According to a report, USC and UCLA are planning to join the Big Ten. The move could happen as early as 2024.
The move was first reported by long-time PAC-12 reporter Jon Wilner, who shared the news on social media Thursday afternoon:
Source: USC and UCLA are planning to leave for the Big Ten as early as 2024. Move *has not been finalized* at the highest levels of power.
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) June 30, 2022
Ross Dellenger, who covers college sports for Sports Illustrated, confirmed the reporting minutes later:
USC and UCLA are in negotiations to join the Big Ten conference, a source tells @SINow, confirming @wilnerhotline's report.
A stunning but not all that surprising move: Teams are jockeying to get into the top two leagues of FBS – the SEC and B1G.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 30, 2022
The news follows a pattern of conference realignment, that continued in recent months. Dating back to last fall, teams shifting conferences include Texas and Oklahoma, who are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, and Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston, who will join the Big 12 along with formerly-independent BYU.
At the Group of Five level, the American Athletic Conference is dealing with the departures of Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston by adding Alabama-Birmingham, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice and Texas-San Antonio.
Conference USA will add Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State and Sam Houston, while the additions to the Sun Belt conference include James Madison, Southern Miss, Old Dominion and Marshall.
