Can't get used to calling it the Pac-12? You might not have to. No, the conference isn't condensing to 10 teams again. There are murmurs that a Pac-16 might become a real possibility in the near future.
With the Big 12 on the verge of collapsing (again) the Pac-12 could be acquiring four teams in a move that would make the conference comparable to the SEC from a talent perspective.
Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech could all be candidates to come over to the Pac-12. The idea of teams of this magnitude coming over to form a super conference is hard to comprehend. The PAC-12 would have a number of teams competing for a championship, where, in years past they were lucky to have one.
The Pac-12 has become an attractive conference for many teams looking to move, so it comes as no surprise to see big-name teams thinking to join. Texas and Oklahoma are college football mainstays though. Their additions would give the conference the best blend of athletics and academics in the entire country.
The makeup of 16 teams would obviously make it impossible for everyone to play each other within the conference, but the number of marquee games will go through the roof. In theory, it should produce a better product in the conference championship as well.
Financially speaking, this is a huge step forward for the conference. They may not have actively pursued expanding to 16 teams, but with billions of dollars to be made, the capital gain is impossible to ignore.
The economic impact is reason enough to make the move, but the fact that the PAC-12 could acquire teams that fit the mold of what the conference aspires to be makes this a no-brainer.
Take Oklahoma for example. They've got the No. 1 team in the nation and are sound academically. The Pac-12 isn't dumbing down their talent pool or bringing in a team whose scholarly accolades are dwarfed by their athletic achievement.
With so much at stake, the upcoming months are going to be critical not just for the Pac-12, but for the entire country.
For all of your latest news on the Pac-12 potential expansion to the Pac-16, stay tuned to Bleacher Report's College Football Page.
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