Conference
Pac-12
A conference rebuilt from almost nothing, and in 2026 it plays its first season in its new form.
Members
Pac-12 programs
Pac-12 · Boise, Idaho · 9-5 in 2025
Pac-12 · Fort Collins, Colorado · 2-10 in 2025
Pac-12 · Fresno, California · 9-4 in 2025
Pac-12 · Corvallis, Oregon · 2-10 in 2025
Pac-12 · San Diego, California · 9-4 in 2025
Pac-12 · San Marcos, Texas · 7-6 in 2025
Pac-12 · Logan, Utah · 6-7 in 2025
Pac-12 · Pullman, Washington · 7-6 in 2025
Pac-12
What the Pac-12 is now
The Pac-12 that begins the 2026 season shares a name with the old one and very little else. When ten of its members left for the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, only Oregon State and Washington State remained. Rather than fold, the conference rebuilt by recruiting from the Mountain West and beyond.
The result is a league whose competitive centre of gravity has moved inland. Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State all arrive from the Mountain West, with Texas State joining from the Sun Belt, and they line up alongside the two original members.
Pac-12
What that means in practice
For most of the new members the change is one of label more than opposition. Boise State's 2026 conference schedule includes Utah State, Fresno State, Colorado State and San Diego State, all of which were Mountain West fixtures a year earlier. The rivalries carried over; the name on the trophy changed.
The league sits outside the four power conferences, which means its route to the College Football Playoff runs through the place reserved for the highest-ranked champion from outside that group. Winning it is therefore worth a great deal more than a conference title alone.
FAQ
Pac-12 questions
Why did the Pac-12 nearly disappear?
Ten of its twelve members left between 2024 and 2026 for the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, driven by media rights and revenue. Only Oregon State and Washington State stayed, leaving the conference with two teams and a decision about whether to rebuild or dissolve.
Which teams are in the Pac-12 in 2026?
Oregon State and Washington State, the two holdovers, joined by Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State from the Mountain West, and Texas State from the Sun Belt. It is the conference's first season in this form.
Can a Pac-12 team reach the College Football Playoff?
Yes, through the place the expanded format reserves for the highest-ranked champion from outside the power conferences. Boise State reached the playoff by that route in 2024 while still in the Mountain West, so the path is a proven one.
Is the new Pac-12 the same as the old one?
Only in name and legal continuity. None of the traditional West Coast powers remain apart from Oregon State and Washington State, and the membership is drawn largely from the Mountain West. Treating it as a continuation of the historic conference would be misleading.