College football conference realignment never sleeps, but the Pac-12 has been especially lively as of late. Once thought to be dead, the Pac-12 has announced the addition of four teams within the last week, and the ‘Conference of Champions' is targeting some more teams to expand its national footprint.
Following the announcement that four Mountain West Conference (MWC) teams — Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Colorado State — would be joining Oregon State and Washington State in the Pac-12, speculation began that the Pac-12 would look a little further east when selecting the next two or so teams. It appears that may be the case, according to the latest from The Athletic's Chris Vannini.
“UTSA, North Texas, South Florida and Texas State are among the other central/eastern options the Pac-12 is looking into, with UTSA considered the favorite among the group,” Vannini wrote. “Getting into Texas is especially important for certain Pac-12 schools, and each prospective member has its own selling point. UTSA’s plan to merge with UT Health San Antonio will be a huge boost for the school and its resources — the kind of move school presidents like — and it’s located in a big city that has supported UTSA football. USF is now a member of the Association of American Universities, a prestigious academic group, with working plans for an on-campus stadium, but it may just be too far away on the map.”
Pac-12 entering new era after taking 4 MWC teams
The four teams Vannini listed are certainly not the only candidates to join the Pac-12. While many of the remaining Mountain West schools would likely accept an invitation, and there is still a chance that a team like UNLV could get the call, the Pac-12 has reportedly set its sights on the likes of Memphis and Tulane.
Like adding teams from Texas or Florida, welcoming in Tulane and Memphis, both of which are part of the American Athletic Conference (AAC), would similarly achieve greater national exposure for the Pac-12, which lost schools this year to the Big Ten (USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon), Big 12 (Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah), and ACC (Cal and Stanford).
To be recognized as an FBS conference by the NCAA, the Pac-12, of which Washington State and Oregon State remain the sole members until 2026, must include at least eight member schools. The conference has until July 1, 2026, to reach the mark, but it is expected the conference will do so as this real-world game of musical chairs continues.
Follow Us
Subscribe
