Realignment has taken the NCAA by storm and no conference has been hit more than Washington State football's home. The Pac-12 Conference will only be left with four teams after the departures of their other eight members. Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington football will all transition into competing in the Big Ten conference. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah are all heading to the Big 12 conference as well. This leaves out Washington State football and President Kirk Schulz as the team is staying in their conference.

It was not particularly easy for the Pac-12 conference to get deals unlike the Big Ten and Big 12. They did get Apple to help them out but other teams just wanted a different way to earn. This prompted the massive exodus which left them with only four teams to work with come the 2024 season.

Washington football and Kirk Schulz remained optimistic heading into decision day. Although, it did not turn out as expected for them as they were left in the dust. The president had to release a statement on the matter.

“I genuinely felt that on Friday morning we would sign the needed paperwork, finalize the deal with Apple, and move the Pac‑12 toward a new and brighter future,” he wrote.

The statement, while optimistic, is not what most people expected. Most of the teams left may just need to work out how they can execute the four-team conference a year in advance. Moreover, they can also try to add other NCAA Division I programs to salvage what is left.