There are 50 days until the Pac-12 returns as an officially recognized conference with nine schools for basketball, eight for football and one lingering, inescapable question: Will it expand again?…
Jon Wilner
The Big 12 leaned into parity as the dominant narrative of its post-realignment form and a means of distinguishing itself from top-heavy peers in the Power Four conferences. That theme played out…
Mailbag: Coaches support a 24-team CFP (a good reason to not expand), Group of Six breakaway(?), what-if with the Pac-12/MW and more By Jon Wilner The Hotline mailbag publishes…
The final step took four months, but the Big 12’s groundbreaking foray into private capital became official last week with the expected pillars: — RedBird Capital Partners will provide the conference office…
We have reached the midpoint of the offseason, halfway between the national championship game played Jan. 19 and the first kickoffs of the 2026 season on Aug. 29. But the…
Arizona State University College Featured Grand Canyon University University of Arizona Wilner Hotline
On media: How the Pac-12’s deal with The CW, and The CW’s deal with ESPN, benefits a certain powerhouse in Spokane
The separation between Gonzaga and ESPN lasted six weeks. Less than six weeks, actually. It began March 21, the day of the Zags’ final game as a member of the West…
The Hotline mailbag publishes weekly. Send questions to wilnerhotline@bayareanewsgroup.com and include “mailbag” in the subject line. Or hit me on the social media platform X: @WilnerHotline. Some questions have been edited for clarity…
Arizona State University College Featured Grand Canyon University University of Arizona Wilner Hotline
Wilner – NCAA Tournaments expanding to 76 teams: The outcome nobody wanted becomes reality (welcome to college sports)
The expected expansion of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments from 68 to 76 teams will become reality next season, according to published reports Tuesday afternoon. Note the date: April 28. During a forum…
The Pac-12 hasn’t staked out an official position on the College Football Playoff’s future format, at least in terms of the field size. But philosophically, the conference has a clear…
The transfer portal officially closed to new entrants Tuesday night. Players who took the plunge during the open window have time to select new homes, but roster spots are filling…