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Big 12, Pac-12 conference split for Arizona, ASU? Wildcats president addresses potential

Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic
·4 min read
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Could Arizona and Arizona State soon be in separate conferences?
Could Arizona and Arizona State soon be in separate conferences?

The Arizona Wildcats and Arizona State Sun Devils have a shared history as members of the Pac-12 Conference.

Could that end in college conference expansion and realignment?

Speculation has swirled about the idea of Arizona potentially joining the Big 12 in recent weeks, with Arizona State possibly remaining in the Pac-12.

University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins addressed that idea in a recent comment to ESPN.

“We don’t have to do the same thing,” Robbins told ESPN's Pete Thamel about the possibility of the two Arizona schools ending up in different conferences. “But [ASU] President [Michael] Crow and I are very, very tight. I think it’d be unlikely that we’d be split up. Right now with 10 schools, we control a very nice 20% of solidarity.”

More: Big 12 expansion odds: Pac-12's Colorado, Arizona favored to be next schools in conference

Robbins, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, predicted that the Pac-12, which currently has 10 schools with UCLA and USC set to join the Big Ten, would stay together amid all the speculation surrounding the future of the conference as it continues to search for a new media rights deal.

“Each of us will make our own independent analysis,” Robbins said of the Pac-12 schools, via The Associated Press. "My prediction is that we’re all going to stay together as a Pac-12. There’s 10 of us right now. I’m hopeful that the deal is going to be good enough to keep us together.”

The Associated Press wrote: "Robbins called the steady drum beat of speculative media reports that have the Pac-12 on the verge of falling apart 'propaganda.' He acknowledged that he has spoken with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, just not recently. Yormark has said he would like the Big 12 to expand West and include more schools in the Mountain and Pacific time zones. 'He’s aggressive. He has big plans for the Big 12. I wish him well. All 10 of us are focused on the (media rights) deal,' Robbins said."

More: Arizona to Big 12? Conference expansion speculation swirls around Pac-12's Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats' insider Jason Scheer reported that ASU and Arizona could end up in different conferences in realignment, something many previously thought could not happen.

Robbins' recent comments appeared to keep the door open for a possible split in conference between Arizona and Arizona State, while also expressing hope for the conference to stay together.

“We’re not going to get a Big Ten deal. We’re not going to get an SEC deal,” Robbins told reporters Wednesday. "But if we finish third in this sweepstakes ... I’ve never thought that winning the bronze medal was a great aspirational goal. But if we win a bronze medal, I think we’d all declare victory.”

More: Big 12 expansion, realignment: Could Colorado start exodus from Pac-12 Conference?

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Big 12, Pac-12 expansion: Arizona, ASU in different conferences?