All throughout the 2023 college football offseason, the preseason discourse centered around one topic: conference realignment. The Washington Huskies weren’t spared the discussion nor speculation, and they’re set to follow their Pac-12 cohorts into the Big Ten.
When is Washington going to the Big Ten remains the last looming question.
When is Washington Going to the Big Ten?
Joining their soon-to-be-former Pac-12 teams, Washington, along with the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, and USC Trojans are set to become members of the Big Ten on August 2, 2024.
The quartet of former Pac-12 teams will play football as part of the Big Ten during the 2024 college football season.
Washington and Oregon’s departure followed suit from their Southern California neighbors and subsequently triggered the demise of the Pac-12 Conference.
What Happened to the Pac-12 Conference Following Washington’s Departure?
The Huskies and Ducks agreed to join the Big Ten following the Bruins and Trojans’ decisions and left a massive hole in the Pac-12. Joining the country’s oldest Division I conference was a no-brainer for Washington and Oregon, and it left a massive hole in what the Pac-12 would’ve looked like in 2024.
MORE: When is Oregon Going to the Big Ten?
A hole so big that each of the remaining members started enacting their exit strategies.
Colorado opted to return to the Big 12 following their popularity resurgence under head coach Deion Sanders. The Big 12 saw the opportunity of a depleted conference and, among Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark’s aggressiveness to expand business, opted to make offers that Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah couldn’t refuse.
The Pac-12 is set to disband, for lack of a better term, as the only remaining teams on the schedule currently are Oregon State and Washington State. The Beavers and Cougars, at the time of publish, are still actively seeking a new conference to play in 2024.