Immediate reaction to USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten and what it means

The seismic news that shocked college football Thursday came in a dramatic deluge of updates, one after another, reinforcing earlier reports, adding new details, infusing reality that this was actually going to happen.

And before dinner time on the West Coast, it was a done deal.

USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten, effective Aug. 2024.

Both schools formally announced the news that was first teased earlier in the day by Bay Area News Group's Jon Wilner, followed quickly by the calvary of national college football reporters.

So what does this all mean?

Well, a whole heck of a lot ...

It would seem to be a proactive move in acknowledgement of where college football is moving, after the SEC gobbled up Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 to grow to 16 teams and expand its footprint and stature as the top conference in college football.

With the Big 12 depleted, the ACC top-heavy at best and the Pac-12 already mired down the conference rankings in terms of national perception, it only makes sense for the Big Ten to bulk up as well and leave no doubt of its stature as a top 2 conference in the sport.

And if the leadership at USC and UCLA perceived that was likely to happen, best for the Trojans and Bruins to hop on that train rather than being left behind on the periphery of national relevance.

Indeed, the Trojans (and Bruins) have chosen to claim their place in the now limited real estate that will truly command college sports' national spotlight.

Meanwhile, some other side effects -- good, bad and otherwise:

-That future USC-Rutgers matchup or road trips to frigid Madison, Wisc., in October and November may be the cost of doing business here.

"Is this heaven?"

"No, it's Iowa"

So goes the famous line from "Field of Dreams." A USC roster comprised largely from Southern California and Texas may think otherwise, but the Trojans have two years to invest in sideline heaters and those big coats that go over the shoulder pads.

-To that same end are the logistical challenges of conference road games as far east as New Jersey (Rutgers), Pennsylvania (Penn State) and Maryland. That's a long way to go for a weekday tennis match.

-What this means for the future of the Cal and Stanford series would be a secondary concern for the powers that be to work out down the road, but it might leave some strained relationships within the state.

-There will be unideal consequences and casualties of such a power move, but again, what if the alternative is watching the Big Ten and SEC balloon into two super conferences while the Trojans are still battling in the Pac-12 South, trying to convince voters and committees they deserve to be viewed among the best in the country?

-To that end, Wilner reports this could be a financial windfall for the Trojans and Bruins with more than enough to get those baseball teams and all the bats, helmets and balls to Illinois and back.

-Of course, not all sports have a place in the Big Ten ...

-From a basketball standpoint, it would only boost USC's strength of schedule as the Big Ten traditionally has more depth year in and year out than the Pac-12 -- especially a Big Ten adding the Trojans and Bruins.

-The Big Ten will match the SEC with 16 teams (for now) and have the widest reach of any conference, from Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, through the Midwest and all the way to the California coast. But who's to say either league is done pillaging the rest of college athletics? Two 20-team super conferences aren't at all out the question.

Meanwhile, does the top of the ACC -- Clemson, Florida State, Miami, maybe Virginia Tech, and North Carolina and Duke from a basketball standpoint -- now question its own futures with two super conferences breaking from the rest of the pack? Let alone the likes of Oregon, which is highly competitive in both football and basketball within the Pac-12.

There will be much more to dissect and discuss moving forward. Indeed, this will be the dominant storyline for these schools and college sports at large now.

In the meantime, share your thoughts on our Trojan Talk board.

And enjoy a look back through how the news unfolded Thursday ...

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