Oregon achieved a series of three victories in three days, concluding with a championship that propelled the Ducks into the NCAA Tournament.
On a makeshift stage next to the Pac-12 tournament trophy, the players danced and shouted as confetti fell, creating a lively atmosphere in Las Vegas.
Amid the celebration, it became clear that the moment also marked the end of a once-great conference that fractured in the midst of a rapidly changing college sports landscape.
Oregon coach Dana Altman expressed mixed emotions about the upcoming changes in the league, acknowledging the sadness of leaving the current setup while also embracing the excitement of new challenges.
Change is a natural part of college athletics, given the large number of schools, student-athletes, and sports as well as the varying needs of conferences.
The process has been speeding up, with chaos becoming the norm as the college basketball season progresses towards March Madness.
Name, Image and Likeness has created new opportunities for student-athletes to earn revenue, requiring schools, coaches, and the NCAA to adapt to the changing financial landscape.
The transfer portal has led to a whirlwind of changes, not limited to March, as programs essentially start over each season due to players coming and going.
The significant changes have disrupted the foundation of the NCAA, altering the organization's structure as it tries to keep pace with the world of college athletics.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips emphasized the need to embrace constant change, cautioning against dwelling on undoing the changes that have occurred.
The latest round of conference realignment has the potential to reshape college sports.
Realignment had slowed down after the mass conference changes in the early 2010s, but a few schools have been moving to new leagues each year.
Texas and Oklahoma sparked the latest round of realignment by announcing their move from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2024. Southern California and UCLA then left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.
The departure of two prominent schools and the absence of a new media rights deal for the Pac-12 prompted the remaining schools to reconsider their futures, resulting in a mass exodus and leaving only Oregon State and Washington State in a league once known as the “Conference of Champions.”
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd expressed mixed feelings about the changes, acknowledging the sadness of the Pac-12's disappearance while also expressing excitement for the future.
The decline of the Pac-12 may mark the early stages of college athletics moving towards a few super conferences.
The Big Ten will have 18 schools next year with the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington. The ACC will also expand to an 18-team league by adding California, Stanford, and SMU.
The Big 12 will now have 16 teams as Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah head east. The Southeastern Conference will also have 16 teams with the inclusion of Texas and Oklahoma.
The combining of power and resources will make it more difficult for smaller conferences to compete. This has also led the NCAA to consider expanding the NCAA Tournament beyond 68 teams, which has generated mixed emotions across the country.
“People were upset about the play-in game, but now it's exciting; it's the lead-up to the tournament,” Minnesota coach Ben Johnson said. “We need to be open to change, have new ideas, and consider what we can do to push the boundaries.”
The changes are happening, and more are likely on the way. The status quo has become a moving target, and everyone needs to adjust.
