Pac-12 Expanding in 2026
College football has been in a state of upheaval since Texas and Oklahoma decided to leave the Big 12 Conference to the SEC. Those two schools were followed by USC and UCLA deciding to jump to the Big Ten from the Pac-12. From there, we all know the chaos that ensued.
With the initial craziness that followed teams moving to the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC Conferences two universities were left behind. Oregon State University and Washington State University were the two schools left in the dust amongst the P5 Conferences at the time.
Realignment in college football is not done yet.
The NCAA gave both Oregon State and Washington State a couple of years to sort things out, formulate a plan, and execute that plan.
After numerous court battles with the schools that left the Pac-12 the Beavers and Cougars started trying to put their plan into place. It was clear from the leadership of the Pac-12 that they believed that the brand of the Pac-12 was still worth something.
Current Pac-12 Commissioner, Teresa Gould, who has given her all to rebranding the century-old conference has said “I am here to fight for these schools, fans, and especially athletes who have been left behind in all of this football realignment.”
In a bit of a surprising move by the Pac-12 on September 11, the Conference of Champions, invited four additional teams to join the conference. Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State were extended invites by the powers that be in the Pac-12. All four schools are currently in the Mountain West Conference. These schools will officially start athletic competition with Oregon State and Washington State in the fall of 2026.
What does this mean moving forward for the Pac-12?
First of all, the conference has to find at least two more teams to join the conference to be considered a conference by the NCAA by 2026. It was one of the stipulations set by the NCAA. Finding two more teams may seem like an easy thing to do, but it will be a little more complicated than people think.
Secondly, these schools that jump to the Pac-12 will have to have a football program. So, those of you thinking that Gonzaga would be a great addition because of their basketball program are out of luck with that thought. The other popular thought out there is that the University of California and Stanford should be on the phone to Pac-12 Commissioner, Teresa Gould, about coming back. That’s not happening anytime soon.
California and Stanford jumped to the Atlantic Coast Conference last summer. When those two schools signed on the dotted line for the ACC they got their media rights deal and the Grant of Rights deal that the ACC has. Clemson and Florida State are litigating those two points with the ACC right now because they want out. It’ll cost California and Stanford a ton of money to try and get out of those deals. I’m not so sure they want to spend millions upon millions to try and come back to the Pac-12.
Oregon State AD, Scott Barnes, said last Saturday, “I think John Wooden said it, ‘Let’s be quick but don’t hurry.'”
Barnes also stated, “Get it right, but it’s in our best interest to move as quickly as we can.”(ESPN.com)
Two teams that being mentioned as the next two added teams are Tulane and Memphis. Before any move by Tulane or Memphis is certain, those two universities have to determine if the move is actually worth it.
For example, Tulane would more than likely owe the Pac-12 an entrance fee. On top of that, the Green Wave would owe the AAC early exit fees. The fee to leave would be in the neighborhood of $10 million dollars based on a 27 month exit. When UConn left the AAC to go back to The Big East the Huskies negotiated an early exit fee of about $17 million.
Obviously the positive side of getting Memphis and Tulane is putting the Pac-12 in a region of the country that they have never been. Opening up those two areas of the country to recruiting for the rest of the conference would be something new for teams from the West Region of the country.
All in all, the Pac-12 still needs to get to eight teams. What happens now and in the future is clearly still up in the air. However, the once proud Conference of Champions, does have a plan that they are starting to execute.
Michael J. Wilson
The Daily Waiver