The Pac-12 Conference is stepping into a whole new chapter with the addition of seven full-time member schools. This expansion, kicking off in the 2026-27 season, brings in Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Texas State, and Utah State.
On top of that, the conference is adding 12 new affiliate members across five Olympic sports. The Pac-12 is clearly aiming to shake things up and keep its tradition alive, but with a modern twist. There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s get into it.
The New Pac-12 Lineup
Seven new full-time members will turn the Pac-12 into a nine-member conference. The newcomers:
- Boise State
- Colorado State
- Fresno State
- Gonzaga
- San Diego State
- Texas State
- Utah State
These schools bring some serious athletic energy and plenty of competitive drive. It’s a big mix of talent that could change the conference’s vibe across a bunch of sports.
Affiliate Members and Olympic Sports
Besides the full-timers, 12 new affiliate members are joining in five Olympic sports:
- Baseball: Dallas Baptist
- Men’s Soccer: Cal Baptist, Cal Poly, UC Riverside, UC San Diego
- Women’s Gymnastics: Southern Utah
- Women’s Swimming: Cal Baptist
- Wrestling: Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, South Dakota State
This should make those sports a lot more interesting. More teams, more chances for athletes to stand out—what’s not to like?
Return of Basketball Tournaments to Las Vegas
The Pac-12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are headed back to Las Vegas. Both will be at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons, thanks to a deal with MGM Resorts and the LVCVA.
Tournament Details and Format
The tournaments start on Tuesday, March 9, 2027, and run five days. There’ll be eight games, with all nine teams getting a shot—starting with a play-in game between the bottom two seeds.
- Double-bye: Top two seeds go straight to the semifinals.
- Single-bye: Third and fourth seeds start in the quarterfinals.
- Championship Games: Both finals happen Saturday, March 13, 2027.
The women’s games come before the men’s each day, which should make for some packed, lively days at the arena.
National TV Coverage
Basketball fans won’t have to hunt for these games. The men’s tournament will be on USA Network, with the title game airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
The women’s semifinals and final will be on The CW, though the first five games’ details are still TBA. Not bad for exposure, honestly.
Historical Context
Vegas isn’t new to the Pac-12. The men’s tournament was there for 12 straight years (2013-2024), and the women’s event for six (2019-2024).
Feels like a natural fit to bring it all back. There’s just something about Vegas and college basketball, right?
New Pac-12 Sports Sponsorship and Championships
The new Pac-12 will sponsor 10 women’s and nine men’s sports, with championship events in fall, winter, and spring. For the first time ever, they’ll have league championships for men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball. Took them long enough, honestly.
Comprehensive List of Sports and Championships
Here’s the rundown for the 2026-27 championship schedules and host sites:
Men’s Sports & Championships
- Football: Dec. 4, High-Seed Hosts
- Baseball: May 27-30, Oregon State
- Basketball: March 9-13, MGM Grand Garden Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
- Cross Country: Oct. 30, Boise State
- Golf: April 30 – May 2, Washington State
- Soccer: Nov. 7-13/14, High-Seed Hosts
- Outdoor Track & Field: May 13-15, Fresno State
- Wrestling: March 4-6, Little Rock
Women’s Sports & Championships
- Basketball: March 9-13, MGM Grand Garden Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
- Cross Country: Oct. 30, Boise State
- Golf: April 25-27, San Diego State
- Gymnastics: March 20, Oregon State
- Soccer: Nov. 11-15, Best 2026 non-con RPI
- Softball: May 12-15, Texas State
- Swimming & Diving: Feb. 24-27, Houston, TX
- Tennis: April 23-25, Colorado State
- Outdoor Track & Field: May 13-15, Fresno State
- Volleyball: Week of Nov. 23, Best first-half win %
Special Edition Football Series: “The Dawn”
To mark the new league and football season, the Pac-12 is rolling out a special series called The Dawn. It’s a 10-episode run featuring all eight head football coaches plus Commissioner Teresa Gould.
Programming Schedule
The series drops Wednesday, July 1, with two new episodes each week through July. The finale lands in August, right before football kicks off.
You can catch episodes on the Pac-12’s YouTube channel and Pac-12 Insider. That’s probably the easiest way to keep up if you’re curious about all the changes.
Competitive Edge: Pac-12’s Performance Metrics
Over the past five seasons, the new Pac-12 has actually been pretty strong in football and men’s basketball. Here are some key stats:
Football
- Overall Winning Percentage: Fourth-best (.537), just behind the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12
- Average FPI Ranking: Top 5 (78)
- Average SP+ Ranking: Top 5 (74)
- Team Success Average Rating: Top 5 (42.9)
- Bowl Eligibility: 75% of teams reached bowl eligibility in 2025
Men’s Basketball
- Average NET Ranking: Top 6 (91.1)
- Average KenPom Ranking: Top 6 (89.8)
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: Seven programs made at least one appearance in the last six seasons
- NCAA Bids: 16 total bids across six programs in the last four seasons
- National Championship Games: Multiple teams reached the title match since 2021 (Gonzaga, 2021; San Diego State, 2023)
New Media Partnerships
The Pac-12 has landed media deals with CBS Sports, USA Sports, and CW Sports. That means every league-controlled football game and most men’s and women’s basketball games will be on national TV.
Broadcast Highlights
- Football: Every game available to U.S. households on national TV
- Men’s Basketball: Over 70% of home games broadcast nationally
- Women’s Basketball: Featured on The CW and USA Network
- Pac-12 Enterprises: Will produce 150+ broadcasts for media partners
2026 Pac-12 Football Schedule
The 2026 football schedule is shaping up to be a wild ride. There are 32 non-conference games on the slate, which is honestly a lot to keep track of.
- 12 games are lined up against Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC teams.
- 11 games will feature opponents that racked up 10 or more wins in 2025.
- 15 of those games are against teams with at least 9 wins.
- 23 games will see Pac-12 squads facing teams that had 7 or more wins.
- And, if you’re counting, 25 games are against teams that finished at .500 or better.
Some of the matchups worth circling? Texas Tech, North Texas, BYU, and James Madison all make appearances. It’s not exactly a cakewalk—Pac-12 teams are really going after some tough competition.
If you want to dig into all the details, you can check out the official announcement. There’s a lot to look forward to, honestly.
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