LOGAN, Utah — The Pac-12 is staying alive, and Utah State University is joining the former "Power 5" athletic conference.
The Associated Press reported Monday that USU was planning to join the Pac-12. On Tuesday, the school announced that it will officially join the conference in July 2026.
Utah State is joining the Pac-12 alongside some of its Mountain West Conference counterparts: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State (California State University, Fresno) and San Diego State.
After nearly all of its schools decided to leave the conference last year, the Pac-12 was left with only Oregon State and Washington State. Those two will remain with the conference when the five Mountain West schools join.
"We are thrilled to welcome Utah State University to the Pac-12, as they join us on this exciting journey forward," Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said in a statement.
USU said the Pac-12 board voted unanimously to add them to the conference.
"The vision of the Pac-12 Conference firmly aligns with USU's mission and our commitments to the future. This move unlocks new possibilities by directly enhancing the student-athlete experience and will significantly strengthen our reputation for competitive success, academic achievement, and research excellence," USU President Elizabeth Cantwell said.
