College football realignment rumors were all over the place on Friday with news of Oregon and Washington being "fully engaged" with the Big Ten.
The fate of the Pac-12 is like the weather in [pick your favorite midwest city]. If you don't like it, wait 30 minutes and it'll probably change.
On Friday morning, it looked like the momentum was in favor of Oregon and Washington remaining in the Pac-12.
However, a meeting of the Pac-12 power brokers didn't yield a new Grant of Rights, per Brett McMurphy, and the Ducks and Huskies appear very much back on the table for the Big Ten.
Pete Thamel confirmed as much by reporting that "Washington and Oregon are 'fully engaged' with the Big Ten."
For a moment on Friday the Pac-12 looked saved. Now it looks more likely than ever that the conference will die as Oregon and Washington attempt to grab the lifeline that may be thrown to them by the Big Ten.
College football realignment rumors: Oregon, Washington still holding out for Big Ten
On Thursday night, we found out how much the Big Ten's offer to Oregon and Washington would be. At $40-35 million annually, it's significantly more than what's on the table in the Pac-12 but that move would also require costly and inconvenient travel across the country.
The trouble is the Ducks and Huskies aren't in a position to negotiate. Their options are worryingly limited.
They can stay in the Pac-12 and accept less money and more risk.. They can accept an unequal share from the Big Ten for more inconvenience but more money and safety. Or they can branch out to try to form cross-country conference with the ACC but that's going to bring travel back into play with even less certainty around money.
Through all this, the Big Ten still has to be wiling to extend offers to those schools in the first place.
