Utah AD Mark Harlan, President Taylor Randall Issue Statement

SALT LAKE CITY- It has been a wild 24 hours for Utah and the Pac-12 and it is doesn’t appear to be over yet. In the midst of the madness of news breaking that conference mates USC and UCLA were leaving for the Big Ten Conference in 2024, Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan and President Taylor Randall issued a joint statement on the matter to Twitter.

My joint statement with @PresidentUofU on the departure of UCLA and USC from the Pac-12 pic.twitter.com/hU0CZuuHZW

— Mark Harlan (@MarkHarlan_AD) July 1, 2022

Where Will Utah Go?

It is unclear what will ultimately happen to Utah or the rest of the Pac-12 in the wake of USC and UCLA’s move to the Big Ten. There is a possibility the Utes could end up in the Big Ten as well with their steady uptick in athletic performance and recent acceptance to the Association of American Universities (AAU) which is a prestigious academic recognition that most Big Ten schools hold.

There are already solid rumblings Oregon and Washington has submitted applications to be Big Ten Conference members as well along with other unnamed Pac-12 schools putting out feelers.

However, there is also a strong possibility Utah ends up being conference mates once again with in-state rival BYU in the Big 12, or even staying put in the Pac-12 depending on what the conference chooses to do.

2022 Is A Whale Of A Year

The 2022 football season was already shaping up to be a big one for the Utes, but it may have just gained even more importance when it comes to the long-term health of the program. A preseason, dark horse College Football Play-Off favorite, Utah could really make an impression with the mad dash to add schools to conferences with a big season.

Time will tell what the ultimate move will be for the Utes. One thing is for certain, times are a changing in college football and rapidly.

Continue to follow @kslsports and @BodkinKSLsports for further updates as they become available.

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