What are the chances of Arizona and ASU leaving the Pac-12 conference in the future?
Arizona sports betting enthusiasts have reason to celebrate as the start of the college football season is just around the corner, less than a month away.
Get ready for an action-packed season as the Arizona Wildcats and Arizona State Sun Devils kick off their games in early September. The Wildcats will go head-to-head with San Diego State on Sept. 3, while the Sun Devils will battle NAU on Sept. 1. Fans can expect lots of thrilling moments on the field as the season gets underway.
When the games start, yengols.com is the go-to source for the best Arizona sports betting promo codes.
Besides the football field, the main focus for both schools is the trajectory of their sports programs.
This is the result of the announcement made by USC and UCLA in the early morning hours of July 1, when both Pac-12 schools disclosed their decision to depart from nine decades of tradition and join the Big Ten in all sports.
This means that the remaining 10 universities will have to fend for themselves, as analysts are skeptical about whether the conference can survive the loss of two of its top programs.
While we eagerly anticipate news from Tempe and Tucson, we can begin to speculate about their future conference affiliations using the information currently available.
The Pac-12 is anticipated to stay together until 2024 when the conference’s media rights deal ends, at which point the Trojans and Bruins are rumored to be joining the Big Ten.
yengols.com reports that there is a strong possibility of the conference expanding, with San Diego State being the top contender to join the Pac-12.
Yengols.com predicts the future outcomes for Arizona and Arizona State in the years ahead.
Arizona Next Conference Odds
Predicting the Future of the Wildcats
The analysis of Arizona is greatly shaped by the school’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence and its strong ties to the other Pac-12 universities.
According to the AAU’s website, the Wildcats are one of 63 universities across the country to receive the prestigious Association of American Universities designation. This recognition highlights their role as a worldwide leader in innovation, research, and solutions that drive scientific advancements, economic growth, security, and overall well-being.
Among the 63 schools, nine are part of the current Pac-12 conference (Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Cal, Stanford, USC, UCLA, Colorado, and Washington), whereas the Big-12 conference includes only two members (Kansas and Texas).
Arizona does not align well academically or socially with the current member institutions of the Big 12.
While academics may not be the primary motivator in collegiate athletics, university presidents struggle to rationalize moving from a prestigious academic institution such as the Pac-12 to a less established conference like the Big 12.
After that, the Wildcats realistically have only two other options: trying to join the Big Ten (though this is improbable given the conference’s hesitance to admit more established programs like Oregon and Washington).
It seems improbable that the Wildcats would move down from the “Power Five” conference level, making it highly unlikely that they would contemplate joining the Mountain West Conference.
The days of a football program being able to thrive as an independent are long gone, with Notre Dame being the only exception in the current sports environment.
The Fighting Irish, traditionally known for their football independence, are now considering the idea of joining a conference, suggesting a change in perspective regarding the advantages of being part of the existing conference structure.
Arizona is counting on the Ducks and Huskies remaining in the Pac-12, as it is their preferred option at the moment.
Arizona State’s conference odds for the upcoming season are as follows:
Examining the Future of the Sun Devils
President Michael Crow and Athletic Director Ray Anderson have shown that the Sun Devils are unwilling to embrace change under their leadership.
The school’s ongoing support for head football coach Herm Edwards, despite an NCAA investigation into illegal recruiting tactics, demonstrates their unwavering loyalty to him.
Even with five assistant coaches, including defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce and offensive coordinator Zak Hill, resigning due to the NCAA’s investigation this offseason, Edwards has somehow been able to retain his position as head coach.
It appears that there is a strong commitment to preserving the status quo, leading individuals such as Crow and Anderson to be hesitant about undertaking the extensive process of rebuilding the school’s culture that would accompany a conference switch.
It is worth noting that Crow often boasts about ASU’s reputation as an innovator, frequently claiming that the Sun Devils outshine prestigious schools like Stanford and Harvard in this area.
It is improbable that Crow will switch from the Cardinal to the Big 12, so we anticipate a greater likelihood of them remaining in the Pac-12 over their rivals in Tucson.
After that, ASU is left with few options. The Big Ten probably won’t invite them, and giving up a large portion of media revenue to join the Mountain West or become independent wouldn’t be a smart move for any college administrator right now.
This suggests that the Sun Devils and Wildcats are likely to remain in the “Conference of Champions” in the future, competing against teams such as Oregon State and Washington State instead of Texas Tech and Kansas State, whether they like it or not.
Odds for the 2022 Pac-12 Football Championship
Arizona betting apps indicate that both the Arizona and Arizona State football programs are highlighting the precarious conference affiliation situation of the two schools, giving fans no reason to overlook it.
Both the Sun Devils and Wildcats are currently ranked in the bottom five for their odds to win the title, with diminishing chances over the past month.
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Author
Peterson Christopher has been deeply involved in Arizona sports and sports betting for more than seven years, recently taking on the role of lead writer at yengols.com. His background includes writing for ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News.
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