USF won't have to Pac after all as the Bulls will remain in the AAC

I never bought into the idea that USF would join the Pac-12 or whatever it will eventually be renamed after conference realignment settles.

It turns out that was a good no-buy.

Yahoo Sports reported Monday that USF, Memphis, Tulane, and UTSA will stay in the American Athletic Conference, at least for now. Each of those schools was reportedly targeted by the Pac-12 as it tried to rebuild its conference after mass defections left it with only two members.

The AAC later confirmed that the four schools will stay, albeit in a little strange way. It issued a tweet that included logos of USF and the others, but didn't specifically mention them by name.

The Pac has since added four members from the Mountain West but needs two more to meet the NCAA minimum requirement of eight schools.

Staying put for now is absolutely the right move for USF. Joining a former power conference primarily located on the other side of the country would have been wrong for many reasons. The odds are good that whatever media deal the new conference receives won’t be better than what USF has now with the American – maybe not as good.

Travel expenses and wear and tear on the coaches and athletes would skyrocketed. It would likely have meant more games for multiple sports in the Pacific time zone, with late starts and low TV viewership.

It’s no secret that USF wants to move to a power conference, and I’m sure Memphis, Tulane, and UTSA have the same ambition. Until that happens, though, the American is a much more logical home for the Bulls.

It’s still murky where USF will eventually land. I’ve always thought the Atlantic Coast Conference made the most sense because USF already has a relationship with that league. The Bulls have played many of the ACC schools for years and travel is a snap.

Also, USF is aligned academically with many of the ACC schools. That matters because university presidents ultimately make the decision on expansion and realignment. But if Florida State winds up staying in the ACC, then perhaps the Big-12 would see the advantage of a second Florida team and rekindle the War on I-4 with UCF.

Or maybe if the Big Ten grabs a couple of ACC teams – North Carolina and Virginia maybe – USF fills in one of those spots. Anything at this point would be guessing.

Here is something that’s not a guess, though.

USF is a powerhouse institution in the nation’s 12th-largest TV market, and the Tampa Bay area isn’t shrinking. With the investment USF has made in academics and athletics, the Bulls would make any good conference better.

Thank goodness it won’t be on the other side of the country, though.