Pac-12 commissioner touts conference expansion following departure of USC, UCLA

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff said his conference is far from finished, despite the defections of Southern California and UCLA.

Kliavkoff confirmed the Pac-12 is actively exploring expansion and lobbed several feisty jabs at the Big 12 during an eventful opening speech at his conference's football media day Friday — likely its last in the nation's second-largest media market.

While painting a promising picture of the league's future even after USC and UCLA leave for the Big Ten in 2024, Kliavkoff said the Pac-12 intends to keep its current members while entertaining new additions.

USC, UCLA TO LEAVE PAC-12 FOR BIG TEN IN 2024: REPORTS

The commissioner also acknowledged frustration with the upheaval created by the defections, saying he had spent the past month "trying to defend against grenades being lobbed in from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our remaining conference."

Kliavkoff responded to Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark’s recent declaration that his league was "open for business" in expansion by suggesting those moves could include Big 12 schools coming his way, instead of the opposite assumption.

"With respect to the Big 12 being open for business, I appreciate that," Kliavkoff said. "We haven’t decided whether we’re going shopping there or not."

Pac-12 Conference commissioner George Kliavkoff speaks at the Pac-12 NCAA college football media day Friday. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

"I understand why they’re doing it, when you look at the relative media value between the two conferences," Kliavkoff added later. "I get it. I get why they’re scared, why they’re trying to destabilize it. I was just tired of