The Pac-12 Conference is on the hunt.
After being left for dead with only two current members, the conference confirmed Thursday it was poaching San Diego State, Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State from the Mountain West as it plans to rebuild membership effective July 1, 2026.
“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. … An exciting new era for the Pac-12 Conference begins today.”
By bringing in the four schools, existing members Washington State and Oregon State will expand the league to at least six teams in 2026. But it still needs at least two more schools to meet the minimum of eight required for league membership under NCAA rules for the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Pac-12 currently is being allowed to operate as a two-team league under a two-year grace period until July 2026 – a window that allowed the league time to figure out what to do next after 10 other members recently left for more money, exposure and stability in other leagues.
Thursday’s announcement answers part of that question, with speculation now set to intensify about who the 108-year-old league will add next.
Who else will the Pac-12 add to conference?
It could be other attractive Mountain West teams, including UNLV, San Jose State or Air Force.
Or it could be some other combination of schools, possibly even some that are turned loose in another future round of conference realignment.
Whatever happens, the 25-year-old Mountain West faces an uncertain future after its top TV properties decided to defect for the bigger brand name of the Pac-12.
All four schools jumped despite the cost – an exit fee of nearly $20 million each to leave the Mountain West in 2026.
The league’s current scheduling agreement with the Pac-12 also calls for the Pac-12 to pay the Mountain West a withdrawal fee of $43 million if it poaches four Mountain West teams and $67.5 million if it poaches six, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
But the Pac-12 has money to help cover it. Gould told USA TODAY Sports in July that the league has a so-called war chest of about $265 million, which includes revenues from the Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff.
At the same time, the Pac-12 could have saved money if it absorbed all 12 Mountain West teams instead of just some. According to the agreement, there are no withdrawal fees for the Pac-12 under that scenario.
Why didn’t the Pac-12 invite all Mountain West teams?
Even though it would have saved the Pac-12 from paying any withdrawal fees to the Mountain West, a full merger isn’t considered as appealing to the Pac-12.
Fewer teams mean fewer mouths to feed with revenue sharing, especially when schools such as Wyoming and Utah State don’t bring the same viewership and brand cache to the revenue side as San Diego State and Boise State.
In effect, the Pac-12 is pruning away the lower branches of the Mountain West while poaching away the top fruit to reform a western league under the Pac-12 banner. The league then hopes to sell its media rights to a media company such as ESPN, with proceeds divided among the member schools.
Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez issued a statement that said the league would have ‘more to say in the days ahead.’
‘All members will be held to the Conference bylaws and policies should they elect to depart,’ the statement said. ‘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.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com