'Arizona is going to be just fine': Jedd Fisch on Colorado going to Big 12, UA's future

On the heels of the University of Colorado deciding Thursday to leave the Pac-12 Conference and officially re-join the Big 12 in 2024, Arizona football coach Jedd Fisch said he’s confident in the Wildcats’ place among the who’s who of collegiate athletics — wherever that may be.

The Colorado Board of Regents voted unanimously Thursday to move the Buffaloes back to the Big 12, 13 years after leaving the conference for the Pac-12. The decision, coming 13 months after USC and UCLA decided to depart for the Big Ten, means the Pac-12 only has nine member schools slated for next year.

“Colorado had to make a decision for what’s best for Colorado,” Fisch told the Star on Thursday. “Clearly, in their mind, that was best for them. They have decided to move, it sounds like, and we play them one last time this year, and then we’ll see how things shape up and shake out over the next couple weeks.”

Big 12 presidents voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve Colorado’s membership into the Big 12. The Buffaloes were a part of the Big 12 from 1996-2010, then joined the then-Pac-10 in 2011 along with the Utah Utes.

“After careful thought and consideration, it was determined that a switch in conference would give CU Boulder the stability, resources, and exposure necessary for long-term future success in a college athletics environment that is constantly evolving,” said Colorado chancellor Philip DiStefano and athletic director Rick George in a joint statement. “The Big 12’s national reach across three time zones as well as our shared creative vision for the future we feel makes it an excellent fit for CU Boulder, our students, faculty, and alumni.

“These decisions are never easy and we’ve valued our 12 years as proud members of the Pac-12 Conference. We look forward to achieving new goals while embarking on this exciting next era as members of the Big 12 Conference.”

Colorado president Todd Saliman said in a news release on Thursday that “the landscape of collegiate sports is ever-evolving, and the University of Colorado Boulder has determined the Big 12 is the best future fit for our athletic teams.”

“The move is good for our student-athletes and the university,” Saliman said. “It will help advance our commitment to supporting CU student-athletes in their academic and athletic pursuits in future years. I look forward to a great season ahead for all our teams.”

Colorado is the third team from the Pac-12 to leave the conference, along with USC and UCLA, which will both bolt for the Big Ten in ‘24. USC and UCLA announced their departure from the Pac-12 last July.

The Big 12 will add Colorado, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF to its respective conference for the 2024-25 academic year, in addition to current members in Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech, Houston and West Virginia.

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As part of the six-year, $2.3 billion Grant of Rights deal with broadcasting giants in ESPN and Fox that will begin in 2025, Colorado will receive $31.7 million annually from media rights, along with $42 million in league revenue, according to Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.

The Buffaloes, entering their first football season with coach Deion Sanders at the helm, are the first Pac-12 team to leave the conference for the Big 12. Could there be more in the foreseeable future? With so much uncertainty regarding Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff’s quest to strike a media rights deal — the current one expires next summer — the “Four Corners” schools of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State have been linked to possible departures. UA president Robert Robbins told Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger last month that he’s optimistic the new media deal will be “good enough to keep us together.”

“My prediction is that we’re all going to stay together,” Robbins said.

Per Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press, Pac-12 presidents and chancellors, athletic directors and Kliavkoff were scheduled to convene Thursday to discuss the next moves for the conference.

The Star was unable to reach Robbins for comment prior to publishing. Robbins did say Wednesday to Max Olson of The Athletic: “All I keep saying is, you know, we’re just waiting to get a deal. And then everybody has to evaluate the deal on its merits. I’ve been pretty steadfast in that stance.”

Notably, Robbins’ initial comments were said during a time when the Pac-12 had 10 schools lined up, instead of the current nine.

So, what is the next move for the University of Arizona?

“That’s a question I get every day,” Fisch said. “The biggest thing for us, as I’ve said numerous times, is that Arizona is going to be fine. We have a great brand — a national brand. We have championships and successes in all of our sports. We have a basketball program that has been to numerous Final Fours and Pac-12 championships, and we have baseball and softball teams that have won multiple national championships, and we have a football team that is clearly on the rise as well as having great success in the past and produced a lot of great players.

“Arizona is going to be just fine. We’ll have to figure out what’s best for the program and the university.”