In the college football news drop of the day, the Pac-12 conference announced they'll be adding Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno State from the Mountain West Conference in 2026.
The news arrives after 10 of the previous 12 programs in the conference opted for realignment. Just Washington State and Oregon State remained heading into this season. The conference was always expected to eventually inherit a handful of programs from the Mountain West after being awarded a two-year grace period by the NCAA.
Those four additions will bring the Pac-12's total members to six teams. They must add two additional programs to maintain FBS status as a conference. With that in mind, we've identified three potential Group of Five programs that the new-look Pac-12 could consider targeting to meet the eight-team requirement.
Tulane
With the Pac-12 landing those four programs from the Mountain West, the expectation is they'll target the AAC next. Tulane has been a powerhouse that would qualify as a worthy addition to a conference attempting to rehabilitate its reputation and branding. The Green Wave have compiled a dominant record of 23-5 across the previous two college football campaigns, winning the AAC Championship in 2022.
Tulane is now being led by first-year head coach Jon Sumrall following Willie Fritz's departure to Houston. The Green Wave are 1-1 thus far in 2024, with a narrow 34-27 Week 2 defeat to 17th-ranked Kansas State proving they're capable of hanging with the most competitive programs in the nation. The next step in Tulane's ascension would be to join a conference like the Pac-12.
Memphis
The Memphis Tigers have already been named as a reported target. If the Pac-12 gets to hand-select two programs from the AAC, Memphis and Tulane make the most sense. The Tigers went 10-3 last season, their first 10-win campaign since 2019, en route to claiming an impressive bowl game victory over Iowa State.
Memphis is arguably the best Group of Five program in the country and are legit contenders to qualify for the College Football Playoff this season now that the field has expanded to 12 teams. The Tigers are currently 2-0 after capturing blowout victories over North Alabama and Troy. Big-time games versus Florida State, Navy, and South Florida are on Memphis' upcoming schedule.
UTSA
UTSA was another program that was swiftly reported as a potential Pac-12 target and it's straightforward to understand why. One of the most ascending programs in the entire nation, the Roadrunners have swept aside the competition in recent years, amassing a record of 32-9 in their last three seasons. Head coach Jeff Traylor is building something special while leading a program in a major San Antonio market.
Two of UTSA's four defeats last season were by eight or fewer points. The Roadrunners blew out Marshall 35-17 in the Frisco Bowl, and are currently 1-1 in 2024. Traylor's on-the-ups program would be well-equipped to test its competitiveness in a re-branded Pac-12.
