Is Corvallis the best college town in the new Pac-6?

We realize this is subjective, but with four products from the Pac-12 college newsroom (one in particular when it was the Pac-10, sniff!), we mostly agree.

However, with last year’s conference implosion, Corvallis’ vaunted status was in jeopardy. Yes, three of our alma maters sought what they have Think there are greener pastures. None of us are convinced yet.

Now the Pac-12 is trying to rebuild and has recruited four schools with OSU and Washington State University. The clock is ticking. The conference must find two more teams to join it next year if it wants to survive.

But even with this Pac-6 (six-pack?), we as proud members of the Corvallis community—despite our upbringing—must step up the competition.

Not the sport. Municipal bragging rights.

To this day, OSU Athletics touts Corvallis as a reason to come play for them.

“Corvallis is consistently ranked as a top destination for a true college experience,” its website says.

He cites a “recent” list from Livability, a website that tries to sum up that “it” factor you might look for in a future hometown. The list is from 2019 and ranked Corvallis 5th in the Top 10 Best College Towns.

No updated list found. But there is an older list that ranks the best colleges for tailgating. None of the Pac-6 cities made the list (or the OG Pac-12 for that matter).

Penn State ranked 10th in tailgating, and since sports reporter Dylan Jacobs is a Nittany Lion, I had to ask him about it (plus, I really wanted to use the term “Nittany Lion”).

“Definitely. Surprised it’s not higher, honestly.”

I guess it’s a good thing that State College, home of the University of Pennsylvania, isn’t joining the Pac-6.

As with any competition, especially ones we make up on the fly, we need to explain the rules. What makes a good “university town”?

Former reporter James Day explored this question on a blog in 2021. Hey, it was the middle of the pandemic, I had time! Jimmy Day, as editorial assistant Jane Stoltz likes to call him, believes size matters.

Mr. Day found an Automobile Association of America magazine that listed Gonzaga University’s hometown of Spokane, Wash., as the best college town.

“Spokane is NOT a college town. It’s just too big and the college environment just isn’t the focus,” he wrote.

So those are the rules. Spokane has a population of 230,000, so we’ll draw the line at 200,000, and the university environment has to be at the fore. I would define this as “nice”. It’s an atmosphere.

Corvallis still qualifies! Now, let’s look at our four starters (we won’t bother with WSU’s Pullman since he didn’t make the cut last time). Coming into our reconstituted conference (maybe if it survives) is San Diego State, Fresno State, Boise State and Colorado State. It is a state school conference.

San Diego has 13 times the maximum population. So it’s out. But that aside, after working there covering a trial for Bloomberg News for four months, it’s a kind of paradise. Every day is in the 70s with sunshine. It shines. If it was a meme, it would smile and a cartoon flash would lighten up.

But despite having three great universities, it is not a university town.

Fresno came out, even though its population was not 545,000. The less we say, the better.

Boise could have been a contender. As you may recall from a previous column, when most Oregon cities and all of Linn County and Benton County were snubbed from US World News & Report’s list of the 200 best US cities to live in, Boise, Idaho came in 2nd place. TWO! In all these United States.

The magazine touts the city’s leisure facilities, great dining scene and easy access to opera (yes, opera). It does not mention the university. Despite my distaste for the opera (it doesn’t make me), it definitely warrants a closer look.

Then again, it registers at 237,000 residents, so it can’t. Even a Pac-12 referee would call a foul.

Finally, there’s Fort Collins, Colorado. I’ve never been, but looking at the pictures, it looks a LOT like Corvallis, maybe a bit bigger and without easy access to the coast.

There’s a river that winds through it, downtown architecture dates back to the 1800s, the university seems to be in the heart of the city (or pretty close), and there’s even an Avery Park!

With 169,000 inhabitants, it IS a contender.

Fort Collins threw down the gauntlet. I guess we’re just waiting for Livability to step in.