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Jul 01, 2026

College football realignment refresh: July brings Pac-12 relaunch, new FBS members

College football realignment refresh: July brings Pac-12 relaunch, new FBS members

The Pac-12 Conference logo between the 30- and 20-yard lines on a football field.

Welcome back, Pac-12. Kirby Lee / Getty Images

By Chris VanniniJuly 1, 2026 Updated 8:21 am EDT

It’s July 1, and for the fifth consecutive year, conference realignment has brought summer movement within the Football Bowl Subdivision.

What started with Texas and Oklahoma’s shocking jump from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2021 has continued to trickle down across the rest of college football, especially in the Group of 5 conferences, which are now a Group of 6. Welcome back, Pac-12.

Eleven more FBS schools officially moved Wednesday, along with some non-football-playing additions, bringing the total to 47 FBS moves since the initial Texas and Oklahoma reveal and growing the FBS to 138 teams (up from 130 in 2021). That’s more than one-third of college football’s top level.

To catch you up on this year’s moves, here’s a look at the changes effective this month.

Pac-12

Out: None
In: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State, Gonzaga (non-football)

In 2024, the Pac-12 lost 10 schools to the Big Ten (four), Big 12 (four) and ACC (two), leaving just Oregon State and Washington State. What had started with USC and UCLA’s departure for the Big Ten snowballed into an existential crisis by 2024. Rather than close up shop and join the Mountain West, Oregon State and Washington State spent 2024 in a scheduling partnership with the Mountain West for football and with various leagues for other sports. A year later, the Pac-12 added five Mountain West schools. There were lawsuits, which were recently settled.

To reach the FBS-mandated minimum of eight members, the Pac-12 also added Texas State from the Sun Belt. The league will have a “flex” rematch game to close the regular season, giving everyone eight conference games. Basketball powerhouse Gonzaga is also coming over as a member in all sports, though the Zags don’t have football.

Pac-12 members as of July 1
School
Boise State
Colorado State
Fresno State
Gonzaga (non-football)
Oregon State
San Diego State
Texas State
Utah State
Washington State
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Mountain West

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