In the wake of the Pac-12’s mass exodus, Oregon State had to consider plenty of options for the future.
Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes had previously said rebuilding the Pac-12 would be the program’s No. 1 choice. And now it appears that will happen with the addition of teams from the Mountain West.
Here’s more about where Oregon State fits in with college football’s conference realignment.
Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State & San Diego State Join The Pac-12
Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State have announced they are officially going to the Pac-12, beginning during the 2026 season.
Those moves will likely create a ripple effect for the rest of the FBS. The Pac-12 needs at least two more teams to be technically considered a conference, so others will likely become members of the new-look league. The Mountain West is losing some of its top teams and will probably begin searching for candidates to boost its numbers back up.
Pac-12 officials reportedly believe the league can reach a media deal worth more than the Mountain West’s currently, which could be a key reason for these moves.
The Pac-12 is no longer an autonomous league, meaning it had more influence in regards to NCAA decisions and received more money from the College Football Playoff. It’s uncertain if the Pac-12 could regain that status. It’s also unclear if the CFP would go back to six automatic qualifying spots for conference championship winners, as that number decreased to five following the Pac-12 dropping to two teams.
Reports: Utah State/Pac-12 Move Incoming
Utah State is reportedly going to be the fifth Mountain West team that is going to the Pac-12.
The Aggies have yet to publicly acknowledge the move, though lawsuit documents claim Utah State was allowed into the Pac-12, according to The Athletic.
It’s unclear how Utah State’s decision impacts other Mountain West teams. UNLV and Air Force were reportedly among the MW members to recommit to staying, but following news of USU’s move, leaders with those programs have reportedly begun to reconsider.
Pac-12/Mountain West Lawsuit
Several outlets published stories Tuesday about the Pac-12 filing a lawsuit against the Mountain West over its poaching penalties. That number will be more than $50 million depending on how many schools end up going from the Mountain West to the Pac-12.
Those fees are on top of the $17 million per school that the soon-to-be Pac-12 members will have to pay for leaving the Mountain West, though the Pac-12 will cover some or all of that.
The poaching penalties were part of the scheduling alliance that the Pac-12 and Mountain West made for this season.
The Pac-12’s argument is it’s an antitrust issue. The conference allegedly is claiming it had no choice but to agree to that deal because most of the conference’s teams had left and the league had only a few months to come up with a schedule for the 2024 season.
Pac-12 & Mountain West Don’t Extend Scheduling Arrangement Past 2024
The Mountain West and Pac-12 didn’t sign off on a deal to continue their scheduling agreement past this season. The deadline to do so was Sept. 1.
Oregon State and Washington State made a scheduling deal with the Mountain West for this year. Mountain West teams scheduled seven games against league opponents with another being against either WSU or OSU in 2024. Those two programs aren’t eligible for the Mountain West Championship.
For one year of this arrangement, the two schools are paying the Mountain West $14 million, according to Yahoo Sports
Oregon State Staying In The Pac-12
OSU and WSU previously took action which indicated the universities intended on seeing if they can keep the Pac-12 alive. And now the four Mountain West teams going to the Pac-12 reinforces that notion.
The presidents of Washington State and Oregon State make up the conference’s board of directors. That means those leaders alone have the power to decide what to do with the Pac-12 and its resources like TV revenue.
Those resources will help make it possible for the Pac-12 to add several new teams.
