Gonzaga Bulldogs, 2021-22 WCC Champs.
One of the biggest criticisms of Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball is that they play in the West Coast Conference. Because of that affiliation, many fans feel that the Zags get to coast down the stretch and pile up wins.
To be fair, there are some bottom-tier teams in the WCC, but every conference has them. I would counter that Gonzaga has a target on their backs as the lead dog. Their conference opponents would love nothing better than to put a notch in their belt with a win over one of Mark Few’s squads.
All that may change because of football realignment. Football is the engine that powers college athletics, but it isn’t everything. Basketball still carries significant weight. The Gonzaga Bulldogs can ride the wave of realignment to a better conference because of who they are and their track record.
This is the era of bigger is better in college sports. There have been rumors of the Big East Conference’s interest in western expansion. College basketball fans would love to see the Gonzaga Bulldogs play teams like St. Johns, Georgetown, Villanova, and Depaul on a regular basis.
If GU has some alliance with or joins the Big East, they won’t be going alone.
From the West Coast Conference, San Francisco, Saint Mary’s, and Loyola Marymount come with the Zags. They would likely be joined by schools like Loyola-Chicago, Saint Louis, and Incarnate Word to form a Western Division.
Think about that for a second. The Big East would have schools in New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, Milwaukie, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Antonio, and Cincinnati. With that lineup, the Big East could command a considerable television contract.
While a Mega Big East with Gonzaga is a logistical nightmare, several other scenarios are at play. And frankly, the Zags’ fortunes primarily hinge on what happens with the University of Washington.
After USC and UCLA defected, losing Washington and Oregon to the Big Ten will kill the Pac-12. The wheels are in motion as representatives from UW met with the Big Ten this week.
At that point, the “four corner schools,” Utah, Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado, join the Big 12. Meanwhile, Washington State and Oregon State head to the Mountain West.
With geographic rivals available, the Mountain West would be crazy not to add the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Not only them but probably San Francisco from the WCC as well to pick up part of the Bay Area audience. That is, if Stanford and California don’t lower themselves by joining the MWC.
Losing USC and UCLA wounded the beast but didn’t die yet. So to fill the void left by the Los Angeles area schools’ departure, the Pac-12 expands. They invite some combination of UNLV, Nevada, Colorado State, Boise State, and/or San Diego State to join.
Those are all Mountain West Schools. Bringing in Gonzaga (as well as raiding the WAC) adds some cache back to the MWC.
Four years ago, the Mountain West was interested in Gonzaga, but it didn’t work out. This situation has dramatically changed since then.
Well, now we’re talking about something. If Washington makes that move, the Big 12 wins the battle and adds not only the four corner schools but also Oregon. It’s unlikely Stanford and Cal will join a conference that has BYU, Baylor, and Texas Christian.
The Big 12 is already the best basketball conference in the country, with Kansas, Baylor, West Virginia, Texas Tech, and TCU. Adding Arizona and Oregon ends any dispute. To put themselves completely over the top, they also invite the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
With geographic rivals to face, GU isn’t out on an island by themselves. It would also be fantastic to see the Gonzaga-BYU rivalry continue but now situated within a new environment. Additionally, the Zags have played several Big 12 schools in recent years, and Few has a good relationship with many of their coaches.
In all these scenarios, the Gonzaga Bulldogs take a step up in the quality of their opponents. But, unfortunately, one big move is off the table.
A heads up for anyone who still hopes for Gonzaga joining the Pac-12. As much as Zags fans want it to happen, it’s not a realistic option.
I asked conference insider Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News about the odds of GU joining the Pac-12 as a non-football member. His reply was, “I would say, probably, zero. The Pac-12 doesn’t want parochial schools.”
Do you think football conference realignment will lead to a Gonzaga Bulldogs move? Let us know in the comments section below.