Sources: Pac-10 divisions could hinge on California, Stanford compromises

[JonLP24]

The Bay Area schools, California and Stanford, appear to be the final hurdle before the Pac-10 unveils next week its two-division, 12-team setup for the 2011-12 football season.

<snip>

The conference would like to have a north-south split of two six-team divisions, instead of a "zipper format" that would divide the conference on an east-west alignment of every rivalry.

The schools in the Northwest will sign off on a north-south split, but want Stanford and Cal to be in their division instead of Colorado and Utah to ensure a foothold in recruiting-rich California.

However, the California schools would rather stay together, which would mean UCLA and USC being with Stanford and Cal. Add southern schools Arizona and Arizona State, and the South not only would have all of California, but also a historical competitive advantage, even if the current standings show the Oregon schools atop the conference.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5677006

[Upton]

1. Compromise looks good to me..

the rivalries stay together in the same division, avoiding the possibility of the schools meeting twice in one year (reg. season and conference championship) or even twice in two weeks....which is the kind of mess the Big Ten is inviting with their new alignment.

North

Cal
Stanford
Oregon
Oregon State
Washington
Washington State

South

UCLA
USC
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
Utah

[HuckleB]

2. Those divisions make the most sense to me.

They also make it less likely that the northwest schools get fed up and look elsewhere. They want a recruiting in California so they can remain competitive. If that is denied, they may start looking around.

[LisaM]

3. More stupiditiy, more tossing tradition out the window

This is going to backfire, believe me.

Why don't the stupid schools like Nebraska and Utah just team up with each other?

[HuckleB]

4. None of these "traditions" are all that old, and they change quickly.

[TZ]

5. I don't know about this

LisaM has a point. While the ACC is not known particularly for its rivalries, it seems like the divisions have made what little rivalry existed between teams pretty much disappear.

[HuckleB]

12. All the big rivalries will remain in place.

The smaller rivalries between the Arizona schools and southern Cal schools, and between the Oregon and Washington schools will remain in place.

I'm all for no divisions at all, but if there are divisions, then Stanford and Cal need to be in the one with the Oregon and Washington schools, IMO.

[Condem]

13. New rivalries will commence.

Some of you folks are acting like it is the end of the world. They shall remain nameless. Not only did Emile Faber say thay "knowledge is good" he also stated "change is good".

[JonLP24]

15. It could actually renew the old Utah-Colorado rivalry

that I didn't even know existed. They played each almost every year for 60 years when they were in the same conferences, Rocky Mountain Conference and Mountain States Athletic Conference.

Other than that all the main rivals are in-tact. Arizona/Arizona State, UCLA/USC, etc.

[Condem]

6. Looking forward to the announcement of division alignment on the Pac-10 Network...

...can someone fill me in on when it will be aired??

[Upton]

7. How about I fill you in on this instead?

2003: 3-5
2004: 3-3
2005: 3-4
2006: 2-5
2007: 3-5
2008: 1-6

[Condem]

8. Man, Upton. What's with the animosity??

I just asked for a simple gesture of kindness.

[Upton]

9. What animosity?

I'm just reminding you that having your own network is no guarantee of success on the field. Just because the Big Ten had a winning bowl record last season does not erase the failures of the previous six. You should keep that in mind.

[Condem]

10. Precious or previous?

Seems to me the Big Ten did all right last year. How did the Pac-10 do? I've said all along, it's cyclical.

[Upton]

11. Thanks Condem..fixed.

Yeah, these things can be cyclical, but we have yet to know whether Big Ten football has indeed risen out of the ashes or whether, as I suspect, last year was just an anomaly. We'll know for sure in another couple of years.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

14. Scared of Huskies and Ducks.

That's the only possible conclusion!

[Awsi Dooger]

16. Can't break up the Bay Area Weekender

A USC drunken tradition for decades. Seemingly more than half the student body and thousands of alumni travel to the Bay Area for the annual game either at Cal or at Stanford. It alternates every year. Biggest and most anticipated social event of the school year. Rally at Union Square on Friday night. Hanging off trolley cars. Staggering down Lombard Street. Lefty O'Douls.

If USC is split from Cal and Stanford, I don't see how the tradition could continue. You wouldn't play an annual road game at one of the two. The weekender would slowly fade.

There are more aspects than the obvious. That's basically what I'm saying.

[HuckleB]

17. Then the Oregon and Washington schools should look for another conference.