Pac-12 football as we know it came to an end on Friday night in Las Vegas. It was a fitting end to one of the most entertaining and chaotic conferences in the country as a three-point championship game between two top-five teams came down to the wire.
USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are off to the Big Ten. Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado are off to the Big 12. Only Oregon State and Washington State remain, and they will play a primarily Mountain West schedule.
RIP to the Conference of Champions.
Pac-12 football is dead.
As quick as it came, it was gone. The grounds crew at Allegiant Stadium quickly went to work and changed the on-field markings from the Pac-12 championship to a UNLV home game ahead of the Mountain West Championship on Saturday. There was something symbolic about the transformation.
If that was not somber enough, Green Day’s ‘Good Riddance’ played over the sound system as the credits rolled on the Pac-12. They hope you had the time of your life.
Just a few hours prior, as the Ducks and Huskies prepared for battle, all of the conference mascots gathered together for the final time. An emotional scene proceeded to unfold as they shared one final night together before heading their separate ways in 2024.
With just 60 minutes of Pac-12 football left, the mascots joined up in the end zone and celebrated their final moments together. They cheered for every sack, every completion, every turnover and every point.
Some of the mascots might see each other again in the future, whether in their new conferences or as part of a non-conference rivalry game. Never again will all 12 be together on the same field ever again.
Benny Beaver, Butch T. Cougar, Harry the Husky, Joe Bruin, Oski the Bear, The Oregon Duck, Ralphie the Buffalo, Sparky the Sun Devil, the Stanford Tree, Swoop, Tommy Trojan, and Wilbur and Wilma are going their separate ways. It was an incredible run!