After Oregon and Washington exit to the Big Ten, what happens to Oregon State and the Pac-12?
Oregon and Washington officially accepted invitations to join the Big Ten Conference on Friday, furthering the likelihood that the Pac-12 Conference will dissolve.
What does this mean for Oregon State?
In an interview with The Oregonian, Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes voiced his frustration.
“The great history and tradition of this conference has been severely damaged. The best interest of the student athlete hasn’t been served,” Barnes told The Oregonian. “Traveling to the eastern seaboard multiple times a year is not in the best interest of student-athletes. I’m furious because it puts this university in harm’s way and our student athletes in harm’s way. There’s some damage done that we’re going to have to mitigate.”
Right now, there aren’t any real answers for Oregon State as everything in college football feels fluid.
Even the future of the Beavers-Ducks rivalry is unclear.
In a released statement from the Ducks, Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said they will “prioritize” their traditions, which included competing against Oregon State.
Does that mean the annual Ducks-Beavers rivalry football game will continue? It could continue, but it’s not certain.
The Beavers will land somewhere, whether it be a variation of the Mountain West Conference, or possibly joining forces with the ACC if they decide to go coast to coast.
Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA are joining the Big Ten, and Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah are joining the Big 12.
Oregon State, Washington State, Stanford and California don’t have chairs, but the music hasn’t stopped.
There is a lot of speculation out there about Florida State, Clemson and Miami possibly leaving the ACC. If that happens, the ACC will look to add schools, and they could decide to stretch across to the West Coast, like the Big Ten just did.
Joining the ACC would likely be a best-case scenario for the Beavers.
Another possibility would be to join a non-power conference like the Mountain West.
While that doesn’t seem ideal, the truth is the Beavers would likely do very well in that type of conference.
With future playoff expansion, could a conference like that get an automatic playoff bid?
There still are so many things to be determined in college sports, particularly college football.
The important thing for Beavers fans to remember is their football program is on the rise.
Jonathan Smith has turned them from a one-win team in 2017 to a 10-win team last season.
Smith has been able to bring in talent through both recruiting (such as running back Damien Martinez and quarterback Aidan Chiles) and the transfer portal (such as quarterback DJ Uiagalelei).
It’s murky right now, but Oregon State will find a home.
Statesman Journal reporter Pete Martini covers college and high school sports. He can be reached at pmartini@StatesmanJournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon State, Pac-12's future murky as Ducks head to Big Ten
