108-year-old Pac-12 brand resorting to "Adding — not merging" amid the ongoing fallout, CFB columnist drops latest updates

Attention has remained on the Pac-12 in the aftermath of the recent mass desertions that beset the conference. With only four members remaining in its fold, multiple scenarios are being suggested as ways forward. Activities are intense within and around the conference and the remaining member schools.

Two major scenarios seem to be prevalent at the moment. The first one, which has been the most touted, is a merger with another conference. The two conferences that have been mentioned the most in this conversation are the ACC and the Mountain West.

The two are very likely and plausible options. Long before Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff lost control of the plot, there had been links with a number of Mountain West teams for expansion.

Remember it even turned messy when San Diego State clumsily initiated the process to leave the Mountain West. So it's conceivable that the Pac-12 would feel at home with a Mountain West merger.

The ACC on the other hand had toyed with the idea of bringing schools from the Pac-12 aboard its deck. Even though some of its targets have left, there's still Stanford which has an unbelievable history of success.

However, reports emerging from college football expert, John Canzano, are indicating a contrary direction inside the conference.

The conference, which has been around for 108 years, is reportedly tilting more towards "Adding - not merging. Canzano shared this on his substack "Bald Faced Truth by John Canzano", quoting an "involved source".

In that case, the conference will be working towards adding new members to arrive at a 10 or 12 membership strength.

Can the Pac-12 pull off an expansion at this point?

This scenario is not implausible like many college football like to make it seem. It is just more difficult than the first scenario described.

However, if this is the scenario decided on by the leadership of the conference, there are schools it may target. As mentioned earlier, the Mountain West is the current destination of many schools wanted by the Pac-12.

But getting these schools have become more expensive. Any Mountain West school that wants to leave in time to join the Pac-12 in 2024 will have to pay an exit fees of $34 million.

No school will be willing to pay that price if the grass isn't guaranteed to be greener on the other side. The implication of this is that the conference needs a solid financial plan.

The most promising way out would be a really generous media rights deal. But is the deal with Apple paying $23 million-per-team for five years even still on after all the departures? Time will tell.