The Pac-12 has successfully rebuilt itself from two schools to eight, but there is still work to be done. Here is how the Pac-12 can complete its rebuild by adding four more schools that will make the conference a dynamic and competitive conference for years to come.
For the purposes of simplicity, assume all Power-4 schools are off the board. While the idea of a reunion with Stanford and Cal is enticing, it appears unlikely, at least for now. Also off the board are UNLV or Air Force, who have already signed an agreement to remain in the Mountain West.
That still leaves a solid group of possible schools that could join the Pac-12, but there are four that stand out.
1. The University of Memphis
Located in Memphis, Tennesse, the University of Memphis has 21,000 students and has been among the top AAC schools, consistently being among the conferences best at both football and basketball. The Memphis Tigers went to March Madness in both 2022 and 2023, and in football, are currently 4-1. Before a loss to Navy, Memphis was ranked, a testament to their program’s strong growth.
Although Memphis previously rejected a Pac-12 offer, comments from the school’s athletic director have indicated they are open to joining the Pac if a better deal is made. The Pac-12 should go ahead and offer Memphis a better financial deal, as it would add to the overall competitiveness of the conference, particularly in football.
2. Tulane University
Tulane University would add to the prestige of the Pac-12 by bringing a top-tier academic school into the fold and a New Orleans market, which would significantly help the Pac-12 expand its media presence.
Tulane would significantly increase the Pac’s credibility in football, as a school that has had recent success. They won the AAC in 2022, going 12-2 and were ranked No. 9 by the AP poll at the end of the season after their Cotton Bowl victory over USC.
Tulane had another strong year in 2023, going 11-3 and losing the AAC Championship game, being ranked for most of the season. The Green Wave is off to another good start in 2024, at 4-2, and appears likely to lock down their third winning season in a row. The Pac-12 already looks strong in basketball, but adding a nationally relevant Tulane football team would be a huge addition towards regaining Power-5 status.
3. Grand Canyon University
The Pac-12 already added Gonzaga, a school without a football team, so why not add another? GCU would bring the Pac-12 back to Arizona, to a school with a huge student body of over 100,000 (though a large portion of those students are online).
GCU was planning to join the West Coast Conference, but are they ready to jump up to the Pac? They have built strong programs in both basketball and baseball and appear poised to continue their athletic growth.
In basketball, the Antelopes have reached the NCAA tournament in three of the last four years and upset St. Mary’s in 2024 for their first tournament win. In baseball, they recently went to their first NCAA tournament in 2022, after previously winning the NIAI World Series four times.
4. Sacramento State Unviersity
If the Pac-12 is going to add Memphis and Tulane, they are going to need money. Enter Sacramento State, member of the Big Sky (FCS) conference and the Pac-12’s final, newest member.
Sacramento State wants to join the Pac-12, and badly. They’ve formed a committee known as the “Sac-12,” which has been fundraising and openly lobbying for entrance into the Pac-12. A new football stadium as being built, and the Sacramento Kings have offered to loan their stadium to the school to use for their home basketball games.
Sacramento State may not be as strong of a program as the other schools, but they can pay, and they want to compete. Every conference needs a bottom feeder, and Sacramento State can be that for the Pac-12.
If the Pac-12 goes in that proposed direction, it could look something like this:
PAC-12 North: Washington State, Oregon State, Boise State, Colorado State, Sacramento State and Gonzaga (non-football)
PAC-12 South: Utah State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Memphis, Tulane and Grand Canyon (non-football).
It would mean the Pac-12 had taken the top five Mountain West programs, the top two AAC programs, and one school each from the Big Sky, WCC and WAC.
OTHER Options: Here’s some other options for the Pac-12 if they wanted to continue expanding past twelve teams or if some of the above options fall through.
AAC: University of Southern Florida and University of Texas-San Antonio
USF and UTSA were both tossed around as possible candidates to join the Pac-12, and both offer enticing media markets. However, neither school has fielded as strong of programs as Memphis and Tulane. If the Pac-12 wanted to expand beyond 12 teams, these schools would make more sense, but they should not be viewed as more attractive candidates than their AAC counterparts.
Sun Belt: Texas State University
Texas State recently turned down an offer to join the Mountain West…perhaps they believe a better deal from the Pac-12 could be on the way? Texas State would bring the Pac-12 into Texas and is a big state school that has routinely finished as one of the better teams in the Sun Belt, and could be a strong add for the Pac-12 if other potential additions fall through.
Conference USA: New Mexico State University
New Mexico fits better within the regional boundaries of the Pac-12 than the AAC or Sun Belt schools, so if the Pac-12 chooses to remain a west coast only conference, NMSU could be a solid team to target. It would also fit the Pac-12’s ‘all-state’ brand.
WCC: Saint Mary’s University
Saint Mary’s has been Gonzaga’s chief rival in the WCC, so why not bring them over to the Pac to continue their rivalry? It would make sense for the Pac-12 to recruit a second non-football school, in order to keep an even number of schools for each sport. If Grand Canyon does not join, Saint Mary’s would make a great second option.
Big East: University of Connecticut
Perhaps the biggest long shot, and for good reason, UCONN would bring a legacy of basketball to the Pac-12. If UCONN wanted to join a better conference for non-basketball sports, the Pac would be a great idea. However, Big East basketball is competitive and iconic, and UCONN makes no sense from a regional perspective. As fun as a Gonzaga-UCONN rivalry would be, it’s probably best UCONN stays put in the Big East.