PAC 12

Just like every other graduate and fan of the University of Utah, I was very pleased to see the Utes join the ranks of the PAC 10 Conference last week. Having been on hand for the Utes' two best football seasons ever, it was great validation for the hard work the athletic program has done to make our football team a national power. It is so nice to know that the next time the Utes go undefeated, they are more than likely going to be in the BCS Championship game because they are now a member of a BCS Conference.

With all that said, the BCS is still garbage and needs to be changed. I can solace myself, however, with the fact that in addition to usual rival, BYU, the Utes will have a much more interesting schedule- every year. USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Cal and Oregon will be filling Rice-Eccles Stadium with a better vibe than the likes of Mountain West opponents Colorado State and Wyoming ever could, and I mean no disrespect to those schools. Football is clearly the main focus of this blog entry, and the primary reason behind the invitation for Utah to join the PAC 10, but the move to the bigger conference has other effects as well.

The revenue that will be generated by the move will be beneficial for the school's athletic program, and all its teams, as well as the University of Utah's non-athletes. I hope that the money will get to all the programs at my alma mater that need it, and make the U a better institution overall. Also, there is a prestige that comes with being mentioned in the same breath with schools like Cal and Stanford that will hopefully make a diploma from Utah worth more to those who have one. I am really banking on this, by the way. I have always felt like the University of Utah was a very good, maybe even great, school, and this move to the PAC 10 simply reinforces the belief of many that the U is now in its rightful spot as one of the best universities in the western United States. GO UTES!