As a reborn Pac-12 seeks to fill out its roster shifting ahead, the very best candidate is apparent: Go get Gonzaga

Thursday’s information that Oregon State and Washington State had efficiently pulled off a hostile invasion of the Mountain West and lured Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State to reform the Pac-12 was considerably sudden, by way of how comparatively rapidly it got here collectively. It additionally places the Mountain West in peril. 

“You have gotta be excited, as a result of the choice is being a type of groups being left behind,” one Mountain West supply advised CBS Sports activities. “Whether or not it is the proper transfer for us or not, it does not matter. The choice is you are the Summit League or the previous WAC.” 

Like that, the Pac-2 turned a Pac-6. Irrespective of the subsequent measurement to return, branding wins out, so, yeah: It is nonetheless going to name itself the Pac-12. And it will not be the Summit League or the previous WAC, that is for certain. 

This newest main shakeup to school athletics doubles as a rebirth for some of the acclaimed leagues in faculty sports activities historical past. Oregon State and Wazzu have been left for useless, however now, due to having lots of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} after successful in court docket after each different former Pac-12 faculty fled to the Huge Ten, Huge 12 or ACC, the victims have was the hunters. Extra faculties can be becoming a member of these Pac-6 within the months forward. Who, although? 

Sources inform CBS Sports activities {that a} batch of applications within the American Athletic Convention — Memphis, North Texas, Rice, Tulane, UTSA, even South Florida — are into account for invites. We’ll see what number of obtain the bids. Choices based mostly on soccer potential can be guiding the way in which, as normal. Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould and the six presidents of the colleges within the rebranded Pac-12 try to refashion a century-old league with sufficient soccer bona fides to separate from the remainder of the Group of 5 conferences. Perhaps they may, possibly they will not. I am undecided. 

However what I’m certain of is, in this occasion with this rising convention and the alternatives that await, soccer does not must be the solely driving pressure. There is a three-word dictum that ought to be on the high of each presentation deck Pac-6 ADs and presidents show internally within the weeks/months forward. 

GO GET GONZAGA.

Because the Pac-12 tries to reestablish respectability in soccer, an irony lingers: its largest attainable addition is a faculty that does not have a soccer program. 

There is no such thing as a faculty that might create extra optimistic suggestions, larger headlines and convey an even bigger status enhance to the reborn Pac-12 shifting ahead than the Zags. Gonzaga has such nationwide cachet, it could immediately be the flagship basketball entity on this league. 

Together with GU would result in such aggressive credibility, the convention would get an improve throughout the hierarchy of faculty basketball. The Pac-12, because it beforehand existed, was too entitled and haughty to ever contemplate bringing on Gonzaga. 

However that is the brand new Pac-12. And in an effort to maximise its marketability and potential, it must chase the Bulldogs. A high-ranking Pac-12 supply advised CBS Sports activities on Friday that they’re open-minded to any choices in enlargement. Which means Gonzaga is, on the very least, within the dialogue. Whether or not Gonzaga is on board with this stays to be seen; there are circumstances for GU to remain put within the WCC, particularly with unknowns about how a lot cash stands to be made for Gonzaga if it did make a transfer.

What’s irrefutable is that no potential Pac-12 candidate on the market has the year-over-year (over-year-over-year-over-year) relevancy of Gonzaga. GU has made each March Insanity since 1999. Its successful proportion in that span (.834) ranks No. 1 in males’s faculty basketball. Gonzaga’s made two nationwide title video games and been ranked No. 1 within the AP Prime 25 42 instances prior to now 25 years. It has been ranked 325 weeks within the span — solely trailing Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Arizona and Michigan State. 

No program (present or potential) within the Pac-12’s attain is extra of a needle-mover than the Zags. Mark Few, not but a Naismith Memorial Corridor of Fame coach, is sort of more likely to someday get there. The fan base is among the many most passionate in faculty athletics; GU boasts a top-10 dwelling court docket benefit within the sport. The geography is ideal. The inherent rivalries with Washington State and Oregon State make sense. (These faculties can be outright fools in the event that they tried to cease this from occurring. Gonzaga would solely deliver them larger possibilities at elevated relevance in basketball.)

Plus: Gonzaga’s principally obtained nowhere else to go, aside from to remain within the WCC. Perhaps it does keep within the WCC, however truth is Gonzaga has performed footsie with three different leagues over the previous decade-plus, to no avail.

Commissioner Brett Yormark’s curiosity in bringing on Gonzaga within the Huge 12, which was publicly identified and topic to plenty of reckless hypothesis within the again finish of 2023, is not a factor. Gonzaga’s possibilities of becoming a member of that league are completed. Too many league presidents and ADs in that convention quietly put the kibosh on it final December — and to be clear, though Gonzaga was in fact open to the thought, it additionally wasn’t begging to get in, based on sources. 

The Huge East can also be not on the desk for the Zags. As has been defined to me a half-dozen instances lately by Gonzaga and Huge East sources, the solely factor stopping a Huge East/Gonzaga marriage is geography. I can safely report that Gonzaga is just not shifting its campus to the Midwest, subsequently it isn’t a candidate for Huge East membership.

Within the late 2010s, Gonzaga significantly explored whether or not it could be price it to maneuver to the Mountain West. In the end, the cons outweighed the professionals. That call seems significantly eager now. With the MW being the most recent league to face an existential disaster, the one convention that may very well be a candidate for Gonzaga to maneuver is that this new Pac-12.

Nonetheless, the Bulldogs profit from a novel association within the WCC. Due to their dominance, they’re successfully auto-placed into the WCC semifinals yearly. They’ve taken an outsized portion of NCAA Match cash (rightfully so) and are kings of the WCC, lording over the league on the court docket but additionally within the decision-making rooms as properly. That has its perks, little doubt. Would the Pac-12 put Gonzaga ready to be extra worthwhile? Wouldn’t it be keen to surrender its leverage to maneuver to a convention league that expects to be higher-profile? No person is aware of but; it could be on the Pac-12 to persuade Gonzaga.

However as I’ve written and mentioned a couple of instances earlier than, Few (61) understandably needs to depart Gonzaga in the very best place when he retires. That retirement may very well be two years away, it may very well be eight years away. Would staying within the WCC maintain Gonzaga’s annual bid for nationwide relevance in a greater spot than within the Pac-12?

I am not making an attempt to drag aside the WCC. The environs of convention realignment are harsh and excessive stakes. What been completed to school sports activities’ traditions and norms prior to now few years (and even earlier than that) is dispiriting on many ranges. Consolidation of powers is bringing about plenty of dangerous penalties, a few of which will not be realized in aggressive or monetary methods till we attain 2030 or so. 

And we nonetheless do not know what the NCAA panorama goes to appear to be by way of laws and income sharing … and we would not have these solutions for at least a 12 months. Making huge modifications like this with out having these solutions is a giant leap of religion. There is no telling how a lot cash the brand new Pac-12 will get in a media rights deal, and whether or not Gonzaga would truly stand to make more cash on this league vs. what it has going for it within the WCC. 

As one WCC supply put it to me: “It is dangerous.”

However there’s the opposite finish of this: A future with a league that might probably power-rate greater than the WCC. The Pac-12 goes to get a minimum of one other two, however possibly three or 4 faculties with huge soccer ambitions searching for a recent begin. Memphis (would Memphis do that??) can be a jolt of an addition, however even Memphis is not on Gonzaga’s degree in basketball. It isn’t shut, actually. In the event you get Gonzaga, you’ve got two applications (GU, San Diego State) that performed for a nationwide title prior to now 4 seasons. In the event you get Gonzaga, you alter the outlook and way forward for your convention. You turn into greater than only a Group of Six convention. The Pac-12 is again, and that is finally an excellent factor for school sports activities. However with out a minimum of one true nationwide energy in hoops, its profile and potential can solely attain up to now. There’s just one faculty that may deliver it to a better degree.

Go get Gonzaga.