PULLMAN, Wash. — Hundreds of Washington State University (WSU) students are returning to Pullman or moving in for the first time. As new and returning students make their way onto campus, some are sharing their feelings about the uncertain future of the PAC-12 conference.
The excitement surrounding move-in week at WSU may be a bit weighed down; as students are moving in, several members of the PAC-12 are moving out.
Senior Andy Guerrero couldn't believe the news about the PAC-12's collapse. In his final year, he's glad he got the full WSU experience before the big changes occurred.
"The main reason I came to WSU, I want to be part of a big D1 school. I love sports," he said. "It's uncertain what's gonna happen next year. So I think the freshmen this year are going to come in and try and get the most out of it this year.”
University of Southern California (USC) and University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) left the PAC-12 conference last summer for the Big Ten Conference. That move opened the floodgates, with University of Colorado leaving for the Big 12 in July and University of Washington and University of Oregon announcing their plans to join the Big Ten over the weekend.
University of Arizona, Arizona State University and University of Utah also announced their plans to join the Big 12.
That leaves WSU, Oregon State University, Stanford University and University of California-Berkeley in the PAC-12 for now. This also puts the future of the Apple Cup in limbo, leaving WSU fans to wonder if the Cougs will get another chance to fill this empty case.
“A few years ago when we played them in Seattle, we won and we ended up rushing the field. We all came together and we were all unified," Guerrero said. "Without the Apple Cup anymore, it's not a rivalry. It's just not gonna be the same and I feel for the freshmen."
While the future of the PAC-12 may be uncertain, Cougar pride remains strong.
"Once a Cougar, always a Cougar," Guerrero said. " That's never going to change."
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