​Jul. 11 marks a moment of renewal as the conference crest gets a refresh, a slate of lawsuits is resolved, and the Pac-12, in its full splendor, officially reemerges as a conference this month. After the exodus of ten longtime members to power conferences such as the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC between 2022 and 2024, Washington State and Oregon State emerged as essential partners, carrying the banner for what the Pac-12 would become in the years ahead.
The two Pacific Northwest schools welcomed Gonzaga, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, and Texas State as full-time members of the newly configured Pac-12. Each institution committed within the last two years. The eight additions will compete in a single football league, while Gonzaga—aggressively focusing on basketball, as it does not sponsor football—will anchor a nine-school basketball alliance that promises to be highly competitive.
As July 2026 approaches, signaling the official launch of the revitalized Pac-12, here is a starter guide to the conference’s new and remaining members. Enrollment figures reflect main-campus numbers and represent the most current data available on each school’s site or as of fall 2025.
Washington State
Nickname: Cougars
Location: Pullman
Enrollment: 16,449
Nestled in the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse, Washington State has a history filled with both triumphs and trials on and off the field. The football program has enjoyed Rose Bowl appearances and produced NFL-caliber quarterbacks, and since 2015 the Cougars have reached a bowl game in all but one full season, a renaissance largely credited to the late Mike Leach, whose dynamic leadership propelled Cougar football into the national spotlight. Yet that era’s momentum was insufficient to land WSU a place in a traditional Power Four conference, prompting the school to take an active role in reshaping the Pac-12 alongside Oregon State.
Among WSU’s other programs, women’s volleyball, soccer, swimming, track and field, baseball, and men’s and women’s basketball have enjoyed a run of success ranging from solid performances to notable achievements in recent years. Baseball reached its first NCAA Regional since 2010 in the most recent season, the Cougar soccer program advanced to the College Cup (the Final Four) in 2019, and volleyball, along with both basketball programs, extended NCAA Tournament appearances into the latter part of the previous decade. With Kirby Moore entering his third season as head football coach amid a period of transition, WSU is positioned to chart a new direction within the revitalized Pac-12.
Oregon State
Nickname: Beavers
Location: Corvallis, Ore.
Enrollment: 25,374
Oregon State, aligned with Washington State as a partner in the conference’s reformation, carries a proud athletic legacy. The Beavers’ baseball program is consistently among the nation’s best, and other sports—such as women’s basketball—have made postseason noise in recent years. The football program, too, has faced its share of turbulent times; after an 0-7 start to the most recent season, the school opted to part ways with head coach Trent Bray. Bray, a Pullman High School alumnus, has since shifted roles, and OSU remains focused on restoring a competitive trajectory as part of the new Pac-12.