Pac-12 opts to scrap divisions for upcoming football season

The Pac-12 is waving goodbye to divisions and it’s not wasting any time.

Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Pac-12 plans to do away with the North and South divisions for the upcoming season. Instead, the league will send its two best teams to play in the conference championship game at the end of the season.

NEWS: The Pac-12 has scrapped divisions, in light of today's rule change.

Starting in 2022, the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage will face off in the championship game.

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) May 18, 2022

The decision out of the Pac-12 comes after the NCAA announced it was relaxing its restrictions on FBS championship game policies. Leagues across college football at that level are now permitted to determine their own championship game participants.

Division I Council relaxes restrictions for FBS football conference championship games; FBS conferences to determine their championship game participants. All Council actions are not final until today’s meeting ends. pic.twitter.com/cHjD4nfVle

— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) May 18, 2022

“Our goal is to place our two best teams in our Pac-12 Football Championship Game, which we believe will provide our conference with the best opportunity to optimize CFP invitations and ultimately win national championships,” said Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff.  “Today’s decision is an important step towards that goal and immediately increases both fan interest in, and the media value of, our Football Championship Game.”

Could this be an indication of the direction other leagues head? We’ll likely find out soon enough.