Utah leaving Pac-12 conference for the Big 12 conference in 2024
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KIFI) - As part of one of the most momentous days in the history of college sports, the Utah Utes are one of five schools Friday to leave the Pac-12 conference Friday, as the Utes move to the Big 12 starting in the 2024 school year.
Utah made the move along with Arizona and Arizona State to the Big 12 just hours after Oregon and Washington left for the Big 10.
Friday's news means Utah and BYU are back in the same conference, restoring the Holy War rivalry across all sports.
University of Utah President Taylor Randall is excited for the change in conferences.
"I am very enthusiastic about the University of Utah's future within the Big 12," Randall said. "Joining our Pac-12 and Association of American Universities peers from Colorado and Arizona is important to our mission and makes sense, as does, renewing our historic in-state rivalry with Brigham Young University."
With Friday's realignment developments, the Big 10 now has 18 teams and the Big 12 has 16 teams through expansion, while the Pac-12 is now down to only four teams (California, Stanford, Oregon State, and Washington State) for the 2024-25 school year.
