Utah Pacs Their Bags

By Justin Worsley

If Colorado wasn't already exciting enough for West Coast college sports fans, the Pac-10 has expanded to twelve teams on Thursday after Utah announced they have accepted their invitation to join the conference.

The augmentation of the Utes brings in another major city to the Pac-10. Colorado brought in the Denver area while Utah brings in Salt Lake. The Pac-10 already has the Phoenix, Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles audience.

Utah, who will join the Pac-10 in 2011, is hoping that joining the tougher conference will give them a better shot at a BCS bowl game, which they were only able to make two of in their former conference, the Mountain West. In 2008, Utah was the only undefeated team in college, however, since they played in the weaker Mountain West, they were overlooked and played in the Sugar Bowl, where they defeated #4 Alabama 31-17, instead of the national championship.

The addition of Utah means the Pac-10, or whatever they decide to call themselves, will be able to play for a conference title game in 2012, when Colorado starts conference play.

The news does the Mountain West no favors after the conference tried to become more reputable last week after bringing in Boise State.