Utah State is the fifth Mountain West team that is going to the Pac-12.
The Aggies will be joining Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno State as a Mountain West program to go to the former power league. Here’s a look at what this means for USU and college football as a whole.
Reasoning For Utah State’s Pac-12 Move
Utah State could make millions of dollars more in its long-term future with the move to the Pac-12. But the decision could also prove to be risky.
This is an interesting time for the Pac-12, which is currently down to two teams: Oregon State and Washington State. The Pac-12 needs at least eight teams by 2026 to be deemed a legitimate conference by the NCAA, and Utah State makes it seven.
It’s unclear if these developments would make the Pac-12 an autonomous league once again, though. An autonomous conference – which the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, and SEC are – brings in more cash from the College Football Playoff and has a bigger say with NCAA decisions. Also, the CFP shrunk its number of automatic qualifying spots for league champions from six to five after the Pac-12 nearly dissolved, and it doesn’t appear like that number will go back up.
But, reportedly, Pac-12 leaders think the conference can strike a media deal worth more than the Mountain West’s, and money has been a key factor in conference realignment decisions recently.
When Is Utah State Joining The Pac-12?
USU will join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026, so the Aggies will be in their new conference for the 2026 football season.
Mountain West Teams Going To The Pac-12
San Diego State, Boise State, Colorado State, and Fresno State were the first four teams from the Mountain West to announce they were going to the Pac-12. Then Utah State accepted an invite as well.
“We are thrilled to welcome Utah State University to the Pac-12, as they join us on this exciting journey forward,” Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould said in a press release. “With President Elizabeth Cantwell and Athletics Director Diana Sabau at the helm, Utah State brings invaluable strategic insights and leadership that will greatly benefit our conference and its members as well as a history of competitive excellence and success. Today marks another exciting step for the Pac-12 – and it’s just the beginning of phase two.”
Utah State’s Mountain West Buyout & Pac-12 Poaching Penalties
Utah State and every team leaving the Mountain West will have to pay the conference $17 million just for leaving the league with a minimum notice of one year. Any notice less than that amount of time would’ve been $34 million.
As part of the Pac-12/Mountain West scheduling agreement made this year, the MW will also be owed at least roughly $55 million in poaching penalties for the five teams going to the Pac-12.
One Mountain West team would’ve cost the Pac-12 $10 million, while two would’ve been $20.5 million. Five teams is $55 million, and six would be $67.5 million.
But money shouldn’t be an overwhelming obstacle in the long run. The former Pac-12 teams paid Washington State and Oregon State a $65 million settlement. The Pac-12 will also have at least $190 million in future revenue.
Pac-12 & Mountain West Scheduling Arrangement
The Pac-2, so Oregon State and Washington State, put together a scheduling alliance with the Mountain West for the 2024 season.
Mountain West teams scheduled seven games against conference opponents with another being against either OSU or WSU. But those two aren’t eligible for the Mountain West Championship.
The two schools are paying the Mountain West $14 million for this deal, per Yahoo Sports.
Teams That Left The Pac-12
USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington went to the Big Ten. Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah are now in the Big 12. And Cal and Stanford are now competing in the ACC.
That leaves just Oregon State and Washington State in the Pac-12 for at least 2024 and 2025.
Pac-12 2024 Conference Realignment News
The Mountain West announced last week the league is bringing in UTEP, which is currently a member of Conference USA and was believed by some to be a potential target for the Pac-12.
UTEP is joining a conference that’s stronger in terms of on-the-field performance.
And that’s not including the five teams which will be members of the Pac-12 in two years. For example, Air Force reached the AP Top 25 as recently as last season, and UNLV was ranked at 25th last week after two wins over Power Four programs.
There’s also familiarity with the Miners and the other current Mountain West teams, as UTEP played against all of those programs while in the Western Athletic Conference.
UTEP’s decision appears to be financially sound as well. The money made from the Mountain West’s TV deal could be more than four times as much as UTEP is making with Conference USA’s. That’s going off of the current numbers of those deals, and that could of course end up changing with so many teams leaving the Mountain West, which has a TV deal that will reportedly expire after next season.
UTEP’s move could also end up making sense from a travel standpoint as well. While Texas State announced its commitment to the Sun Belt, reports have indicated Tarleton State might also end up going to the MW, so that could be another team in the state of Texas. Currently only one other CUSA team is in the Lone Star State (Sam Houston).
UTEP will become a member of the Mountain West on July 1, 2026. The Miners’ football team will begin Mountain West play during the 2026 season.
“There’s no doubt this will be better for our student-athletes, our fans, and for El Paso,” UTEP president Heather Wilson said in a press release. “We look forward to rekindling former rivalries and welcoming teams and their fans to El Paso.”
UNLV, Air Force To Remain In The Mountain West
UNLV, Air Force, and the Mountain West’s remaining full-time members have reportedly recommitted to staying in the Mountain West despite interest from the Pac-12 and AAC.
Air Force was reportedly being considered as an addition for the AAC before Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State announced they were going anywhere.
The move would’ve made sense for the Falcons. They could have joined a league with Army and Navy and could have avoided the uncertainty that the Mountain West is looking at. Air Force also doesn’t play too far from Denver, which provides some benefits as well.
Instead, the Falcons as well as programs like UNLV and San Jose State seem to be a part of the Mountain West’s immediate future.
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Pac-12 Media Deal
The Pac-12’s media deal with FOX and ESPN was reportedly worth $250 million per year and was going to expire this academic school year. The conference was seeking a new deal before teams decided to leave.
Mountain West Conference Media Deal
The Mountain West agreed to a $270 million media rights deal in 2020 with CBS and FOX, according to The Athletic. It would end after the 2025-26 season. Teams are scheduled to be paid $4 million per year.
How Long Has Utah State Been In The Mountain West?
Utah State joined the Mountain West in 2013, the same year San Jose State was added to the league.
Before that, Utah State was in the WAC from 2005 to 2012.
