Having Fish and Gbatu back are huge --- they're due for massive seasons...not that they haven't been studs already.

Pinnick going to Colorado would be a disaster in my opinion...don't like the fit, but it's a visit, and it's polite to accept and hear the explanations as to why the program would be good for you...but then, if I'm reading this right, they pressure you to sign on the dotted line right after the visit? Sign or die? No.

You hear horror stories about coaches and recruiters pressuring young kids to sign for all kinds of reasons. I remember hearing that Texas threatened Eric Dickerson, saying that if he didn't sign with the Longhorns that he'd NEVER get a job within the state of Texas...and that they could totally freeze him out. It was all bs of course, and it pissed ED off something fierce, he swore against the UT program and was going to sign with A&M until the SMU Pony Excess showed up and bought him a solid gold Trans-Am and some other things.

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Sanders runs a chaotic, 3 ring, media circus at Colorado with players reportedly have engaged in fights with each other. He was one of the first coaches to come in a clear out the roster and then bring in tons of transfers with lots of hype. Brennan Marion did the same at Sac State and now Colorado has two huge egos running the show.

Colorado is all about winning at any cost and players are there to play while academics are essentially meaningless. Pinnick might make a ton of money to sign with them but at what potential cost...high risk, high reward?

100% agree with you that the current situation isn't optimal. I'm going further - the current situation isn't sustainable. I'm not just talking about Cal and Stanford playing in the ACC, which I agree is ridiculous.

I'm talking about the current business model for all of college athletics. I also agree that a radical shift needs to happen - and I think it probably will happen. Just NOT the shift you propose.

In FY 2024 (most recent data), Ohio State University had total athletic revenue of $254.9 million, but expenditures were $295.1 million, resulting in a loss of $37.8 million (12.8%). Though the school characterized this as a "one-time event", data shows that between 2019-2024, Ohio State Athletics lost money in 4 of 6 years. During the same 6 year period, Ohio State Athletics debt rose from $250 million to $287 million. That's a hefty debt to service.

The football program, and probably men's basketball, likely were profitable, but I haven't found figures. The other 30 athletic programs apparently generated total losses in excess of $38 million, after factoring in the FB and MBB profits. And this was pre-House settlement. Starting next year, schools like Ohio State will have another $20.5 million in yearly liabilities due to revenue sharing per the House settlement.

That's why Ohio State supported a $2.4 billion private-capital deal between the Big 10 and UC Investments that would have sent a minimum of $100 million each Big 10 school. The deal died last month because of opposition from Michigan and USC. The chair of Michigan's Board of Regents noted that until "runaway spending was addressed", the deal was simply akin to a "payday loan." Michigan and USC were also concerned that despite assurances, it put assets of member universities at risk.

The University of Utah recently took that risk and individually signed a private equity deal with Otero Capital. I've seen articles indicating that other PE firms are interested, including the Saudi Public Investment Fund. PE firms are not noted for caring about anything but making money. Certainly not about funding schools, creating jobs, or providing opportunities for kids to stay in-state for school/sports.

This is the crossroads coming for the P4 schools, and maybe others that want to play in their sandpile: Costs / spending needs to be cut, Business 101 says that nonprofitable sports get the axe. There goes other 30 sports at Ohio State...except oops, there's good old Title IX. Not to mention pissing off the alumni who played those sports or boosters whose kids played those sports.

That's the underlying rationale as to why I don't see a CA Conference, such as you've proposed, as a viable option, be it with your original list of schools, or including starting FB at the UC's who currently don't offer that sport. Your proposal means more schools getting into a P4-style arms race, and I think that's the wrong way to go.

Cal and Stanford are not better then UC Davis. Sure they have a longer history, but if you compare all 3 schools today, what exactly are they better at? Reputation? Ok. But what about a history of college football elitism? They don't have much of a history. They have had some season with good players, but overall they are not better than Davis.

Question, if a player is serious about transferring, does it not make sense to announce ASAP and officially enter the portal right away? Vergas announced during the season in order to allow time to "market" himself and CP made it official on the first day (Jan2). I believe players can take time before deciding where to go but in order to make spring ball, my guess is that they would need to move quickly in order to enroll in a new school.

FYI, loved Gbatu's comment. I think that was a message to his team members who may be thinking about leaving.

One of the hardest things to do in this country is to prevent "that could never happen" attitude that is prevalent in American culture. A new conference is bigger then just football.

You make a great point about schools dropping football because it was too expensive to maintain. That is correct, that WAS the problem in those days. However, that was before the internet, before CFB became a business, things have changed.

Cal and Stanford are on a geographical island. They are academic elite but have to play football in an east coast conference. That is sustainable? Nah.

Building a California Conference would create a new industry that self funds our schools and creates jobs for California. It will take a radical shift in how we view college sports in California. Of course, if you think the current situation is optimal, do nothing. Seems to be par for the course lately in California.

I think CFB could now be living through consequences of recruiting covid-era high school kids

Covid was a “get out of jail free” card to the extreme. Maybe it’s a generational thing too. Remember when getting a “C” in college was a decent if not good grade. I wound up my career at a University and a couple of times I had to haul in graduate students for cheating and I could not believe their attitude. “Everybody does it”, “this is going to prevent me from getting a perfect GPA”. So glad I retired before Covid.