The Utah State Aggies will officially join the Pac-12 Conference in 2026, it was announced on Tuesday evening.
Utah State will officially join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026 and will compete in the conference in all sports.
“We are thrilled to welcome Utah State University to the Pac-12, as they join us on this exciting journey forward,” stated Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould. “With President Elizabeth Cantwell and Athletics Director Diana Sabau at the helm, Utah State brings invaluable strategic insights and leadership that will greatly benefit our conference and its members as well as a history of competitive excellence and success. Today marks another exciting step for the Pac-12 – and it’s just the beginning of phase two.”
The addition of Utah State will bring the rebuilding Pac-12’s membership roster up to seven schools. Oregon State and Washington State are the lone members of the Pac-12 through next season. Earlier this month, four other Mountain West teams — Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State — announced that they will each join the Pac-12 in 2026.
“The vision of the Pac-12 Conference firmly aligns with USU’s mission and our commitments to the future,” said Utah State University President Elizabeth Cantwell. “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.”
Utah State has competed in the Mountain West Conference since 2013. The Aggies were previously members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) until it folded in 2012.
“Joining the Pac-12 Conference exemplifies our commitment to elevating USU academics and athletics,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Diana Sabau said. “This will position all our teams in a multi-bid league for the NCAA postseason and championships. This is an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes, as well as our alumni, investors, the HURD and our Logan and Cache Valley communities and all of Aggie Nation.”
The Pac-12 is operating as a two-team conference in 2024 and 2025. NCAA bylaws state that Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences must have a minimum of eight teams, but the league has a two-year grace period to meet that threshold.