New ACC schools Cal and Stanford linked to Pac-12

Although the Pac-12 lost ten of its twelve schools due to realignment, it looks like it will survive.

Late Wednesday night, rumors began swirling that the Pac-12 was looking to add a quartet of schools from the Mountain West Conference (MWC). And Thursday morning, it was confirmed that Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State will join the Pac-12.

The Pac-12 will have six members starting in the 2026-27 season, but it will still need two members to reach the FBS minimum of eight schools. The Pac-12 could look to add more MWC schools, or it could broaden its focus to the entire college football landscape.

On3 Sports reported that it would be “a logical step for Cal and Stanford to rejoin the Pac-12” if a window opens.

On3’s Pete Nakos pointed to the legal battles between Florida State and Clemson and the ACC, but the two programs appear no closer to breaking the complicated ACC Grant of Rights agreement today than they were when the legal proceedings began. If FSU and Clemson are unlikely to leave the conference, Cal and Stanford are unlikely to do so either.

And while it looks like the Pac-12 will survive, it won’t be a power conference. There’s still a lot of work to be done to maintain its FBS status and postseason relevance.

The ACC, on the other hand, is one of the four power conferences and has one of those four automatic spots in the College Football Playoff. The Pac-12 also has to negotiate a new television contract.

Cal started the 2024-25 season 2-0, beating Auburn on the road in a big win for the conference, and Stanford is 1-1 entering the new season.

There may be further realignments in college sports, but it doesn’t look like the ACC will be affected anytime soon – not by Clemson and Florida State, nor by Cal and Stanford.