How real do we think the potential of ACC poaching PAC schools is? Or even a full merger?
The former has to worry some of the mountain schools. Maybe the ACC takes 8, but maybe just 6. In the full merger case, might as well threaten to sell ourselves to ESPN in their efforts to build out ACC. Big 12 dissolution gives ESPN out for free, which means only the top 4-6 of the PAC would get an ACC invite.
This is the only chance schools not in the top half of the PAC can dictate their future. If they pass on helping to start unraveling the Pac10, there are many ways in which they are worse off, if not left out. Get 3 to join the Big 12, and you get the top. The UW/Oregon/Stanford trio may prefer ACC, and Utah/Cal would follow, but when some of those leave for BIG, along with some ACC for SEC, they'll be orphans in a rather weak conference. Falling for a bait and switch