For college football fans wondering what conference realignment would look like if they could speed date for new partners, Monday provided a real-time glimpse.
And like most reality TV shows, it was part lovefest, part trainwreck, and you couldn’t look away.
It started with Memphis, USF, UTSA and Tulane — all of which had offers to join the Pac-12 — announcing they were committed to the AAC. They sent out a 120-word commitment to the AAC ending with “The American Way.”
Lately “The American Way” has been conference realignment.
In the past 14 seasons, 26 schools have been added to or changed power conferences. This is what’s causing so much turmoil right now with the non-power conferences of the AAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, CUSA and MAC.
With those four schools recommitting to the AAC and becoming unavailable, the Pac-12 turned to the Mountain West, where it recently added Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State.
However, Air Force and UNLV, the Pac-12’s next top two targets, decided to remain in the Mountain West. Or did they?
The Mountain West schools had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), re-establishing their commitment to the league based on the eight league members remaining, a source said. However, when Utah State didn’t commit, UNLV, which told the Mountain West it would remain, decided it would consider its options since the MOU was no longer valid.
Rebel donors were outraged by the decision to remain in the Mountain West, sources said.
With the MWC’s MOU no longer valid, it’s possible there could be even more defections, a source said. Perhaps, Air Force to the AAC or Pac-12?
Utah State, meanwhile, will join the Pac-12 in 2026, a source said.
And then there’s Gonzaga. Action Network reported Gonzaga is leaving the West Coast Conference for the Pac-12 in 2026. Gonzaga’s athletic director Chris Standiford told the Spokesman-Review that is inaccurate. Action Network stands by its reporting.
With the news that UNLV is now reconsidering the Pac-12, a source told Action Network on Monday night that the Pac-12 is “wanting to build a strong basketball conference, to go with its football league.”
Moving into Monday night, the departure of Utah State from the Mountain West to the Pac-12 means the Pac-12 and the Mountain West each have seven football members — for now — committed in 2026.
The NCAA requires a minimum of eight members for FBS conferences, meaning both leagues still need to add at least one other football member.
So, stay tuned for more conference realignment madness.
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