Is the Pac-12 a Power conference in the 2025 season? Exploring conference realignment's impact on league's current status

The year 2023 marked the end of the Pac-12 as it had been known since the 1990s. Powerhouse programs that had inhabited the league departed the conference en masse, seeking better business deals in the Big Ten or the Big 12.

The likes of USC, Oregon, Washington, and other programs left, while only leaving Washington State and Oregon State.

It seemed then that the Pac-12 was dead in all but name. However, since then, the conference has risen from the ashes and has found some long-term viability by adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State, and San Diego State for the 2026 season.

Nonetheless, the question lingers. Would this be a power conference like the Pac-12 of old, or is this an entirely new league in practical terms?

The reality is that the Pac-12 seems like it's about to become comparable to any other league in the Group of Five. None of the programs joining the Pac-12 are on the same level of athletic achievement as those that have departed.

It's difficult to see how a conference like this would be able to stand toe-to-toe with the likes of the Big 12 or ACC, much less the true power conferences like the SEC or the Big Ten.

San Diego State's Athletic Director on the state of development of the Pac-12

The major worry for the Pac-12 at the moment is where to find the last football team to complete the minimum eight they need to make the conference viable long term. It seems that even decision makers at the arriving schools are still searching for answers, as everyone of us.

On Thursday, at a fan event, San Diego's athletic director, JD Wicker, said this about the situation:

“None of this is moving as quickly as I would like it to move for us to get the answers that we want,” Wicker said earlier this week at a fan event. “Very pleased with where we are from a Pac-12 standpoint. Obviously, we have to add another team. That will happen.

“TV, I have a good idea of what our TV (deal) is going to look like with the Pac-12. Right now, we’re trying to wrap up various items around that, but we have a really good idea of what that’s going to be and we’re pleased with what that is going to be.”

Among the schools that have been sounded out by analysts to round up the Pac-12 are Texas State, UNLV, Hawaii, North Texas, and New Mexico. Again, none of those programs could be considered blue bloods that figure to push the Pac-12 to power conference territory.