such as with Ohio State University being one of the few state schools more prestigious than the flagship school, or the hangers-on in the Ivy League still getting the "Ivy League" label. I suspect in ten years the U of U will have significantly better academic programs & prestige than they had the day before they were announced as Pac 12 members.

Anecdotal observation here, but the U of A stated in its commencement program a few years back that they were in the same conference as Stan(d)ford and Cal Berkeley and were therefore similar academically. I almost spit my water out on the guy in front of me. Then people called me racist for bringing a tortilla to the ceremony.