Paul Finebaum says it's time to administer the Pac-12 its 'last rites'

Paul Finebaum is known as an expert on SEC football but it doesn't take a savant to see that the Pac-12 is in trouble.

Colorado is jumping ship to the Big 12 after this season, jumping ship just like USC and UCLA (who both are going to the Big Ten) have. Speaking of ships, it seems likely that the Pac-12 is now a sinking ship. The conference is shrinking from 12 to nine and it still hasn't announced a new media deal for 2024 and beyond.

Finebaum, speaking on ESPN's "Get Up," thinks it's all but over for the once proud conference.

“You may as well administer the Pac-12’s last rites,” Finebaum said (h/t On3). “I mean, it’s over. And I’m not talking about this year. I’m talking about next year when they lose USC when Deion [Sanders and Colorado] go to the Big 12. There’s really nothing left.”

Losing Colorado undoubtedly seems like the death knell for the Pac-12, and that says something because a year ago that would have been a silly statement. That's the impact Deion Sanders has had on the Buffaloes' brand, so much so that they instantly became a target for the growing Big-12.

In the meantime, the Pac-12 will have to try to set up its own expansion, but it was always going to be hard to replace two of the biggest brands in college sports, UCLA and USC.

“And you could argue ‘Oh, there’s quality games,’ but this league no longer has any relevance on the national stage without USC and losing Colorado," Finebaum explained. "And by the way, they may lose more. They can continue playing football, good for them, but they will no longer be a Power 5 conference, in my opinion.”