AAC and Pac-12 merger becomes imminent as the forgotten four get denied entry into the ACC: Reports

The AAC is emerging as the landing spot for the four remaining teams in the Pac-12, according to the latest reports. The American Athletic Conference became an option following a failed merger with the Mountain West Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

According to college football insider Jim Williams, the ACC had a vote on adding Stanford and Cal into their league on Wednesday night. However, the members voted against the addition of the two universities, and this could be for several known reasons.

Nonetheless, Williams reported that the AAC could be the best landing spot for the Pac-12 leftovers as the conference is ready to accept the four of them. Talks are expected to commence between the two conferences in the next couple of days.

No more Power Five lifeline for the Pac-12 teams

The four remaining Pac-12 teams – Stanford, Cal, Oregon State and Washington State –are almost certain to be playing outside the Power Five conferences in 2024. Without a doubt, this will represent a step backward in the athletic history of the four universities.

The decimation of the Pac-12 has left the four schools in limbo over the last weeks. The inability of the Pac-12 to secure a lucrative media deal led to the exit of six more schools after USC and UCLA's departure, leaving the league with no future in the college sports landscape.

The eight departing schools will continue to compete in other Power Five conferences such as Big Ten and Big 12. On the other hand, the four remaining members of the Pac-12 might proceed to the Group of Five with the AAC now coming out as another option.

Is the AAC a viable option for the Pac-12 teams

With options running out for the remaining Pac-12 teams, the AAC might be a good option for the four universities. Although it has recently witnessed the exit of some teams to the Big 12, the league remains one of the most competitive in the Group of Five.

However, this will translate to a massive financial downcut for the four schools as the American is financially nowhere near the Pac-12. In context, the highest-earning school in the AAC earned less than $12 million in conference distribution in the last academic year.

Pac-12 teams, on the other hand, earned a total of $37 million in conference earnings in the 2022-23 academic year. Without a doubt, the Pac-12 inviting G5 teams to its fold would have been the best option. However, the timing is not in favor of that.