[BostonCard]

Could you imagine a scenario where the Big-12 looks to go to a 12-team league and wants USC plus one to get there?

BC

I don't really think so, for the following reasons:

-The Big 12 is the conference least well off after the PAC-12 and ACC, and barely so. So not likely to get much more money, and the media markets in the Big 12 are even worse.
-I can't see a universe where U$C buys into a conference in which it's automatically second banana to Texas and the Longhorn Network. 
-The part of U$C that doesn't care about sports is also not going to be excited about the significant drop-off in academic prestige and selectivity. After UT, the dropoff is much starker. And I feel like the Baylor and TCU religious affiliation thing is going to irk a lot of U$C admins, etc. 
-Losing the in-conference rivalries with UCLA, Stanford, and to some degree C.al will matter to a lot of U$C fans/alums. Other than UT, and maaaaybe Oklahoma, who do the Toejams get hyped up to play? Kansas? Oklahoma State? Baylor?
-As bad as some PAC-12 travel is (I see you, Pullman, WA), Big 12 is arguably worse because nearly all the schools outside of UT have extremely limited direct flights from LA, and none of the schools are a bus ride away.

Probably true, though
1) The Big-12 plus two of the top Pac-12 schools will be significantly better off than the current Pac-12
2) Agree
3) I have to laugh that the school most implicated in the college admissions scandal would have a leg to stand on here, but USC does care about the prestige aspect, so I will give you that.  USC cares about the appearance of academics more so than actual academics, so I will give you that point.  On the religious question, remember that USC was originally the USC Methodists, and though it doesn't make much of its religious affiliation any more, there is a historic aspect to it.
4) Agree
5) Agree, though not something that could not be overcome with money.

So, mostly I agree with you.  However, if it looks like the Pac-12 is a sinking ship, I could see SC bailing despite the above.

BC

[BostonCard]

Could you imagine a scenario where the Big-12 looks to go to a 12-team league and wants USC plus one to get there?

BC

I don't really think so, for the following reasons:

-The Big 12 is the conference least well off after the PAC-12 and ACC, and barely so. So not likely to get much more money, and the media markets in the Big 12 are even worse.
-I can't see a universe where U$C buys into a conference in which it's automatically second banana to Texas and the Longhorn Network. 
-The part of U$C that doesn't care about sports is also not going to be excited about the significant drop-off in academic prestige and selectivity. After UT, the dropoff is much starker. And I feel like the Baylor and TCU religious affiliation thing is going to irk a lot of U$C admins, etc. 
-Losing the in-conference rivalries with UCLA, Stanford, and to some degree C.al will matter to a lot of U$C fans/alums. Other than UT, and maaaaybe Oklahoma, who do the Toejams get hyped up to play? Kansas? Oklahoma State? Baylor?
-As bad as some PAC-12 travel is (I see you, Pullman, WA), Big 12 is arguably worse because nearly all the schools outside of UT have extremely limited direct flights from LA, and none of the schools are a bus ride away.

Probably true, though
1) The Big-12 plus two of the top Pac-12 schools will be significantly better off than the current Pac-12
2) Agree
3) I have to laugh that the school most implicated in the college admissions scandal would have a leg to stand on here, but USC does care about the prestige aspect, so I will give you that.  USC cares about the appearance of academics more so than actual academics, so I will give you that point.  On the religious question, remember that USC was originally the USC Methodists, and though it doesn't make much of its religious affiliation any more, there is a historic aspect to it.
4) Agree
5) Agree, though not something that could not be overcome with money.

So, mostly I agree with you.  However, if it looks like the Pac-12 is a sinking ship, I could see SC bailing despite the above.

BC