10 Best Options to Join the Pac-12: Schools to Watch in Expansion

After the stunning news of the Pac-12 attempting to revive and reboot with Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State - first reported by Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports and later confirmed by other outlets - who's next?

Again, assuming this is all really happening and the Pac-12 is able to pull this off, it'll need at least two more schools to get to full conference status in the eyes of the NCAA - at least in terms of eligibility for a slew of automatic post-season stuff.

Note, this is ALL pure speculation at this point, but assume these ten schools are at least being talked about during some working lunch in some meeting somewhere in Pac-12 world.

10 Best Schools to Potentially Join the Pac-12

These ten schools make the most sense to join the four Mountain West schools already expected to join the Pac-12.

10. UConn

This is too much of a geographic haul, but it’s not any further to Hartford than it is to Hawaii. Get UConn for basketball and look out.

9. Nevada

This would make more sense if the Pac-12 grabs UNLV. Remember, conferences like having the University of (insert state name here). Like the University of ...

8. New Mexico

It’s not exactly an easy drive, but it’s least an easy flight to Las Vegas and San Diego. Again, if conference creation is about expanding the geography, having this part of the country helps.

7. North Dakota State

The football program is a monster and it would give the Pac-12 the region. Throw South Dakota State in this mix, too. It's time to get the call up to the show.

6. San Jose State

If the Pac-12 is looking to reestablish markets and cities to build up the Pac-12 network again, San Jose State doesn’t make up for the loss of Stanford and Cal, but it’s in a huge media area.

5. UTSA

Establish Texas. It would’ve been nice if SMU was still on the table, but UTSA is a huge schools in a decent media market with a good base.

4. Tulane

The school might not be big enough, and it doesn’t make geographic sense, but it’s the New Orleans market and the school is hot right now.

3. Gonzaga

But for just basketball only. There’s a chance to make this a whopper of a hoops league fast.

2. Memphis

How did the Big 12 not grab Memphis yet? It has plenty of good parts, strong basketball, and expands the footprint.

1. UNLV

Seriously? How is UNLV front and center in this first wave of the Pac-12 reboot?

Maybe it’s holding out for the Big 12 - pure speculation - but if there’s going to be a new Pac-12, it HAS to own the Las Vegas market, that stadium, that city, and make it the conference’s home base.