The Pac-12 is rebuilding, and the additions of Mountain West programs Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State are the first step toward eclipsing the threshold of eight teams to become an official conference (again.) Those four programs will officially join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026, the conference announced last week.
With Oregon State and Washington State remaining in the Pac-12 due to being left out of the first round of conference realignment that saw Cal and Stanford leave for the ACC; Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington depart for the Big Ten and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah exit for the Big 12, the door remained open for the Pac-12 to rebuild from the ground up.
From a college basketball perspective, the additions of some of the top programs from the Mountain West — considered the most exciting mid-major league in the sport last season — gives the Pac-12 a launching board to rebuild the “Conference of Champions.” Boise State, Colorado State and San Diego State all reached the NCAA Tournament this past season and the MWC has had recent success in the NCAA Tournament — highlighted by San Diego State reaching the Final Four last spring.
The college basketball landscape will look different for the upcoming 2024-25 season due to the various realignment moves within the sport.
Here is the expected impact the four Mountain West members will bring to the Pac-12 starting during the 2026-27 season.
Boise State
On the surface, Boise State may seem like a more attractive move on the football side for the Pac-12, but the basketball program can also offer something to the new-look conference. The Broncos have reached the NCAA…
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