Michael Wilbon Wants Stanford to go Back to the Pac-12 After Recent Expansion Moves

Teresa Gould has only been the Pac-12 commissioner since March, but she has already made more strides than George Kliavkoff did in the past two years.

10 of the conference's 12 programs fled to another conference thanks to Kliavkoff's failed efforts to expand or secure a media rights deal. This left just Oregon State and Washington State in what many joked to be the "Pac-2." In the short term, they allied with the Mountain West, so they had a schedule to play this year.

However, earlier this month, they failed to come to terms to extend the partnership. A move that had many concerned for the two programs, but it was made clear this week that they had a plan all along.

On Wednesday, September 11, it was reported that they were planning to add Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State. A move that came to fruition on Thursday morning and one that now has the college football world on the lookout for who will be next.

The conference still needs two more programs to be considered an FBS conference, and while most people are looking at AAC schools, ESPN's Michael Wilbon thinks it's time for Stanford and Cal to come home.

"I'm thrilled to see it happen," Wilbon said of the Pac-12 expanding. "Look, here's what all the people who slurp college football and who are invested in hyping college football, including at this network, here's what they all either miss or ignore or don't get. College football is tribal. It's as tribal as anything, any sport on earth. And people want to see their rivalries and their teams play teams they are familiar with.

"They don't want to see Stanford play at Iowa and at Minnesota and at Purdue and Indiana and Northwestern," Wilbon said. "They don't. That's garbage. So I keep hearing about it's the greatest college football... no it isn't. Because you've got an entire region of the country and it's growing fast. You've got them saying I don't want to see this junk."

A statement that led to Wilbon calling for the return of Stanford and Cal, who left for the ACC.

"So, Stanford and Cal ought to be on the phone today getting the hell out of the ACC and going back west where they belong," Wilbon continued. Cause the $20 million they're going to get..for Stanford is nothing. For Stanford. A school that rich. Start this right now. It can't happen soon enough."

While this sentiment has been a popular one across college football, as reported by Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, they are tied up with the ACC until 2036. That is unless of course the conference collapses.

"For now, as the ACC agreement is written, they are not candidates in a Pac-12 rebuild," Dellenger wrote about Stanford and Cal. "But, one day, if the ACC starts losing members, could they be? Sure."

So, while people around the sport want a reunion, it isn't likely. Instead, the Pac-12 will be focusing on programs in the AAC, MWC or even from the FCS level. As for Stanford and Cal, they will both look to make strong impressions in their first year in their new home.

Related: Four Other Programs That Could Emerge as Pac-12 Expansion Targets

Related: College Football Insider Names Eight Potential Pac-12 Expansion Candidates