Pac-12 Targeting Four Mountain West Schools For Expansion: Key Things to Know

In a late night stunner, it was reported by Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports - and confirmed by several other outlets - that the Pac-12 might try to rebuild the conference around Oregon State and Washington State by potentially adding Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State from the Mountain West.

It’s not quite that easy, though.

If this happens and goes through, the four schools will have to submit their applications to join the rebuilt league, it all has to be approved, and then exit fees would kick in.

When will this happen? Who else will the Pac-12 target? What does it all mean? Here are a few key things to know about the possible expansion.

When will the Pac-12 expand? When would Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State join the Pac-12?

Assuming all goes forth as expected, and everyone has the paperwork right and the parts all come together, this would all start in the 2026 football season.

For now, it's at least out there, but there are still a few things to push through. So if this happens …

How much will it cost Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State to leave the Mountain West and join the Pac-12?

Not a lot - at least in the modern world of college athletics.

The schools would have to pay $17 million each to bolt, but again, that’s not bad compared to tens of millions - or even hundreds of millions.

Unlike schools in the Power Four conferences - for the most part - there’s not the barrier of suffocating grant of rights fees to get through.

Again, assuming everyone has their I’s dotted and their T’s crossed, the deal the Pac-12 should have on the table is expected to be far better than what the Mountain West can offer.

Even after the meltdown of last year, the Pac-12 still has plenty of good pieces in place.

Cranking up the Pac-12 Network again isn’t expected to be an issue over the next few years, the branding still matters, and the expected revenue options are expected to be bigger with these four new schools, to go along with Oregon State and Washington State.

How big will the Pac-12 be in 2026?

If the Pac-12 lands the schools it's targeting, it needs to get to eight schools to be in the mix for expanded College Football Playoff, but that’s not an issue.

The CFP might expand from 12 in the next few seasons anyway, so just assume the Pac-12 will figure it out - assuming this is all really going to happen - and its champion will be a part of the new and soon-to-be larger playoff.

The Pac-12 won’t stand pat on six - others will be in the mix right away, but Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State are core schools to help build around.

All of this is a massive win for Oregon State and Washington State. Those two were left twisting in the wind after the Pac-12 implosion, and the Big 12 and ACC didn’t appear to have any real interest in expanded further with those two for the foreseeable future.

Now what for the Mountain West?

There will be a fight.

The league will still have everything in place for the rest of this football and basketball season, and for next year. In 2026, though, it’ll need to have a plan to work and build around whatever schools are left.

The Mountain West’s main problem might not be the Pac-12, though.

The vultures will quickly be circling - the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC won’t have any interest in the remaining schools, but the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, and Sun Belt might.

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