Is Oregon opposing a possible Pac-12 expansion? CFB Insiders drop a major update amid Pac-12 media rights drama

Pac-12 expansion has now become a hot topic in the college football world. Meanwhile, Oregon, which is a prominent member of the conference, has been in the mix for a potential Big Ten expansion plan over the past few weeks.

However, it seems the university is ready to remain in the Pac-12. Nonetheless, reports are suggesting that Oregon is not open to the expansion plan of the conference.

The Pac-12 commissioner noted during the conference's Media Day at Resort World Las Vegas, Nevada, that the Pac-12 would consider expansion following the loss of USC and UCLA. However, this will only be given consideration after the finalization of the media deal.

The Pac-12 has struggled to secure a new media deal after months of negotiations. However, the conference commissioner gave further assurance that the deal was on the way during Pac-12 Media Day. This could create room for the expansion plan.

“We’ve never given anyone an indication that anything would be different than the sequence, which is, get our media rights deal done, grant of rights signed, then we’ll consider expansion.”

Oregon puts Pac-12 expansion on hold

According to The Athletic on Saturday, there's no unanimity among the Pac-12 presidents on the consideration of expansion. The decision to expand the league requires a vote among the presidents of the member schools before the conference can proceed.

The conference rule requires an 8-2 vote, meaning at least eight out of the ten current presidents must vote in favor of the expansion for it to be approved. It is believed that two universities are already opposing the expansion plan, with Oregon being one of them.

The main rationale behind Oregon's hesitation and lack of support for the expansion plan is the College Football Playoffs berth. The CFB will involve 12 teams starting in 2024, and the Pac-12 champion is guaranteed a spot. Oregon believes that comes easier in a 10-team conference.

With the loss of USC and UCLA to the Big Ten, considering an expansion appears to be the right move for the conference going forward. However, there are a couple of more urgent issues to attend to for the conference before expansion comes onto the table.

Who are the candidates for the Pac-12 expansion plan?

Although the Pac-12 expansion plan is yet to take off due to the ongoing media deal negotiation, a couple of schools have been considered potential candidates. These include Tulane, Fresno State, Rice, Colorado State, New Mexico State, Hawaii, and a host of others.

However, San Diego State and SMU are considered favorites to get an invitation. The Aztecs notified the Mountain West of their intention to exit the conference in June in anticipation of a Pac-12. However, with the Pac-12 concentrating on the media deal, SDSU decided to stay at MWC, which brought the two parties at odds.