After losing some key members, the Pac-12 boosted its membership by adding Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno State, the conference announced.
The four Mountain West schools will begin competition in the Pac-12 starting in the 2026–2027 academic year.
The new schools helped soften the blow of the Pac-12 losing USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington to the Big Ten and Stanford and the University of California, Berkeley to the ACC.
The Pac-12 should be back to being a formidable conference with Oregon State and Washington State as the holdovers from the conference’s previous incarnation. The new schools would have to pay a $17 million exit fee to leave the Mountain West, a standard accommodation.
“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 Thursday. “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.”
Boise State qualified for a bowl for
18 consecutive seasons from 2002 through 2019, and the Broncos have also played in a bowl game for the past three seasons. Joining the Pac-12 should boost its recruiting efforts because it advances the university’s footprint on the West Coast.
“Boise State University has excelled across every metric by which we are measured, from the lab to the classroom to the field of play.” Boise State President Marlene Tromp
said. “We have shattered records for research awards, graduation numbers and philanthropic giving. Our exciting trajectory matched by the prowess of our storied athletic programs makes this the moment to advance to the Pac-12 conference.”
San Diego State also has a rich history in college football. The move boosts the Pac-12’s presence in Southern California, a fertile recruiting area for football and basketball. The men’s basketball team reached the National Championship game in 2023 where the Aztecs lost to Connecticut 76–59.
Colorado State gives the Pac-12 a footprint in the state after the University of Colorado, Boulder, left the conference for the Big 12 this season. Colorado State is confident the move to the Pac-12 will boost the program’s overall exposure on the national level.
Colorado State President Amy Parsons is ready to deal with the exit fees.
“This move elevates CSU in a way which benefits all our students, bolsters our core mission, and strengthens our reputation for academic and research excellence,” Parsons said in a Sept. 12
statement. “There will be conversations going forward about the Mountain West exit fees and Pac-12 support for our transition. We are confident the path forward will not impact our current university budget and will set CSU up for incredible opportunities to come.”
Fresno State also has a competitive football and basketball program. The university perfectly fits the Pac-12’s footprint and gives the conference a stronger footprint in Central California. Fresno State officials said the move also elevates the athletic program’s profile on the national stage.
While the Pac-12 has boosted its presence in college sports, the
Mountain West’s future is uncertain. The remaining schools are Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San José State, UNLV, Utah State, and Wyoming. The Mountain West could try a similar tactic by attracting other schools, but the long-term plan is uncertain.
