Reports of the Pac-12’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
After realignment, the conference seemed to be on the verge of extinction when 10 of its 12 schools departed for other conferences, leaving only the Oregon State Beavers and Washington State Cougars in the conference.
However, on Thursday, the Pac-12 announced that starting in 2026, the Boise State Broncos, Colorado State Rams, Fresno State Bulldogs, and San Diego State Aztecs will be joining the conference.
Good morning! It’s a beautiful new day 😎#BackThePac pic.twitter.com/jfIU1Gk22u
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) September 12, 2024
“For over a century, the Pac-12 Conference has been recognized as a leading brand in intercollegiate athletics,” Pac-12 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.”
There are still a couple of hurdles to clear before 2026, such as the four new members being subject to the Mountain West’s bylaws and departure fees. Additionally, the NCAA requires conferences to have at least eight members, so the revamped Pac-12 must find at least two more schools.
