Pac-12 to Add 4 Mountain West Schools

The Pac-12 Conference is rebuilding by adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State from the Mountain West Conference, effective in the 2026-27 academic year. This expansion follows the departure of 10 schools to other conferences, leaving only Washington State and Oregon State. The new additions will bring the Pac-12 to six members, but it needs two more to meet the NCAA's minimum requirement of eight schools for FBS status by the July 2026 deadline. This move will incur substantial financial penalties, including exit fees and poaching penalties totaling over $100 million. Despite these costs, the Pac-12 leadership is optimistic about the conference's future and its ability to secure a lucrative media rights deal, aiming for at least $11 million per school annually.