[Canalejas]

Directors' Cup Shakeup Makes Clear the Pandemic's Impact on College Athletics

The rise of Texas and the slippage by Stanford are snapshots of the two strongest trends in Power 5 athletics during the pandemic year: The Big 12 surged and the Pac-12 struggled. Compared to the previous five-year average finish in the Directors’ Cup, Big 12 schools moved up an average of 3.4 spots among Power 5 programs, with six members improving over their previous average, three declining and one staying even. The Pac-12, meanwhile, was a mirror opposite: Its schools averaged losing 3.4 spots, with eight declining, three rising and one staying even.

[Canalejas]

Directors' Cup Shakeup Makes Clear the Pandemic's Impact on College Athletics

The rise of Texas and the slippage by Stanford are snapshots of the two strongest trends in Power 5 athletics during the pandemic year: The Big 12 surged and the Pac-12 struggled. Compared to the previous five-year average finish in the Directors’ Cup, Big 12 schools moved up an average of 3.4 spots among Power 5 programs, with six members improving over their previous average, three declining and one staying even. The Pac-12, meanwhile, was a mirror opposite: Its schools averaged losing 3.4 spots, with eight declining, three rising and one staying even.