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When the Pac-12 experienced a mass exodus in early August, only four teams remained committed to the conference beyond 2023-24.
Oregon State, Washington State, Stanford and California are all that remain of the once-storied conference as UCLA, USC, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah prepare for their final seasons in the Pac-12.
The Oregon State Beavers take the field against the Oregon Ducks at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore., Nov. 26, 2022. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard/USA Today Network)
The future of the conference is very much in the air as rumors swirl that Stanford and Cal could join the ACC.
For Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes, keeping the Pac-12 is the focus.
"For us, our priority, again, is keeping the Pac-12," Barnes told The Athletic in a Q&A. "We think it’s in the best interest of our student-athletes and our fans to build back the Pac-12. We have inserted ourselves in every conceivable conversation, every feasible conversation at the Power 5 level. And I would say that our best option is rebuilding the Pac-12.
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"Obviously, (Group of 5) options are out there. But that’s not our priority."
Barnes said Oregon State has been "working really closely" with the remaining four schools, and he has "personally been in touch" with the universities.
After Oregon and Washington announced their move to the Big Ten, Barnes said he was "furious" as he watched the Pac-12 crumble.
An Oregon State helmet on the back of a bench during a Pac-12 game between the Oregon State Beavers and Oregon Ducks Nov. 27, 2021, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"The great history and tradition of this conference has been severely damaged. The best interest of the student-athlete hasn’t been served. Traveling to the Eastern Seaboard multiple times a year is not in the best interest of student-athletes," Barnes said, according to Oregon Live.
"I’m furious because it puts this university in harm’s way and our student-athletes in harm’s way. There’s some damage done that we’re going to have to mitigate."
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A few weeks after the move, Barnes seems to have placed his focus on figuring out the future of Oregon State athletics.
"Any of the success I’ve had was in part due to the fact that my highs aren’t too high and my lows aren’t too low. So, we moved immediately towards solution-based (thinking). All of our energy is in finding solutions to our problem. We could dwell and continue to be furious. We’re channeling that energy towards solutions," Barnes told The Athletic.
Head coach Jonathan Smith of the Oregon State Beavers before the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl against the Florida Gators at Allegiant Stadium Dec. 17, 2022, in Las Vegas. (David Becker/Getty Images)
While the Pac-12 has taken a major hit over the past year, the 2023 football season for the conference looks promising.
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The Pac-12 has five teams in the AP Top 25, including Oregon State at No. 18. The Beavers are coming off their first 10-win season since 2006, going 10-3 in Jonathan Smith’s fifth year as head coach.
Oregon State opens the season against San Jose State Sept. 3.