Colorado State University will move its athletics programs to a rejuvenated Pac-12 conference, the school announced Thursday morning.
CSU will join Boise State, San Diego State and Fresno State in making the jump from the Mountain West conference in 2026, according to a release from CSU. They will join remaining Pac-12 schools Oregon State and Washington State in the rebuilt conference.
“This move elevates CSU in a way which benefits all our students, bolsters our core mission, and strengthens our reputation for academic and research excellence,” CSU president Amy Parsons said in a university release. “CSU is honored to be among the universities asked to help carry on the history and tradition of the Pac-12 as a highly competitive conference with some of the nation’s leading research institutions.”
The language emphasizing the academic benefits of the move is similar to what officials at CU-Boulder said when they made the leap from the Big 12 to the Pac-12 in 2011, only to return to the Big 12 this year. CU’s move triggered a series of defections, leaving the Pac-12 with just two members and facing a tight timeline to rebuild.
Many questions remain unanswered, including what it might cost CSU or the Pac-12 conference to get the school out of the Mountain West, and whether enough additional schools could be recruited to restore the Pac-12 to a full roster.
But the questions were put aside early Thursday in favor of celebration at the Fort Collins school.
“This is a historic, transformative moment for CSU and a massive opportunity for our student-athletes,” said CSU Athletic Director John Weber in the release. “Joining the Pac-12 is an important step forward as we seek to deliver on an ambitious vision for the future of Ram Athletics.”
Gov. Jared Polis weighed in with an enthusiastic statement of his own.
"PAC-12 football is back in Colorado!," read a statement from Polis issued by his office. "Colorado is known for our outstanding athletic achievements and talented student-athletes, and I am thrilled to celebrate our student athletes at Colorado State University who are bringing Colorado’s world-class academic and athletic success to the Pac-12 Conference."
The Pac-12 and Mountain West had a one-year scheduling arrangement this year to provide the two remaining schools with a football schedule. When that wasn't extended, rumors began circulating that what was left of the Pac-12 might be making a move for Mountain West members.
CSU sponsors 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division I. The school promised to try and maintain historic rivalries through non-conference scheduling, but many details remain yet to be worked out.
“There will be conversations going forward about the Mountain West exit fees and Pac-12 support for our transition,” Parson said in the release. “We are confident the path forward will not impact our current university budget and will set CSU up for incredible opportunities to come.”
