San Diego State officially enters the new-look Pac-12 Conference
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The San Diego State Aztecs’ countdown clock has hit zero.
They’re officially members of the reborn Pac-12 Conference.
Wednesday marked a new start for both the century-old conference and San Diego State. The Pac-12 relaunched with a new lineup that includes legacy members Washington State and Oregon State, as well as five teams from the Mountain West Conference: SDSU, Fresno State, Boise State, Colorado State, and Utah State.
Texas State joins in all sports, which gives the league eight football-playing schools needed for NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) status. Gonzaga joins to give the Pac-12 nine schools in other sports, which is particularly important in men’s and women’s basketball.
What this means for the Aztecs
The Aztecs and their fans have long wanted to be a part of the Pac-12, which bordered them to the north, with USC and UCLA in Los Angeles, and to the east, with Arizona and Arizona State. They thought they had their chance during the summer of 2023, but the conference fell apart literally overnight.
SDSU knew it would never be in the league with USC and UCLA, which announced a year earlier that they would move to the Big Ten. But then Washington and Oregon left for the Big Ten, and Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado bolted for the Big 12. Cal and Stanford left for the ACC.
But moving into the reconfigured Pac-12 is still a big deal for the Aztecs, who have become a West Coast basketball power over the last 25 years and are looking to continue their football resurgence under coach Sean Lewis.
Today is a momentous day for San Diego State athletics, the institution, and the entirety of Aztec Nation,” SDSU athletic director John David Wicker said in a statement. “Entry into the Pac-12 ushers in the next great era of Aztec athletics. Our coaches, staff and student-athletes are excited for the competitive opportunities that await us as we look to win Pac-12 championships.”
How it came together
As quickly as the old Pac-12 fell apart during the summer of 2023, the new one quickly took shape during the fall of 2024.
It started when OSU and WSU announced on Sept. 12 that SDSU, Fresno State, Boise State and Colorado State would join them starting with the 2026-27 season. Less than two weeks later, Utah State announced it would join, as well.
The big announcement came on Oct. 1, when Gonzaga said that it, too, would join, bringing its national brand and remarkable NCAA Tournament resume to the reborn league.
In 2025, CBS Sports and The CW announced extensions with the league, USA Sports signed up and Texas State jumped on board.
When it starts for real
SDSU will use the home conference openers of each sport to commemorate the inaugural season in the Pac-12.
It all starts when the women’s soccer team welcomes Boise State on Oct. 1, followed by the football conference opener against Texas State at Snapdragon Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 3. Men’s soccer welcomes affiliate member Cal Poly on Oct. 7, and the women’s volleyball team hosts Oregon State the next night.
The men’s and women’s basketball schedules have yet to be released.
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Bernie Wilson recently retired from The Associated Press after nearly 41 years, including stops in Spokane, Los Angeles and, for the final 33 years, San Diego. He grew up in Coeur d'Alene and graduated from the University of Idaho.