Pac-12 expansion, realignment speculation, updates: Conference 'united' amid rumors

Rumors and speculation about possible Pac-12 Conference realignment and expansion are swirling again, to the point that the members of the Pac-12 Conference Board released a joint statement on Monday, saying that the 10 schools are "united in our commitment to one another."

The statement said: "The 10 Pac-12 universities look forward to consummating successful media rights deal(s) in the very near future. Based upon positive conversations with multiple potential media rights partners over the past weeks, we remain highly confident in our future growth and success as a conference and united in our commitment to one another."

The conference continues to find itself included in realignment and expansion chatter. Could the conference add more schools? Could the conference lose schools?

Check out some of the latest speculation about the Pac-12:

Action Network: San Diego State, SMU top Pac-12 expansion candidates

Brett McMurphy wrote last week: "Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff visiting SMU Wednesday, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. San Diego State & SMU are top Pac-12 expansion candidates. Pac-12 needs more members & more inventory for new media rights deal, which is expected to rely heavily on digital streaming services."

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The Athletic: Pac-12 struggling to find media rights partners

It wrote: "Three people with knowledge of the discussions said commissioner George Kliavkoff is struggling to find partners willing to pay close to what the league is seeking. Two of those sources said Kliavkoff overpromised his members on how many bidders there would be and what dollar amount they could command — a target north of $40 million per school, according to one league athletic director. Today, it’s uncertain whether the Pac-12 will even be able to exceed the $31.6 million average the Big 12 reportedly landed in a six-year extension with ESPN and Fox it reached last fall."

Pistols Firing: Pac-12 can still be pilfered

Kyle Cox wrote: "The demand for the Pac-12 continues to wane and the Big 12 could take advantage with a number of Pac-12 schools listed as suitors the last time the Big 12 was taking applications. The league showed particular interest in Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah last year. Will it make a push for some or all of them on this go-round? Where does a possible hoops-only addition of Gonzaga fit in?"

San Jose Mercury News: SMU, San Diego State on Pac-12's radar

Jon Wilner wrote: "The university presidents discussed SMU and San Diego State as expansion candidates during a meeting last week. And approved commissioner George Kliavkoff taking the next step in the complicated process of adding membership, according to sources with knowledge of the meeting."

Sports Illustrated: Fresno State, Boise State, Tulane, UNLV also options for Pac-12

Kevin Borba wrote: "Let's take a look at the four schools that could be potential candidates if the Pac-12 were to expand from 10 to 14 teams following the departure of USC and UCLA. Again, they could add six schools but it will not equate to the value they lost. Adding four programs of any kind is solely to inflate the value of what is left. The Pac-12 has a place in college football, and the playoff expanding and their "Pac-12 after dark" time slot only helps them prevent extinction and the blowing up of the conference like people are suggesting again."

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Hawkeyes Wire: Pac-12 teams make sense for Big 12

Jacob Keppen wrpte: "I’m just going to lump all of these into one selection, because it’s been talked about to death over the past however many months. Oregon, Washington, Utah, Stanford, California. Take your pick. All of them make sense for their own various reasons."

CBS Sports: Big 12 ready to take in some Pac-12 teams

Dennis Dodd wrote: "It has now been more than seven months since USC and UCLA announced plans to leave the Pac-12. Industry sources have begun to wonder why it has taken Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff so long to strike a deal. Whatever that deal becomes, it is expected to include more than half of the Pac-12's games on a streaming platform. That would be unprecedented for a Power Five conference. If the Pac-12 continues to take its time or struggles to come to an agreement, the unspoken stance held by the Big 12 -- at least publicly -- is that some of those West Coast schools might get nervous about the league's security and stability. There is now  a former Midwest-based conference ready to take them in."

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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