Pac-12 Collapses: Giants Flee for Bigger Conferences

After the Washington Huskies quieted their celebration over defeating Oregon in the 2023 Pac-12 Championship Game, a harsh truth hit them hard. They had just won the title and secured a College Football Playoff spot, but the conference they called home was dying. The era of Pac-12 football ended right then. This organization traced its roots back to the Pacific Coast Conference formed in 1915, yet it faced an uncertain future. Years of failed attempts to improve media rights deals weighed heavily on its shoulders. As name, image, and likeness rules changed college sports forever, top programs realized they could not afford to lag behind the Big Ten and SEC.

Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and USC all packed their bags for the Big Ten. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah followed them south into the Big 12. Cal and Stanford scrambled to find safety in the ACC. This mass exodus left Washington State and Oregon State standing alone as a two-team conference. The days of Pac-12 basketball tournaments in Las Vegas vanished forever. The Apple Cup rivalry between Washington and Washington State shifted to the start of every season. Fans lost the habit of staying up late for the chaotic "Pac-12 After Dark."

Two years later, the conference is back. It feels different now. The 2026 version of the Pac-12 looks nothing like its old self. Rivalries remain fierce and competition stays heated, but it lacks its former status as a power conference. To reach the College Football Playoff, a team must rank higher than every Group of Six opponent in the final top 25. That is a tall order for anyone outside the elite tier.

Here is a fun fact: Every Pac-12 football team includes the word "State" in its name. The incoming class features five teams from the Mountain West and one from the Sun Belt Conference. Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, and Texas State join Oregon State and Washington State to form an eight-team league. The Broncos have long been a premier Group of Six program and now bring their famous blue field to bright Pac-12 lights. Fresno State and Utah State each qualified for bowl games in 2025. Colorado State will try to turn things around under former UCLA coach Jim Mora. Texas State has won a bowl game in each of the past three seasons.

One complication remains. Gonzaga will join the conference for college basketball, bringing the total membership to nine teams in that sport. The Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA Tournament every season for the last 17 years. They reached the national championship game in both 2017 and 2021. This new-look Pac-12 might not match the luster or competition level of its predecessor. It should still be one of, if not the, strongest Group of Six conferences for football and basketball. Communities across the West feel a mix of relief and concern as this reshaped league seeks stability. The stakes are high for student athletes who need competitive environments to thrive.