Pac-12 Conference takes major step towards rebuilding with announcement of four new school additions

Good news out of the Pac-12! The conference is staging a comeback, starting by bringing in four new schools. It's the start of a process that has been long and painful.

In trying to bring the conference back to prominence, the Pac-12 is reportedly adding four new schools – Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, and Colorado State, with the four new additions set to become official on July 1, 2026. There's plenty to like about these moves from the conference.

Firstly, the Pacific Conference stays out west with the additions, bringing in two schools from California, one from Idaho, and won from Colorado (which admittedly is a bit of a stretch, so let's keep any future additions to the west of that, please).

“For over a century, the Pac-12 Conference has been recognized as a leading brand in intercollegiate athletics. We will continue to pursue bold cutting-edge opportunities for growth and progress, to best serve our member institutions and student-athletes,” Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould said. “I am thankful to our board for their efforts to welcome Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, and San Diego State University to the conference. An exciting new era for the Pac-12 Conference begins today.”

In order to comply with NCAA rules, the conference must have at least eight members by next summer. This core of schools allows the Pac-12 to now have a group to build around as they continue to build out their expansion.

If they get to eight teams by next summer, the Pac-12 Conference Champion would then qualify as an automatic bid to the College Football Playoffs.

The timing of the announcement brings added eyes and attention to some big rivalry games scheduled for this weekend between past and present Pac-12 members; University of Oregon travels up I-5 to Corvallis to continue their in-state rivalry with Oregon state , while Washington State will travel to University of Washington for the Apple Cup. Oregon and Washington now reside in the Big Ten Conference, while Washington State and Oregon State remain in the Pac-12 and will surely have something to say about their rivals jumping ship.

For the Pac-12 and its new schools, hopefully this move provides added recruiting opportunities and will rebuild a proud and competitive conference with a long and storied history.

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