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SALT LAKE CITY — Things will soon get a whole lot tougher for the University of Utah football team.
Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott announced Thursday that the Utes will be placed in the South Division with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA and USC when they join the league next season.
The top finisher will then face the league's other division champ — California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Washington or Washington State — in the Pac-12 Championship Game at the home of the highest-ranked team in December.
Scott made the announcement Thursday morning in San Francisco, following a meeting of the league's presidents and chancellors.
When asked if he would comment on the announcements when they were made, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham maintained his stance to not discuss on the future until this season was complete.
"Nothing. Nothing. Zero. Zip," he said following practice on Wednesday.
Earlier that day as a guest on "Jim Rome is Burning," Whittingham explained his silence on the matter.
"You don't say Pac-10 in this building," he said. "Right now it's all about the Mountain West and as soon as this season is over we'll make that transition."
Switching conferences will bring about several other changes as well.
The Pac-10's governing body (presidents and chancellors) also approved revenue sharing and basketball scheduling plans.
Revenue sharing of a yet-to-be-negotiated new television deal, which could exceed $170 million per year when it begins in 2012, will be split evenly by the 12 schools. If revenues initially fall short, a compromise was reached to give Los Angeles-area schools UCLA and USC an extra $2 million a year until revenues reach their anticipated level.
As part of Utah's deal to join the league — going to a Bowl Championship Series league from a non-automatic qualifying conference — the Utes won't receive a full share of television revenue until 2014.
On the basketball front, the presidents and chancellors approved an 18-game league schedule.
Utah and Colorado will join the Pac-10 on July 1, 2011, at which time the conference name will officially change to the Pac-12. The Utes have been in the Mountain West Conference since the league was formed in 1999, while the Buffaloes are moving over from the Big 12.
