The Pac-12 is clawing back.
The two-member conference is poised to add four Mountain West schools: Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State in 2026, the parties announced Thursday.
The conference now only needs two more members to join within the next two years to maintain its FBS status, according to NCAA bylaws.
“Good morning!” the Pac-12’s X account wrote Thursday morning, following a flurry of media reports overnight. “It’s a beautiful new day.” The conference added a graphic with the Pac-12 logo, as well as those of its six new members.
The news comes just a year after the Pac-12 was picked apart after former commissioner George Kliavkoff failed to deliver a lucrative media package. The two remaining members, Oregon State and Washington State, had no intention of letting the conference die, however.
“For over a century, the Pac-12 Conference has been recognized as a leading brand in intercollegiate athletics,” commissioner Teresa Gould said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue bold cutting-edge opportunities for growth and progress, to best serve our member institutions and student-athletes. I am thankful to our board for their efforts to welcome Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, and San Diego State University to the conference. An exciting new era for the Pac-12 Conference begins today.”
Gould has been the commissioner for less than a year, but she has already helped bring the conference back to life. Last year, before Gould became commissioner, Oregon State and Washington State won the rights to the “Pac-12” intellectual property, as well as an eight-figure war chest, in a lawsuit against departing members. They inked the scheduling partnership with the Mountain West, as well as an affiliate partnership with the West Coast Conference for Olympic sports. Gould then quickly locked in a modest media deal with The CW and Fox Sports for football this season and began to spearhead conversations about the long-term future of the Pac-12.
Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez likely anticipated this scenario. The scheduling partnership, which the Pac-12 and Mountain West opted not to extend past this season due to a fee dispute, mandates the Pac-12 pay $43 million to the Mountain West for its four new members, according to a copy of the agreement previously obtained by Front Office Sports. The four schools themselves will be responsible for $17 million each in exit fees.
“The Mountain West Conference is aware of media reports regarding the potential departure of several of our members, and we will have more to say in the days ahead,” Nevarez said in a statement to FOS before the official announcement came from the Pac-12. “All members will be held to the Conference bylaws and policies should they elect to depart. The requirements of the scheduling agreement will apply to the Pac-12 should they admit Mountain West members. Our Board of Directors is meeting to determine our next steps. The Mountain West has a proud 25-year history and will continue to thrive in the years ahead.”
Editors’ note: This developing story will be updated.
