Tuesday the BYU Cougars announced they were taking their football program independent and moving all other sports to the West Coast Conference.
Wednesday the Michael Lev of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER asked USC athletic director Pat Haden if he would consider the idea of USC becoming an independent in football like BYU.
Despite a new, lucrative television deal looming for the Pac-10 following the conference expanding to 12 teams with Utah and Colorado, Haden did not rule out the possibility at all. Far from it.
Haden:
“I think you always have to look at every opportunity.
“We’re a happy member of the Pac-10. I don’t have any ulterior motives or plans to advance the ball on this. I think the Pac-10 with a new commissioner and new opportunities has some growth built in already.
“But would we every consider it? I think you have to. As an athletic director in today’s environment, you have to consider every alternative.”
Haden’s stark reaction has to have the folks running the Bowl Championship Series on edge, as if USC were to leave the Pac-10 at some point, you can bet other major football factories like Texas would consider doing the same.
If that were to happen, the machinery of the BCS would become obsolete almost overnight.
10:05 am on September 2nd, 2010
No BCS??? We can only hope
11:14 am on September 2nd, 2010
Pretty soon… a “conference” of heavyweight independents: USC, Texas, Ohio St, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, BYU… (maybe Oklahoma, Tennessee) every school brings something to the table (i.e., why should Texas be stuck in a conference where they do all the heavy lifting).
11:17 am on September 2nd, 2010
add Alabama… so just need one more.
11:51 am on September 2nd, 2010
I like Haden but USC has neither the credibility nor the regional following to go independent. They even cheated in women’s tennis! Haha
3:51 pm on September 2nd, 2010
Love the BCS!!
12:56 pm on September 3rd, 2010
When was the last time an Independent won a national championship ????
2:35 pm on September 3rd, 2010
“The Truth”, I am not sure how much “regional” following you think they may lack but I do know that they play in a backyard of 18 million people.. sounds like a pretty good sized yard to me.
4:27 pm on September 3rd, 2010
BCS is wasting time and money.
Are there any difference in Polls BCS vs AP or Coach
or Harris? BCS is cheating and fixing their system manually.
BCS is not truly based on mathematical formula. It is a stupid system for big college football schools.
We should get rid of BCS. It is meaningless system.
Look at some colleges now: they are going for
independent league because stupid BCS including USC.
9:24 pm on September 4th, 2010
Is the NFL setting up a minor league? What is the big deal about having ONE champion? The only thing that having one champion does is make everyone else feel like losers. Is that the spirit of sportsmanship?
9:42 pm on September 4th, 2010
i think BYU madtthe right decision.
2:34 am on September 5th, 2010
@ items today that reconfirm that BYU made the right decision:
1) Most people in Utah (& rest of country) couldn’t watch the BYU-UW game because of the MWC’s stupid TV system.
2) Bottom of MWC struggling- e.g. Oregon-72 vs NM-0
10:38 am on September 5th, 2010
@ johnny b good - one of the worst statements ever if you were being serious. football does not need to become socialist.
8:58 pm on September 5th, 2010
What is socialist about sportsmanship? Is college football all about money? If so why punish USC for its “misconduct”. If it is about money just take it out of the colleges and set up a real minor league to exploit the players. And about BYU, they are just whining that it was Utah and not them that got into the PAC10/12; sort of like “If I can’t have my way I’ll just take my ball and go home.” Sorry BYU you are not a real university.
1:29 am on September 6th, 2010
USC LEAVING? GOOD. How about to China. Who gives a shit about a runaway out of whack program, loosly put.
12:44 pm on September 6th, 2010
@ FSBruin - You should give a shit about USC. Without them, the Pac10/12 is irrelevant in FBS.
I also find it amusing when a school with “Slick Rick” calls out another program.
3:54 pm on September 6th, 2010
Funny to hear a yewt like jbg talk about sportsmanship.
3:00 am on September 7th, 2010
BYU will regret going independent. Notre Dame was a Football power for many years, but recently it appears that conference affiliation is important to long term succes. The Irish have not been a major factor at the National level for several years. Too bad PSU and Nebraska beat them in joining the Big 10. USC would be the loser if they left the Pac 10, tradition and rivalries are still important to the fans.
I’m sure many will disagree, but it’s just my opinion after watching the college game for the last 60 years. The Coast schools need each other. Cal, Stanford, Washington, UCLA and USC tried to dump the Oregon schools along with WSU many years ago. It didn’t work. Breaking traditional ties will cost all the schools athletic programs in the long run.
8:26 am on September 7th, 2010
What the fans want? its our game. but we have to watch what the BCS, ABC,CBS, ESPN,and FOX networks cram down our throts every weekend. when will it stop,maby never or when the fans say enough.
1:24 pm on September 7th, 2010
Lets take a anonymous pole and have all the Heisman winners and members of the National Champion teams over the last 30 years come forward and state if they ever were granted favorable treatment or benifits as a result of playing college football that were not afforded to other college students?
Free drinks, meals, revinue from ticket sales, cash, discount pricing, or gifts, a free pass for anything.
If this pole was taken you would see what a useless entity the NCCA is. Stripping tittles or awards from teams does not deminish or change the performaces that won the awards or tittles. To punish players that have nothing to due with the violation is criminal. I hope if these schools go independent the first thing they do is tell the NCAA to take a hike. It would be better for the game.
4:43 pm on September 7th, 2010
The Trojans will never leave the PAC-10/12….this article is a waste of space…..I am sorry I took the time to read it….
5:04 pm on September 7th, 2010
To me it would not matter what NCAA teams went independent. Because bottom line the schools are going to do what it takes to generate revenue, programs,grants,ect. Forget teaching the kid to become a man.
1:03 pm on September 9th, 2010
Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill story.