Tag: Pac-12

Weighing the pros and cons of Utah State as Pac-12 expansion target

The Pac-12 has Utah State on its radar as a geographic fit for conference expansion.

The Pac-12’s first wave of expansion involved bringing in four Mountain West programs – Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State – to join Washington State and Oregon State starting in 2026.

The league is looking to get to at least eight programs in order to be FBS eligible for the 2026 season, with sights set on marquee brands in the American conference like Memphis and Tulane.

However, a recent report from Brett McMurphy of Action Network indicated the conference could pivot and add two more Mountain West programs to stay in the same geographical footprint, citing UNLV and Utah State as the top targets.

UNLV is perhaps the most obvious remaining Mountain West program to join the Pac-12, but Utah State is a bit less known as a brand. However, there are plenty of reasons the Aggies make sense as a future Pac-12 squad:

The Pros

Utah State’s recent performance in the two revenue generating sports – football and men’s basketball – has been on a consistent upward trend the past half decade plus.

The football program has appeared in a bowl game every season since 2011 except 2016 (3-9) and 2020 (1-5). The program was ranked in the AP Poll in 2021 and 2018, and while they are off to an ugly 1-3 start this year the sudden firing of head coach Blake Anderson just before the year began didn’t exactly set the team up for success.

Meanwhile, the men’s basketball team has appeared in four of the past five NCAA Tournaments, advancing to the second round last year after getting ranked as high as No. 16 overall in the AP Poll. The upcoming 2024-25 season will be a third straight with a new coach, losing Ryan Odom to VCU after 2023 and only getting Danny Sprinkle for one season before he departed for Washington.

The football and men’s basketball success has spread to the rest of the programs as well, with the Aggies winning four Mountain West championships across all sports last year.

Utah State is also a large institution with roughly 27,000 students and nearly 200,000 alumni, putting it in line with other recent additions to the Pac-12.

The Cons

Utah State is located in Logan, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City with a population of roughly 54,000. The media market for Utah State will include the Salt Lake metro area, which makes it look quite large, but that market is largely made up of Utah fans who aren’t as interested in the Aggies.

Overall, Utah State’s media footprint is not on the level of the other programs in the Pac-12 or being pursued by the Pac-12, and while getting back into the state of Utah is no doubt an appeal – Utah State is third in the state behind Utah and BYU in the pecking order.

Verdict

Utah State is pretty clearly behind the four already added Mountain West schools and UNLV on the Pac-12’s wish list. The Aggies are deservedly ahead of programs like Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming, but being located in a small market that borders a big city that supports another team is not ideal whatsoever.

The recent success in basketball and football is a promising sign the Aggies could sustain success with a move to the Pac-12, but there’s little doubt the conference would rather make things work with teams like Memphis, Tulane, or South Florida before continuing to poach from the Mountain West.

Why the Pac-12 should prioritize Gonzaga in conference expansion

Once the Pac-12 is set with eight or more football programs, adding Gonzaga to the conference is a no-brainer.

The Pac-12 conference added four programs from the Mountain West earlier this month in San Diego State, Boise State, Colorado State, and Fresno State – just the tip of the iceberg of what projects to be a flurry of conference realignment moves over the next few months.

Eight teams is the Pac-12’s minimum to qualify for FBS eligibility in 2026, so that remains commissioner Teresa Gould’s priority. For now.

But once the conference has that box checked, could adding marquee non-football brands – namely the college basketball powerhouse Gonzaga Bulldogs – be next up on the priority list?

We look at the pros and cons of adding Mark Few and the Zags to the Pac-12:

The Pros

Gonzaga is the most recognizable college brand that does not have a football team. UConn and Villanova have (admittedly bad) football programs, while Gonzaga is more notable than other Big East powers like Marquette, Creighton, and St. John’s.

The data backs this up, as Gonzaga hired prominent consulting firm Navigate to help make a case for power conference inclusion last year. Navigate found Gonzaga has among the highest TV power metrics in the entire sport, and estimated the program is worth $15 million – a staggering number for a non-football school.

Speaking of Navigate, the Pac-12 also hired the consulting firm to help them make expansion decisions…and one would be remiss to not point out the connection there and what it could mean for a future partnership.

Geographically, the Pac-12 and Gonzaga are a perfect fit. Located in Spokane, WA, Gonzaga is about 75 miles from Pullman where Washington State resides, and less than 450 miles from both Boise and Corvallis.

Gonzaga’s status as an elite basketball program is backed up by results on the hardwood. Few has led this team to the NCAA Tournament every single season since 1999(!) and the Zags have been to the Sweet 16 eight straight seasons – an incredible feat for a small Jesuit Catholic school in the WCC.

Lastly, the lack of football does have a benefit for the Pac-12, as it likely makes Gonzaga more cost effective for the conference. If the Pac-12 can land Gonzaga for less money than it would cost to add UTSA, it would be silly not to.

The Cons

Roughly 85% of all media revenue from college athletics comes from football. Adding a program (or programs) that don’t add value in that area always comes with risk, even if the cost is less prohibitive.

If the Pac-12 feels there are football brands out there that add value to the conference and appeal to the potential media partners then it makes far more sense to make them a priority over a non-football entity.

Gonzaga is also a very small school with a small student and alumni population, compared to other targets, and is located in Spokane – roughly the 70th biggest media market in the country.

Additionally, as reported by John Canzano on Locked On Zags, there are some Pac-12 officials who are concerned about Gonzaga’s long term stability if and when Mark Few retires. Gonzaga has poured a ton of money into on campus facilities, and it has resulted in improved performances in baseball, soccer, volleyball, and other Olympic sports, but Few’s retirement remains a source of concern for some decision makers in conference expansion.

Lastly, there’s a question of whether Gonzaga would even accept an invite to the Pac-12. The Bulldogs have been in rumors with the Big 12 for quite a while, and even the Big East has been in the mix at times.

Neither the Big 12 or Big East look particularly likely for the Zags at this point, or perhaps ever, but Gonzaga could also opt to stay in the WCC where basketball is king and they are getting a sweet deal with regards to revenue share and a double bye in the conference tournament.

Verdict

Gonzaga to the Pac-12 was always a conversation, even during the previous iteration of the conference, but now that the league is a bit more desperate to fill out a competitive group of teams and get back to power status, it feels like an obvious solution.

Getting squared away in football, possibly by adding Memphis, Tulane and a third team – maybe UTSA, UNLV, or South Florida – is no doubt the priority for Gould and the Pac-12.

After that? Gonzaga, possibly paired with another non-football program like Grand Canyon, St. Mary’s, or Wichita State, should be high on the list.

South Florida to the Pac-12? It sounds crazy, but it might work

South Florida in the Pac-12? It sounds crazy, but there’s a lot of reasons it could work great for both sides.

The Pac-12 is working on rebuilding after 10 of the 12 member institutions bolted to greener pastures in the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC, leaving just Oregon State and Washington State behind. Those two programs are now joined by four former Mountain West schools, Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State, starting in 2026.

The Pac-12 still needs at least two more schools to be FBS eligible, and recent rumors indicate the conference is zeroing in on Memphis and Tulane out of the American as its top targets. The conference may consider adding more than just two teams from the AAC, and one target that should be on the radar is the South Florida Bulls.

Yes, South Florida is pretty darn far from Corvallis, and Pullman, and San Diego, and Boise, and you get the idea, but that sure doesn’t seem to be an insurmountable hurdle in the modern era.

The Atlantic Coast Conference is no longer comprised solely of teams located on or even near the Atlantic Coast, the Big 12 is actually the Big 18, and the Big Ten is also the Big 18 – so why can’t the Pac-12 have members from coast to coast?

The Pros

South Florida is opening a new on-campus football arena in 2027, giving the program its own home after sharing Raymond James Stadium with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The new arena will bring added excitement to the football program, and timing it one year after a potential move to a power conference would work out nicely for both South Florida and the Pac-12.

Media market impact is a critical piece of any team’s membership candidacy, and USF being located in Tampa is a huge selling point for the program. Tampa is the 13th largest media market in America, making it a larger TV hotspot than Memphis, San Antonio, or New Orleans – the media markets for three of the Pac-12’s primary targets: Memphis, UTSA, and Tulane.

Additionally, South Florida is a huge school with around 40,000 students on campus in Tampa and an alumni base of nearly 400,000. USF is a sleeping giant, with a huge media market waiting to be tapped into, an engaged student body, and now a state-of-the-art football facility set to open in less than three years. The time to strike is now – this team won’t be sitting at the non power level for much longer.

The Cons

Simply put, USF hasn’t demonstrated consistent success in the two crucial revenue generating sports: football and men’s basketball. The team is 2-1 this year under coach Alex Golesh, with the only loss coming to Alabama.

The Bulls did go 7-6 and won the Boca Raton Bowl in 2023, put prior to that they endured a nightmare three year tenure under coach Jeff Scott – going 4-29 and a pitiful 1-22 in AAC play.

Over 11 seasons in the American, South Florida won eight or more games three times…and two or less games four times. It’s been an inconsistent ride for USF football, and while a new stadium and a move to the Pac-12 likely helps the program afford more talent, there’s still a risk here.

Men’s basketball is a similar story. The program’s decision to hire Amir Abdur-Rahim paid off wonderfully in year one when he led the Bulls to a spectacular 25-8 season, including 16-2 in conference play, although they failed to make the NCAA Tournament despite spending one week ranked No. 24 in the AP Poll.

Prior to Abdur-Rahim’s arrival, however, the Bulls had never posted a winning record in the AAC. You have to go back to 2011-12, when USF was in the Big East, to find a winning record in league play. That year was also the last time South Florida made the NCAA Tournament, as a 12 seed.

The inconsistent performances in football and men’s basketball are not the biggest hurdle for South Florida though – that would be simple geography.

If the Pac-12 does snag Memphis and Tulane, South Florida becomes a more palatable addition. Even still, would the conference want another team to come along with them to provide another east coast footprint? Teams like Florida Atlantic, UAB, Charlotte, and East Carolina could be targets if the conference wants to create a “Pac-12 East” division, but adding South Florida and stranding them on an island seems like a challenge the conference may not want to deal with.

Verdict

South Florida is a sleeping giant. A new football facility in 2027, a massive student and alumni population, and new coaches who have already succeeded in turning around the football and men’s basketball programs have this school on the rise, and if the Pac-12 doesn’t make a move it’s likely someone else (ACC or Big 12) will.

Of course, Tampa is very very far away from every other school currently in the Pac-12, and even with the possible additions of Memphis and Tulane it’s a tough ask to be flying all the way there in all sports.

That could be rectified if the Pac-12 added more programs from the area, although that itself comes with challenges which ultimately makes this a high risk, high reward addition the Pac-12 should consider.

Why Tulane should be among top targets for Pac-12 expansion

Tulane would give the Pac-12 a footprint in New Orleans and serves as an obvious travel partner with Memphis.

The Pac-12 conference went from two programs to six last week with the announcement that Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, and Colorado State are leaving the Mountain West to join Oregon State and Washington State starting in 2026.

That puts the Pac-12 75% of the way to forming an FBS conference, where a minimum of eight is needed. Rumors have been swirling since the moment the announcement was made, including discussion on whether Cal and Stanford could come back after joining the ACC, if the Pac-12 would consider non-football schools like Gonzaga, and if there are other Mountain West schools – namely UNLV – that could be targeted next.

Perhaps the most notable programs discussed for continued Pac-12 expansion come from the American conference, with both Memphis and Tulane cited as targets for the Pac-12 by longtime beat reporter John Canzano.

Memphis was one of the first programs we analyzed as a candidate for the new look Pac-12, and today we take a look at the Tulane Green Wave – who make a logical travel partner with Memphis if paired together.

The Pros

Big Willie Fritz put this program on the map with a stellar run as head coach from 2015-2023, with Tulane going 54-47 in that stretch and 3-1 in bowl games, including a Cotton Bowl victory after an outstanding 2022 season.

Tulane struggled when they initially got into the American conference, but went 15-1 combined in 2022 and 2023. New coach Jon Sumrall has big shoes to fill to keep this program among the top shelf teams in the conference, but if he’s able to do so the Green Wave will remain one of the top Group of Five teams in the country – and an ideal pickup for the Pac-12.

Tulane is also located in the heart of New Orleans, the 50th largest media market in the country and a city filled with passionate football fans thanks to the success of the Saints at the NFL level.

Adding a footprint in that kind of media market is a big win for the Pac-12, and pairing them with Memphis makes sense for both programs as well.

The Cons

Tulane has a smaller student population than the schools currently in the Pac-12, as well as other programs being targeted, with a student body of roughly 14,500 – about half the enrollment at Colorado State and Fresno State and well below enrollment numbers at UTSA and Memphis.

Plus, as previously mentioned, Tulane’s football success is relatively recent. The Green Wave appeared in just two bowl games between 1999 and 2018, a Hawaii Bowl victory in 2002 in an 8-5 season and a loss in the New Orleans Bowl in 2013 coming off a 7-6 year. It’s too early to know if coach Sumrall is going to build on the momentum started by Fritz or not, and for the Pac-12 adding this program and hoping they don’t backslide is a bit of a risk.

Additionally, Tulane adds very little to the other revenue generating sport – men’s basketball. The Green Wave have not made the NCAA Tournament since 1995, and they are the 162nd ranked program in college basketball dating back to 1997 when Ken Pomeroy’s data begins.

Tulane went 5-13 in conference play last year, finishing 136th at KenPom, although they did win 20 games the previous season. Still, this is not a team that would move the needle in men’s basketball – which could give conference leadership some pause.

The league already added a marquee basketball brand in San Diego State, and if they are considering bringing in Memphis or even non-football schools like Gonzaga or St. Mary’s, a school like Tulane would be an outlier.

Verdict

New Orleans is an appealing media market for the Pac-12, and Tulane makes an obvious travel partner with Memphis. However, the program’s lack of long term success on the gridiron, and complete inability to compete in basketball, could make Tulane a risky addition for the conference.

Plus, while New Orleans is a nice market, getting a footprint in Texas should be the Pac-12’s top priority – which could make someone like UTSA or even Rice a more appealing option.

UTSA offers Pac-12 opportunity to secure footprint in Texas

UTSA would give the Pac-12 a much needed footprint in Texas, but are they a big enough brand for the league to consider for conference expansion?

The Pac-12 is up to six schools after swooping in and snagging four programs from the Mountain West last week: Fresno State, Boise State, Colorado State, and San Diego State.

With eight teams needed at minimum in order to qualify as an FBS league, the Pac-12 has about 22 months to add at least two more programs in order to be ready for a triumphant return in 2026.

Previously we discussed why adding another Mountain West school in UNLV and an ACC powerhouse program in Memphis could make sense for commissioner Teresa Gould, but today we want to focus on what is very likely going to be a big factor for the Pac-12 during this search: getting a footprint in the state of Texas.

While there are many options that could appeal to the Pac-12, today we start by discussing the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners:

The Pros

The Pac-12 knows Texas is a vital market to tap into if they want to entice media partners to shell out big money for this new endeavor. Unless SMU finds its way out of the ACC alongside Stanford and Cal, the Pac-12 is likely looking at teams in either the American Athletic Conference or Conference USA to give them a market share in Texas.

UTSA seems like a great place to start. Located in San Antonio, ranked as the 31st largest media market in the country, the Roadrunners offer the Pac-12 a chance to get their programs on TV in Texas, which should not only help with getting a better media deal, it will help with recruiting as well.

UTSA isn’t just a means to the San Antonio market, however, they are a quality football program that transitioned seamlessly into the AAC with a 9-4 overall record in 2023, including 7-1 in league play and a 35-17 win over Marshall in the Frisco Bowl.

The team is 1-2 so far in 2024 after getting blasted by Texas, 56-7, in Week 3 – but don’t let that fool you this is a very good football program who has been to a bowl game in each of the past four years under coach Jeff Traylor.

The Cons

UTSA has been great on the gridiron in the coach Traylor era, but the program has only been FBS eligible since 2012, and while the recent success is very promising the program has very little brand recognition nationally, especially when compared to other potential targets like Memphis, UNLV, Tulane, or South Florida.

Additionally, adding a team in Texas comes with added travel concerns that would likely be mitigated by bringing a travel partner into the conference as well. That is a solvable problem – even adding Memphis and UTSA together would work – but it does make them a bit trickier of an add than some of the other potential targets.

Plus, while everyone knows football is the king, UTSA is a pretty terrible men’s basketball program that would dramatically lower the overall competition level in the new look Pac-12. The Roadrunners are 229th in Ken Pomeroy’s overall program rankings dating back to 1997, far below every one of the six teams currently in the conference (Oregon State is at 112).

A league with San Diego State, Boise State, Colorado State, and potentially Memphis is a competitive basketball league, and if the Pac-12 has any interest in pursuing Gonzaga or St. Mary’s to bolster the basketball side of things – a team like UTSA may give those programs pause.

Verdict

The Pac-12 is going to end up with at least one team in Texas when all is said and done. That feels like as close to a guarantee as you’ll get in conference realignment. UTSA feels like a very strong candidate thanks to sustained success on the gridiron and a location right in the heart of a major media hub in San Antonio.

However, as a relatively new FBS program without much brand recognition, UTSA isn’t as big of a needle mover as some of the other, more established programs on the market. Plus, poor basketball results would lower the Pac-12’s standing in that regard, which could be problematic if they hope to lure Gonzaga and St. Mary’s out of the WCC.

Why Memphis is the most logical addition for Pac-12 expansion

Memphis is arguably the biggest non power conference brand in college sports, but are they a fit in the rebuilding Pac-12?

The Memphis Tigers have long been among the top candidates to join a power conference, and the recent additions of four Mountain West schools by the Pac-12 once again put the Tigers back in the conversation.

Memphis has been a powerhouse in the American Athletic Conference for a little over a decade, with a strong run in Conference USA before that.

The Tigers have won three bowl games since 2020, including a win in the Liberty Bowl over Iowa State last year to cap off a 10-3 season.

2024 is off to an even better start. After beating Florida State on Saturday, Memphis is now the top candidate to earn a guaranteed bid into the 12-team College Football Playoffs out of the Group of Five conferences.

The Pac-12’s four new additions from the Mountain West give them six programs, with a minimum of eight needed by July 2026 in order to compete at the FBS level. Could Memphis be moving to the Pac-12 in 2026? We look at the pros and cons:

The Pros

Memphis is arguably the most recognizable college brand that isn’t currently affiliated with a power conference, outside of maybe Gonzaga.

The Tigers have won seven or more games in nine of the past 10 full seasons on the gridiron, and 19 or more games in every single season in the AAC except one…when they went 18-14. The sustained success in both football and men’s basketball is second to none among Group of Five programs, making them an easy target for a conference hoping to bolster the quality of programs in its arsenal.

Memphis is also a premier media market, and while the geography isn’t exactly a fit with the current six Pac-12 members, the idea of adding a footprint in Tennessee and the southeast is no doubt a major draw for the conference. Getting to do so while also adding a program that elevates the competition level of the two revenue generating sports is a win-win.

The Cons

Geography. It’s easy to simplify the cons into one word, but effectively it is the biggest issue facing Memphis and the Pac-12 as a fit. Memphis fits far better in the Big 12 geographically, and if university leadership thinks that’s an option it could prevent them from accepting an invite into the Pac-12.

For the Pac-12 to make this work, likely another team joins alongside Memphis as a travel partner. Plenty of options exist for the conference to consider, including Tulane, Tulsa, and UTSA, but it does make Memphis a slightly trickier target as they would be on an island out east without a travel partner.

Recent reports surrounding the men’s basketball program and Penny Hardaway could give the Pac-12 some pause as well, although nothing substantial is confirmed as of this writing.

Verdict

Memphis is perhaps the most obvious target for the Pac-12 at this point, and unless the program wants to wait to see if a Big 12 invite is coming this should be a no brainer on both sides. The geography is a factor, but if another team (Tulane seems to make the most sense) emerges as a travel partner, this could get done pretty quickly.

UNLV strengthens case for Pac-12 membership with win on Friday

UNLV was left out of the first wave of Pac-12 additions, but could a huge win over Kansas help get them accepted?

The Pac-12 conference began the process of rebuilding earlier this week, securing membership from four Mountain West programs: Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, and San Diego State.

The UNLV Rebels were not among the four programs accepted into the Pac-12, although the conference will need to get to at least eight programs by July of 2026 in order to compete at the FBS level.

While a lot of attention is on schools in the American conference, like Memphis, Tulane, or Tulsa, UNLV remains a compelling target for the Pac-12 – and it doesn’t hurt the football program is off to a 3-0 start with two wins over Big 12 programs after defeating Kansas on Friday evening.

The Pros

Few media markets are more coveted right now than Las Vegas, which has aggressively rebranded as a sports hub over the past decade or so – adding an NHL team, a WNBA team, and snagging the Raiders from Oakland.

College football and basketball games are frequently played in Las Vegas, including this year’s massive matchup between LSU and USC in Week 1 and multiple conference basketball tournaments, including the Mountain West, WCC, WAC, and the Pac-12.

UNLV gives the Pac-12 a steady footprint in Vegas, and that alone is a huge selling point for the program.

It also doesn’t hurt the team looks good right now under coach Barry Odom, going 9-5 last year and 6-2 in conference play before losing to Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl – a loss they got revenge for on Friday.

Additionally, while the men’s basketball program hasn’t been great the past decade, the Rebels have a rich history of success in that realm – including a national championship back in 1991. Last year’s team went 21-13 overall and 12-6 in a very deep Mountain West conference, so there’s reason to believe they can compete at the Pac-12 level right away.

The Cons

UNLV is 12-5 in the Barry Odom era dating back to the start of the 2023 season, but the football history prior to his arrival is, to put it lightly, not good. The Rebels made just one bowl appearance between 2001 and 2023, a loss to North Texas in the Heart of Dallas bowl in 2013.

From 2014-2022 the Rebels went 29-74 overall and 19-51 in conference play, a stretch that included the final year of Bobby Hauck’s tenure and the entirety of coach Tony Sanchez and Marcus Arroyo’s time in Vegas. Odom has been great, but when (not if) he gets scooped up by another program, who’s to say the program won’t go right back to being a doormat – which is not what the Pac-12 is looking for in the early stages of rebuilding.

Plus, while the allure of Vegas as a market remains, UNLV doesn’t have its own football stadium which likely gives the Pac-12 some pause. The program currently plays at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, but not having a home arena curtails fan interest – especially in an area that is dominated by tourism traffic.

Lastly, it is possible the two Nevada schools, UNLV and Nevada, are expecting to be a package deal which almost certainly isn’t appealing to the Pac-12. Nevada is in a much smaller market and doesn’t have much track record for football, making them a very low priority for the conference at this time.

Verdict

Las Vegas is a huge media draw for a rebuilding conference like the Pac-12, and UNLV’s current hot start to the season and success in men’s basketball make it a bit of a surprise they were not added in the first wave of poaching via the Mountain West.

However, the poor history on the gridiron, lack of a home stadium, and potential tie to Nevada-Reno is plenty reason for the Pac-12 to look at other schools – namely Memphis, Tulane, or Tulsa – before making the Rebels a priority.

Where does Mountain West turn after losing four programs to Pac-12?

The Mountain West is down to seven schools, how might they proceed after the Pac-12 poached four major brands?

Overnight the Mountain West conference went from 11 schools to just seven, with the Pac-12 swooping in and stealing Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Colorado State starting in 2026.

The four additions give the Pac-12 six total schools, with two more required to reach the NCAA minimum. The Pac-12 has plenty of options to finalize their lineup of teams, which could include coming back to the Mountain West to try and land UNLV and Nevada.

Whether that happens or not, the Mountain West now has work to do to ensure it remains a viable – and strong – athletic conference moving forward.

Unfortunately, as long as the Pac-12 is publicly known to be hunting for new teams, convincing marquee programs to join the Mountain West will be tricky.

Still, there are quite a few teams out there that make sense for the Mountain West to pursue, and we have broken them up into three distinct categories:

American Athletic Conference

The Mountain West will no doubt look at programs in the American Athletic Conference, although those teams will almost certainly wait and see if the Pac-12 will come calling first. Memphis feels like a strong candidate to get a call from the new-look Pac-12, and even if they don’t the Tigers may opt to stay where they are and wait to see if a power conference – perhaps the Big 12 – will scoop them up in the next round of realignment.

Tulane and Tulsa are also expected to be on the Pac-12’s radar, but if neither of them gets an invite the Mountain West should make a strong push to bring them on board. Tulsa would give the conference a footprint in Oklahoma, while Tulane would give them a big media market in New Orleans.

However, Texas is arguably the most important state for any conference to have inroads, especially a football-focused league like the Mountain West, which makes UTSA, Rice, and North Texas all appealing options.

UAB is a bit of a wildcard option here, but Birmingham is a big market and the Blazers have had success recently – although they’d be on a bit of an island geographically unless they join alongside Tulsa or Memphis.

Conference USA

If the state of Texas is the priority, both UTEP and Sam Houston make a ton of sense for the Mountain West. UTEP has been in Conference USA since 2005, although the Miners have struggled to sustain success with just one season over .500 in conference play since 2006.

Sam Houston is much newer to the FCS level, having gone 3-9 in 2023 and off to a 1-1 start so far in 2024. They’d be a bit of a gamble addition, but one that could pay off handsomely if the team can grow over in Huntsville.

Additionally, despite a disastrous couple of years for New Mexico State in football and men’s basketball, the Aggies are a logical target for the Mountain West so they can pair them with New Mexico for a local in-state rivalry.

FBS Programs

FBS additions are probably a last resort for the Mountain West, but if North Dakota State and South Dakota State are interested and available this would be well worth looking into.

The likely outcome here would be bringing the two programs in as football-only members, which is a seamless transition since they are currently football-only in the Missouri Valley and in the Summit League for everything else.

A few other FBS programs that could be targeted for the Mountain West include a trio of teams in the Big Sky Conference: Eastern Washington, Montana State, and Northern Arizona.

The next round of realignment is contingent on how the Pac-12 approaches finalizing their conference, the Mountain West appears likely to be in the driver’s seat for some decent programs in desirable media markets – which will help ease the sting of losing four of the biggest brands the league has ever had.

Stanford and Cal unlikely to join Pac-12 following realignment

Cal and Stanford returning is a longshot.

The Pac-12 is alive and well following the addition of four news teams. But two familiar faces are unlikely to rejoin the newly resurrected conference.

The University of California and Stanford made an unexpected move, joining the ACC this offseason, with many questioning the feasibility of adding two West Coast teams to the conference. With the Pac-12 adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State, there were immediate questions about adding Cal and Stanford back to the conference to fill out the remaining spots.

According to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, however, it seems unlikely that the two former Pac-12 teams will find their way back to their old conference given the potential ramifications.

https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/status/1834106604200800260

Having already played two games in the ACC, Stanford, and Cal are stuck in their new conference as the Pac-12 looks to add outside members for the future. With Wyoming, Hawai’i, and Nevada potentially eying a conference change, the Pac-12 could become the new Mountain West Conference in only a few years.

Pac-12 Conference adding four schools in 2026-27

The Pac-12 will grow from two to six schools in 2026-27

The Pac-12 Conference tripled in size overnight. Granted, it won’t happen until 2026-27 but Oregon State and Washington State won’t stand alone in the future.

The conference that was decimated by realignment is poaching four schools from the Mountain West:

The Pac-12 Conference Board of Directors voted unanimously to admit Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, and San Diego State University, four respected institutions celebrated for their achievements in both academics and athletics, to the Pac-12 Conference effective July 1, 2026. Competition will begin for all conference sports in the 2026-27 academic year.

Following the review of the formal written applications from the four universities, Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould and the conference Board of Directors strategically evaluated each university’s application using five prioritized measures and established criteria which included academics and athletics performance; media and brand evaluation; commitment to athletics success; geography and logistics; culture and student-athlete welfare.