all been to a National Championship game in the last decade.

With conversations already happening regarding divisions -- and especially on the football side of the conference -- the addition of USC especially makes scheduling an even hotter topic of discussion.

"USC going to an Ohio state or a Michigan or a Penn state... it's essentially a Rose Bowl every weekend now," Gorney said. "So it makes it so much more interesting.

"It certainly would help if USC was in the West. But I don't think it's all that thrilling to have USC play Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska all those schools in the West. The East is so much better so going to one conference and scheduling it out that way. just adding that media market and those schools definitely has people talking about the Big Ten maybe more than normal."

Obviously the Los Angeles market is one of the top two or three -- if not the top -- market in the country. The eyes on the conference will now just be added to a conference that was already making billions of dollars each year. There are now reports that the Big Ten could make over $100 million annually with the addition of USC and UCLA in just media rights.

"I think the situation they found themselves in is 'we need a big media market and we have the Pac-12 to take those teams'," Gorney said. "The Los Angeles media market is huge... certainly helped them look away from how far away and regionality things were... they know the viewership will be there and the sorta tie in to the Rose bowl (played a huge part)."

The biggest difference when it comes to the football and basketball side of the conference relates to the recruiting impact this has on the conference.

For basketball, most recruitments hit more regionally and nationally. For football, there is a large emphasis on in-state pull. Now, for middle of the pack teams, it's a different approach that they will need to take in order to compete in the league.

"It will affect recruiting less in basketball than it does football because the scene is has always been more national on the hoops side," Rivals national basketball recruiting director Rob Cassidy said. "Recruiting a basketball player from the west coast to a Big Ten school has never really been a hard sell, but this may make it slightly easier."

"When Colorado and Utah joined the Pac-12 you had a lot of California kids going there that wouldn't have gone there before," Gorney added. "There are kids overlooked and can take a shot and go to the midwest and say ' an Indiana is showing me a lot of love' and do something there and still come back and play twice a year (near home)... that has helped those fringe Pac-12 teams in the recent years in at lest getting those talented California kids out of the state."

Recruiting is another aspect that will certainly work itself out, especially with NIL involved. But it's also what happens on the field. The Big Ten -- in both basketball and football -- are known for a more 'slug it out' type of style. The Pac-12 is known more for the athleticism and speed of the game. So, an interesting dynamic has to change for both sides in order to compete on both the court and on the field.

"I think it gets problematic for those teams," Gorney said of the middle of the pack Big Ten programs. "UCLA has struggled for years and I don't think that is a concern... but when it comes to USC with an elite coach and elite recruits now... for Minnesota, Indiana, now has to come to California and has to play a USC on the schedule, as Scott Frost tries to keep his job there at Nebraska, or for Purdue trying to find some footing, we are talking about some of the best speed players in the country going to those (Pac-12) schools and they haven't seen anything like this in the Big Ten outside of Ohio State and that becomes difficult for them."

"Obviously it’s huge for the in-court product because both LA schools come equipped with history and a reputation for producing high level NBA talent," Cassidy added.

USC has won five Rose Bowl games since 2022 and has been to two New Years Six Bowl games since 2016. UCLA has produced 11 National Championships on the basketball court. They have also been to seven Sweet Sixteens and four Final Fours since 2006.

Adding both continue to add to the rich history that the Big Ten already has with its athletics.