Texas State to Pac-12 reports trigger new wave of conference realignment as Teresa Gould looks to retain Power 5 status

Texas State has become the latest candidate for the expansion of the Pac-12. The conference embarked on a rebuild last summer under the leadership of Teresa Gould following its implosion at the end of the 2023 season, which led to 10 teams eventually leaving.

According to college football insider Pete Thamel, the Bobcats' officials have notified the Sun Belt Conference that they anticipate receiving an offer from the Pac-12 soon. This comes as a notification regarding the school's potential exit from the conference it joined in 2013.

Thamel reports that Texas State is yet to receive a formal offer from the Pac-12 regarding alignment. However, discussions between the school and the conference have reportedly intensified over the past 24 hours, raising a strong possibility of an agreement and invitation.

Thamel also reported that Pac-12 officials have informed the Sun Belt about their ongoing discussions with the Bobcats. The conference needs to add its eighth member for football, which is FBS’s minimum requirement, before the start of the 2026 season.

An offer for Texas State to join the Pac-12 is anticipated before the end of this week, as the Sun Belt exit fee for the 2026 season is set to double from $5 million to $10 million on July 1. If the move goes through, the Bobcats will become the seventh addition to the new-look Pac-12, and its sixth football member.

What Texas State's addition would mean for the Pac-12

The addition of Texas State to the Pac-12 would mean the conference can start competing again in football in the 2026 season, as the NCAA two-year grace period is set to lapse. The conference can proceed to negotiate and seal a media rights deal with a new partner.

Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould gave an update on the media rights discussion in an exclusive interview with Yogi Roth of the Y-Option Substack.

“When we went out into the marketplace and talked to potential media rights partners, we were really looking for three different things,” Gould told Roth. “One of them, obviously, is incredible exposure.

“CBS is a leader in the sports industry and provides incredible reach and an incredible platform for us to show the world what the new Pac-12 is going to be. Secondly, we were looking for strong financial support and economics. … And thirdly, we were really looking for a transformational partner.”

With the potential of Texas State and several other confirmed additions in the ongoing expansion phase, the Pac-12 appeared to have survived the existential threat it faced two years ago. The new-look league is set to carry on its century-old history and legacy.