Good look at Big 12, ACC and Pac12 prospects

ESPN+: College realignment's next steps: ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 scramble amid chaos by Pete Thamel.

If you have not dropped ESPN+ for the summer, you’ll be able to read it.

Short & Sweet:

Notre Dame is in great shape to pursue whatever course it wants.

Of the remaining P5 3, Big 12 in best position to be aggressive, but notable in being stable because of not having any top targets (and the programs know it), hence the focus on building up the Big 12. Goal is to survive until the B1G and SEC push on to 24 team super Cs and possibles KANSAS and some others get called, or at worst surviving more or less intact and thriving as the #3 power conference. New media deals to be developed for 2025 and on are draw to the Pac 12 “6” because they would be positives and potentially yield the best media deal for what would be the #3 power conference— far and away better than what the locked in ACC or the crumbling Pac (12-n) will get.

ACC is only stable because of its 2036 ending GOR. If B1G and SEC are serious about ending up as 24 member super conferences, prime targets for both are in both ACC and Pac12, and they will jump when time and $ are right.

Pac12 is in the weakest position. Any school can leave without penalty after 2003-04. Losing 4-6 schools (OU, UW, UA, ASU, UU and/or CU) to Big 12 — or Big 12 and B1G — kills it. Everything they are exploring now amounts to stopgap bandages applied to stem the bleeding from its severed SoCal legs.

Much more in the article.

Solid, informative analysis.

Full text of tweet:
#Big12 word out of Dallas is that while nothing official yet, the #Buffs, #BearDown and #SunDevils in already in principle. You'll likely see this in tomorrow's newspaper in Denver, Tucson and Tempe. #Ducks still holding out for a #B1G offer that will likely never come.

Apparently Big 12 trying for 4, with Oregon supplanting Utah in the top 4. FYI: #BearDown is Arizona.

However, also in the replies in this tweet thread:

Full text of tweet reply:
From sources and #Big12 in Dallas is #Aztecs are included with #Buffs, #BearDown and #SunDevils in talks. #Big12 making play to cut #Pac12 out of the Southern California market.
So Big 12 also looking at SD State? Would effectively lock up the SoCal market between USC & UCLA in the B1G and SD State in the Big 12. Aztecs would be instead of (or maybe in addition to if going bigger?) Oregon and/or Utah?

New commissioner Yormark already thinking at least 2 or more steps ahead of the field?

Stay tuned…

More:
Trojanswire.usatoday: Big 12 vs. Pac-12 and ACC is a contrast in styles
”Big 12: warp speed.

Pac-12 and ACC: turtle speed.”

Seattletimes: Analysis: With Big Ten hopes waning, what’s best for Washington — a Pac-12/ACC alliance or a Big 12 bolt?

trojanswire: If Pac-12 must choose between a merger and expansion, it's not a close call