Utah State reportedly will join San Diego State in the Pac-12, which amounted to a disappointing concession on a wild day

Additionally, the Mountain West is moving to ensure the teams remaining after the Pac-12's recent poaching stay put as members of the league. One Mountain West team will not be sticking around as Utah State has accepted an invitation to join the Pac-12,

With only six members — Oregon State, Washington State, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State — the Pac-12 needs at least two additional members by 2026 in order to remain a viable FBS conference.

Just shortly after the Pac-12 made the decision to add four more schools to their conference, they are looking to continue expanding. According to insider Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, the conference has added two more schools to its list of potential expansion. The two schools include the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Utah State.

Utah State reportedly will join San Diego State in the Pac-12, which amounted to a disappointing concession on a wild day

The schools had seen presentations from the Pac-12 but ultimately felt the league’s uncertainty and travel weren’t enough to leave an AAC that is exploring new revenues and models. The AAC’s large exit fees were also a major hurdle.

The Pac-12's first wave of expansion involved bringing in four Mountain West programs - Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State - to join Washington State and Oregon State starting in 2026.