The Pac-12 — which as of a week ago was just the Pac-2 of Oregon State and Washington State — went for the power move.
The goal was to surgically add the best of the rest of the football programs in the country. That would set itself up as the most competitive conference outside of the Power Four — the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. It would thus be in prime position to scoop up whatever media revenue is left and have an inside track on securing a bid to the College Football Playoff most years, if not all.