The Pac-12 announced divisions today and the Utes have been put in the south division of the newly expanded conference. There they will, as expected, join Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, SC and UCLA. The Pac-12 North will include the Oregon and Washington schools along with Cal and Stanford.
The university presidents also agreed on an equal revenue sharing which will take place in 2012. The plan from Utah's point of view does not change - they will be phased into that sharing over the course of the next three years.
The biggest news, though, just might be the announcement that the conference championship will take place at the home site of the team with the highest seed and potential tie-breaker. That means it's very possible the Utes could be hosting the Pac-12 title game next season against a north team.
That goes directly against what many of us were led to believe, as it appeared the conference was openly looking at sites throughout the west. However, after discussion, this is what they are set on for the foreseeable future.
Beyond that, the conference will continue with a nine game schedule, assuring more access to the Southern California teams by those in the Pac-12 North. SC and UCLA will also be guaranteed yearly contests with Stanford and Cal.
So there you have it. The conference will have equal revenue sharing and an on-campus championship game. The best news of all, of course, is the Utes' move to the Pac-12 South, where they will play Arizona, ASU, Colorado, SC and UCLA yearly.