MILWAUKEE — It is official! The University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) are planning to join the historically Midwest-based Big Ten conference.
The Mercury News' Jon Wilner first reported the news on Thursday. Wilner tweeted the move has not been finalized "at the highest levels of power."
The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach also confirmed the move with sources, reporting plans have the teams joining the conference in 2024.
USC officially announced the news Thursday evening, stating the university will join the Big Ten in 2024.
OFFICIAL: USC will join the Big Ten Conference in 2024.
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) June 30, 2022
UCLA also confirmed the news on Twitter Thursday evening.
𝗕𝗜𝗚 news! UCLA is joining the Big Ten Conference at the start of the 2024-25 season! 👀
— UCLA Athletics (@UCLAAthletics) June 30, 2022
➡️: https://t.co/ygoY70o2bo#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/Cgj5orGhiI
The Big Ten has traditionally been home to university sports programs located in the Midwest. In recent years, eastern seaboard institutions Rutgers and Maryland have joined the conference.
USC and UCLA would be the first schools on the west coast to join the conference. The teams are currently part of the Pac-12 conference.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Source: USC and UCLA are planning to leave for the Big Ten as early as 2024. Move *has not been finalized* at the highest levels of power.
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) June 30, 2022
NEWS: USC and UCLA are in conversations to join the Big Ten conference, a source tells @TheAthletic.@wilnerhotline on it first.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) June 30, 2022
