Pac-12 again shows how unprepared they are for big time football
Illegitimate game
This game is unlikely to net the Pac-12 the gains they think it will because most knowledgeable fans see this championship for what it is, a farce. With all due reverence to FOX, outside of Southern California and Eugene, Oregon, it doesn’t do much for them either. People won’t watch a game they know is bogus. The credibility of all parties involved takes a big hit.
Commissioner Larry Scott played from a weak hand, as he usually does when it comes to television. The Pac-12 easily could have scheduled five games for this week, given them to FOX, and not played a “championship game.”
That’s all water under the bridge because the game will happen. So now the best team in the conference, USC, who is coming off of a rivalry game to a short week because the Pac-12 Championship is Friday. Trojans leading rusher Vavae Malepeai is questionable with a sprained knee. Meanwhile, Oregon essentially had a bye week to practice and get healthy. Southern Cal fans probably laugh that off as “it will make the game competitive.” But it’s a genuine concern.
Let’s take it a step further. Say Oregon shocks the world and beats USC in Los Angeles. The Pac-12 then recognizes Oregon as its conference representative to the New Year’s Six bowl games. Talk about a black eye. At that point, the Pac-12 becomes the laughing stock of college football… again. One of the few things the conference still has is the integrity of a legitimate champion. Now that too could be long gone by the night of December 18. In effect, the Pac-12 treated their cash cow like the henhouse dog. Further proving they are the weak sisters of the Power-5.
All they have is themselves to blame.
So 3-2 Oregon is now playing in the PAC 12 championship game against 5-0 USC because Washington can’t play. The PAC 12 should fire their entire leadership structure. Every. Single. One. Impossible to have handled this worse than they have.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 14, 2020