Everything I’ve read or heard is they wanted to do a reverse merger but without the bottom tier of the MWC which is kind of what is happening and your Big 12, SWC thing is precisely what I think it happening. Obviously that wasn’t going to work cause why would the MWC offices willingly give up power. Reportedly if OSU and WSU joined the MWC they would forfeit all of the money they won in the lawsuit against the former 10 members. Which is why everyone is dumb for saying we need to ditch the PAC 12 branding.Did the two (WSU, OSU) even want to merge? The way it's going is prolly best because of what you said. This way, they get to cherry pick from the MWC and leave the garbage behind. Hawaii, Nevada-Reno etc. Big 12 did this and left SMU, TCU Houston and Rice in the gutter. Did this again with the AAC, taking UCF, Cinn. etc. But by doing this, they have to scramble to get the number of teams needed, but probably the best way in the end.
The Pac 12 is trying to get to 9 for football and sounds like 11 members with Gonzaga and Grand Canyon as non football members which is why the whole AAC reporting, I truly believe, was just smoke. I do think there was mutual interest in Memphis and Tulane but absolutely zero in USF. UTSA said they recommitted to the AAC but I haven’t seen one report saying they were even in real talks (which I think is dumb personally). UNLV reportedly is the only other school who received an invitation from the actual Pac 12. The AAC schools were talking with the consulting firm the conference is using. And why all this shit is so irritating is cause we are using one firm but the MWC and AAC both are using a different so there is so much out there that isn’t true.