The Mountain West Conference has successfully navigated recent departures to the Pac-12, securing its Division I status with the addition of Northern Illinois. Meanwhile, the Pac-12, after losing several prominent programs, is looking for new additions to maintain its competitiveness.
It was Nietzsche who first said 'Out of life's school of war, what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger', an aphorism that has found applications across every walk of life, including conference realignment. Three months ago, Mountain West schools Colorado State, Utah State, Boise State, Fresno State, and San Diego State each joined Oregon State & Washington State in the new Pac-12 Conference.
Their departure - an exodus of the top programs in the MWC on the field of play, and off of it - seemingly spelled doom for the Mountain West. But the Mountain West has extended an invitation to Northern Illinois, and the current MAC member school is expected to accept that invitation. At some point this weekend, Northern Illinois will become the Mountain West's ninth full member and tenth overall member school, firmly thrusting it above the 8 full member requirement to remain a Division I FCS-level conference. The assured survival of the Mountain West removes the possibility of adding other Mountain West members like Air Force and UNLV. So what's next for the Pac-12? Texas State is a program on the rise, making the jump to NCAA Division I via the old Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2012 and the Sun Belt in 2013. Since that arrival they've set attendance records, and recently earned back-to-back bowl victories in 2023 & 2024. In football rich Texas, the hope is that Texas State has growth potential. Memphis and Tulane have grown plenty, and they know it. Reportedly, these schools spurned the Pac-12's overtures this past fall, but large contingents of Memphis and Tulane fans were eager to join the conferenc
COLLEGE SPORTS CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT PAC-12 MOUNTAIN WEST TEXAS STATE
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