Mountain West schools departing for Pac-12: Which newcomer is most likely to rule over new-look conference?

Like a phoenix, the Pac-12 is set to rise from the ashes in July 2026. Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State all filed their intent to leave the Mountain West Conference on June 1, according to multiple reports. 

This latest step is more of a formality since the Pac-12 already announced that the aforementioned Mountain West schools will be joining its ranks next year, bringing its number of full member institutions — including Oregon State and Washington State — to seven. That’s still one short of the number required to be considered an FBS institution, but for now, the Pac-12 was able to brunt the latest wave of conference realignment that left it gutted. 

But after the Pac-12 lost iconic institutions like Oregon and USC during that aforementioned realignment cycle, which of its new members is poised to become the face of the conference? 

Here’s a look at a few schools that can carry the banner for the Pac-12 as it enters a new era. 

Boise State 

Boise State is the prime candidate to represent the Pac-12 on the national stage. Boise, Idaho, isn’t exactly a prime media market, but the Broncos are unquestionably the most successful football school in the mix within the new-look Pac-12. Regardless of level, they’re a historical power. Chris Petersen ushered in a modern golden era for the Broncos. Boise State won 21 games, made three bowl appearances and had two top-15 finishes in the AP Top 25 poll in its first three years with the Mountain West Conference from 2011-13. Petersen left Boise with a 92-12 record. 

The success didn’t stop when Petersen left for Washington. Bryan Harsin came in from Arkansas State and reached 10 wins in five out of six full seasons at Boise State. Even Andy Avalos, who was fired after just three years, managed a 10-4 record in 2022, sandwiched between lackluster seasons. And, of course, Boise State is coming off arguably its greatest season in program history. 

The Broncos went 11-1 in the regular season (their lone loss came by three points on the road against Oregon), beat UNLV in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game and earned a first-round bye in the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff format. They also produced a Heisman Trophy finalist in running back Ashton Jeanty, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Boise State recruits well, it develops well and it has as high a standard as any program in the country. 

Fresno State 

Few programs enjoy the level of stability that Fresno State has. The Bulldogs have only missed out on a bowl game in five seasons since the turn of the century. They’ve won a Mountain West title four times since joining the conference in 2012. Fresno State has also recently turned out coaches like Kalen DeBoer, who took Washington to the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023 before he was hand-picked as Nick Saban’s successor at Alabama. 

But the Bulldogs do face some immediate uncertainty. Longtime coach Jeff Tedford, responsible for two of those Mountain West titles, announced prior to the 2024 season that he’d be retiring from coaching due to ongoing health concerns. He previously stepped away from 2020-21, which opened the door for DeBoer’s ascent. Fresno State went 6-7 last season — its worst record since 2019 — under interim coach Tim Skipper. 

There’s still plenty of reason for optimism, however. Fresno State landed on former North Dakota State coach Matt Entz as Tedford’s full-time replacement. Entz, who was also USC’s associate head coach and linebackers coach in 2024, never won fewer than 11 games in a full season with the Bison and also has two FCS championships on his résumé. Fresno State is ideally located in California, one of the most talent-rich states in the country, and in 2023 the university announced a $250 million project to update Valley Children’s Stadium and the surrounding football facilities, so the Bulldogs have the resources to compete in the Pac-12. 

San Diego State 

Like Fresno State, San Diego State has recently poured plenty of resources into its football program. The university christened SnapDragon Stadium in 2022, a $315 million complex that also hosts San Diego FC (MLS) and San Diego Wave FC (NWSL). SDSU is the only FBS institution located in San Diego, the second-most populated city in California, and its location allows it to easily tap into Southern California’s rich talent base. 

The investment is there, but the recent results haven’t been. San Diego State has not won the Mountain West since 2016 when former coach Rocky Long added a third trophy to his case. The Aztecs have made a bowl game just twice since 2020, and they haven’t had a winning record since 2022. They went 3-9 last season in coach Sean Lewis’ first year. San Diego State isn’t too far removed from consistently duking it out near the top of the Mountain West, and it has competed for plenty of titles in the past, so it definitely brings some upside to the Pac-12.