July 15, 2012 - 9:55pm
Big Ten, Pac-12 call off agreement
BY COLLEEN THOMAS
The Big Ten and Pac-12 scheduling agreement that was planned to begin in 2017 was called off on Friday.
Scheduling issues involving a few Pac-12 teams hindered the collaboration, which included a 12-game round-robin football schedule, matchups involving other sports and an agreement between the two conferences’ television networks.
“We are disappointed to announce today that the Big Ten Pac-12 strategic collaboration announced jointly in December 2011 unfortunately will not be consummated,” said Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany in a press release on Friday. “We recently learned from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott that the complications associated with coordinating a non-conference football schedule for 24 teams across two conferences proved to be too difficult. Those complications, among other things, included the Pac-12’s nine-game conference schedule and previous non-conference commitments.”
He added: “A great effort was made by both conference staffs to create football schedules that would address the variety of complexities, but in the end, we were just not able to do so. While everyone at the Big Ten is disappointed by the news, we look forward to continuing the historic partnership that we have with the Pac-12 and to working together on other matters in the future.”
Michigan released its 2014-16 non-conference schedules on June 27, where the Wolverines would play a home-and-home series against Utah in addition to games against Colorado and Oregon State.
But the Wolverines will keep its 2014-16 non-conference schedules, keeping the Utes, Colorado and the Beavers on their schedule in future years.
Since this deal is suspended, the Big Ten will look to expand its conference schedule from eight to nine games or will reach out to collaborate with other conferences. Nine Big Ten games would eliminate any discrepancies in naming a conference champion, but a deal with another conference could potentially boost a resume for the future playoff selection committee.
