Thereโs plenty at stake Saturday when Oregon State and Washington State collide in a primetime broadcast on FOX. Both teams are ranked, undefeated and have their sights on a berth in the Pac-12 championship game.
Thatโs all fine and dandy. But whatโs really on the line for the two schools left behind in the realignment game?
It doesnโt matter which team wins. Rather, the caliber of play matters. The TV ratings matter. The lasting impression matters as the Beavers and Cougars link arms and plot a future together.
โPeople can watch these teams and say, โThey play like power conference schools, but they arenโt going to be a part of it, really?โ an industry source said. โSo in that case, what does it really mean to be a Power Five school? These teams arenโt, but Vanderbilt is. Boston College is. So what am I missing?โ
Washington State head coach Jake Dickert, right, leads his team on the field before the Cougars faced Northern Colorado last Saturday in Pullman, Washington.
WSU and OSU believe the only thing missing is their presence in one of the power conferences.
The Cougars have been bowl eligible for seven consecutive seasons (excluding 2020) and have drawn a larger TV audience in the playoff era than any of the schools headed to the Big 12.
Oregon State mascot Benny the Beaver walks on the field before the Beavers faced UC Davis on Sept. 9 in Corvallis, Oregon.
The Beavers won 10 games last season, thumped Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl and are ranked just below Alabama and just above Oklahoma in the AP poll.
โWhen you talk about what Saturday means,โ WSU athletic director Pat Chun said Thursday, โitโs college football at its highest level. And itโs inexplicable that these two programs are in this situation.โ
The Beavers and Cougars took the Pac-12 to court earlier this month to determine the makeup of the governing board and gain access to important financial documents.
Once clarity emerges, they will select one of two paths:
Join the Mountain West in a standard expansion move, the same way Washington and Oregon are joining the Big Ten next summer.
Attempt to rebuild the Pac-12 with schools from the Mountain West and possibly other Group of Five leagues.
The renovation project carries more uncertainty but is potentially more lucrative, depending on the assets remaining in the Pac-12.
Other questions remain unresolved.
Would a rebuilt conference maintain its Power Five status for College Football Playoff access and revenue?
Would it remain an Autonomy Five conference โ an NCAA designation โ for legislative matters?
Would it attract a respectable media rights deal?
Competitive forces across the college football landscape are stacked against WSU and OSU on each issue.
On-field success matters โ not just Saturday but throughout the season.
If the teams challenge for the Pac-12 title, hold their spots in the top-25 rankings and participate in marquee games, their case for respect and cash strengthens.
This Saturday is about every Saturday for years to come.
