Four foremost keys to Pac-12's future: Grasp potential details on the conference's next move after Colorado exit

The future of the Pac-12 appears to be in a tough spot as the conference is currently without a long-term media rights deal, making them the only Power Five conference facing this issue. Moreover, the departure of three schools next year puts the Pac-12 in a precarious position, leaving them with only nine members.

The UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans previously announced that they will join the Big Ten, while the Colorado Buffaloes are reportedly headed to the Big 12, according to Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, who tweeted:

"Colorado leaving Pac-12 to return to Big 12 in 2024, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. CU will receive full Big 12 share ($31.7M) from ESPN/Fox media deal. Buffs left because of Big 12 stability & Pac-12’s uncertainty, sources said. Announcement Thursday"

Check out Brett McMurphy's tweet below:

Take a look at four keys for the conference to survive and maintain their Power Five status below.

What are the keys to the Pac-12's future?

The most important key to the Pac-12's future is securing a long-term media rights deal. Without a long-term deal, the conference will likely continue to lose schools.

They have already lost the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans, costing them the Los Angeles media market, which will drastically effect negotiations. The loss of the Colorado Buffaloes will further hurt negations as the hiring of coach Deion Sanders will likely bring plenty of attention to the program.

In order to secure a long-term deal, the Pac-12 will need to retain their remaining nine schools, particularly the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies. The Ducks and Huskies are the only two programs to represent the Pac-12 in the nine years of the College Football Playoff, however, both have reportedly been in talks with the Big Ten.

In addition to retaining the nine schools that remain, the conference needs to look into expansion options. The Pac-12 has options, most notably the San Diego State Aztecs and SMU Mustangs, both of which they had reportedly been in contact with to replace the Bruins and Trojans. Adding more programs will help with the depth of the conference.

Finally, the Pac-12 needs to take advantage of the expanded College Football Playoff format. The postseason field will expand from four to 12 teams in 2024. The new format will give the six highest-ranked conference champions an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff, while the six at-large bids will go to the next highest-ranked programs.

Failing to address these four key areas could result in a more uncertain future for the Pac-12. The Big Ten is reportedly targeting the Ducks and Huskes, while the Big 12 has reportedly been in contact with the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils and Utah Utes. If the five programs depart, the Pac-12's future will likely see them lose their Power Five status.