UCLA, USC to leave Pac-12 for Big Ten in 2024

UCLA and USC will be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, beginning in the 2024-25 season, the two schools confirmed on Thursday evening.

The Mercury News’ John Wilner first reported the move earlier that afternoon.

The Pac-12 released the following statement after the news.

While we are extremely surprised and disappointed by the news coming out of UCLA and USC today, we have a long and storied history in athletics, academics, and leadership in supporting student-athletes that we’re confident will continue to thrive and grow into the future. The Pac-12 is home to many of the world’s best universities, athletic programs and alumni, representing one of the most dynamic regions in the United States. We’ve long been known as the Conference of Champions, and we’re unwavering in our commitment to extend that title.  We will continue to develop new and innovative programs that directly benefit our member institutions, and we look forward to partnering with current and potential members to pioneer the future of college athletics together.

The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach is reporting that the move could eventually lead to two megaconferences between the Big Ten and SEC that would include 20 or more members apiece.

Per The Los Angeles Times’ Ryan Kartje, the move is believed to include all sports except for beach volleyball.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel adds that both schools have been researching the move to the Big Ten for the past few months and that “the financial disparity between Big Ten revenue and projected Pac-12 revenue proved the biggest factor.”

The move would happen after the Pac-12’s current media rights contracts with Fox and ESPN expire, and increase the size of the Big Ten to 16 schools.

The decision by the Los Angeles schools — two of the NCAA’s most decorated athletic programs — comes almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas formally accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.

The Big Ten would become the first conference to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific and would build on previous expansion into the nation’s largest media markets.

USC and UCLA fit the Big Ten’s academic profile. Both schools are among the 65 members of the Association of American Universities, which is made up of top research universities. All Big Ten schools except Nebraska are members.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow @AZSports