The five bowl games with Pac-12 tie-ins are exploring the possibility of changing conference affiliations for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, according to Brett McMurphy. The Alamo, Las Vegas, Holiday, Sun, and Los Angeles bowls are already in discussions with other conferences. according to McMurphy.
The Pac-12 is set to lose two-thirds of its membership ahead of the 2024 season, which allows each bowl to explore other options despite the fact that each currently has a three-year deal with the Pac-12, according to McMurphy. Losing solidified bowl tie-ins would do significant damage to a Pac-12 that already seems to be on its last legs.
As things stand, the Pac-12 has just four teams for the 2024 season -- down from 12 this season. It has lost eight member institutions over the last 13 months to the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences. Cal, Stanford, Oregon State, and Washington State are the only teams left following the latest wave of conference realignment.
USC and UCLA both announced their departure for the Big Ten in 2022, and the Pac-12 struggled over the last year to solidify a television deal. Colorado got the ball rolling again in June when it announced its departure for the Big 12. The Buffaloes were followed by Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah.
Meanwhile, Oregon and Washington -- charter members of the Pac-12 since 1915 -- are set to join USC and UCLA in the Big Ten. The Big Ten, SEC and, to some extent, the Big 12 now hold almost all of the power in college football, and the Pac-12's future is as uncertain as ever.
Realignment influences more than just simple bowl tie-ins, though; it could cause even more reform to the College Football Playoff. Under the 12-team format set to begin in 2024, the top six conference champions in the CFP rankings will earn a bid to the playoff. However, as CBS Sports' David Cobb points out, the power conferences -- like the SEC and Big Ten -- and networks may push for playoff reform that leaves the perceived "weaker" conferences -- read: those with smaller market sizes -- with a tougher path.