Penn State athletics loses No. 1 ranking in the Big Ten with the addition of former PAC 12 schools

Conference realignment has altered how we view college sports forever. The television revenue that is being brought in for football has permanently changed the regionality that was once collegiate athletics. It started with Texas and Oklahoma bolting for the SEC. Then the Big Ten threw a counterpunch by adding USC and UCLA to the conference. The Pac-12 continued to crumble after not being able to get a TV deal and the final nail was when Oregon and Washington also left for the Big Ten schools that Penn State athletics will now have to travel to and host. That then led to Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State moving to the Big 12, and California, Stanford, and SMU bolting for the ACC.

While football has been the main driver in all this realignment, the impact that it is going to have on other sports will be another interesting aspect to watch. Schools like Stanford, UCLA, and USC have had major success in all sports and are top 3 in the nation in both the NCAA and total team national championships. While a school such as Oregon brings the flash and a shakeup in the NIL space.

The Big Ten officially welcomes @uoregon, @UCLA, @USC and @UW : https://t.co/hpU9AEqxlD pic.twitter.com/yJRIaF1rDe

— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) August 2, 2024

This will cause a shake-up in the conference hierarchy in multiple sports. Take women’s volleyball, for instance, traditional powers like Nebraska, Penn State, and Wisconsin have typically ruled the Big Ten. Now top-ranked squads like UCLA, USC, and Oregon will be stacking the league even more. The incoming schools will also change where Penn State ranks as an athletic program within the Big Ten.

No longer No. 1 in the conference

Syndication: York Daily Record

Penn State athletics has prided itself on being one of the top athletic programs in not just the Big Ten, but the country. The Nittany Lions have won 98 national championships since the school’s founding which is good for 4^th in the nation. Looking at just NCAA titles, Penn State has collected 54 total which ranks 5^th in the nation.

However, the newcomers that are being added to the Big Ten have some of the most impressive athletic departments in the country. UCLA has 123 NCAA Championships (2^nd) and 143 total team national titles (2^nd). While UCLA is not far behind with 113 NCAA Championships (3rd) and 135 total team national titles (3^rd).

Keep your friends close and enemies closer, welcome to the B1G @GoDucks, @USC_Athletics, @UCLAAthletics, & @UWAthletics! 😊#WeAre pic.twitter.com/yRxSCPB36r

— Penn State Athletics (@GoPSUsports) August 2, 2024

Both the Trojans and Bruins could offer more niche Olympic sports like beach volleyball and water polo. Having a warmer climate for much of the year has also helped with recruiting baseball, softball, and track & field.

Now entering the Big Ten, Penn State falls to the conference’s 3rd most successful athletic department. What will be interesting to monitor is whether having Oregon, UCLA, USC, Penn State, and Ohio State in the same conference will limit either of the school’s postseason eligibility and success. While the Nittany Lions are not in the same stratosphere as the Bruins and Trojans when it comes to national championships, it will be interesting to see if they are hurt or helped in sports they have been successful in previously like soccer and volleyball. It also remains to be seen whether a sport like baseball sees an uptick in success of the conference having a West Coast presence.

We may not know how much of a shakeup this past season’s conference realignment is until a decade later. This upcoming season will certainly be a small test piece in national conferences and untraditional matchups. Penn State women’s soccer kicks off the 2024-25 athletic calendar against Texas Tech at Jeffrey Field on Thursday, August 15^th.

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