It had already been shown that the Pac-10 was looking for schools who'd met three "fit" metrics: (1) Academic, (2) Athletic, and (3) Culture.

And as had already been pointed out the cougars failed to meet the "Academic" criteria, by not being a "Tier-1 Research institution".

The cougars had ALSO fallen down on the "Athletic" part, by failing to obtain an invitation to ANY BCS bowl amid the [then] 12-yrs of that system. Not one. Utah did. Twice. Boise St. too. And TCU did so likewise prior to obtaining admission the the Big 12, and DESPITE the Big 12's early insistence that they were not interested in adding any "Texas" teams, as it would not expand their footprint. Clearly, BCS bowls matter.

And finally, the cougars failed to meet the third criteria, by being a school who had not only been censored by the AAUP due to their school's infringements on academic freedom and free speech, but who had done NOTHING to get themselves REMOVED from that list for well over a DECADE.

So THERE's the "real reason" why you didn't get invited to join the Pac-12. You failed to meet any of the requirements. Well that and the fact that you all were just too WACish and midmajory for even the Big 12, who has neither the Pac-12's "Academic" nor "Cultural" requirement. Just ask Baylor.