The Pac-12 has welcomed its seventh member.

On Tuesday evening, Utah State announced it will be joining the Pac-12 starting July 1, 2026, making it the fifth school from the Mountain West to switch to this revamped conference.

The decision was unanimously approved by the Pac-12’s board of directors. Utah State will participate in all sports within the conference beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.

“Utah State contributes significant strategic insights and leadership that will enhance our conference and its members, along with a proven track record of competitive success. This is a thrilling milestone for the Pac-12 as we enter phase two,” stated commissioner Teresa Gould.

With the inclusion of Utah State, the Pac-12 now consists of seven universities. Alongside Washington State and Oregon State, the remaining members after this summer’s major departures, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State have recently decided to join the Pac-12.

The announcement about Utah State coincided with the Pac-12’s legal action against the Mountain West. Currently, both conferences have a scheduling arrangement for football during this season for the Cougars and Beavers, but the Pac-12 is seeking legal confirmation regarding millions of dollars in penalties that the Mountain West claims it is owed for the acquisition of its teams. The existing agreement indicates that if the Pac-12 takes four teams, it owes a withdrawal fee of $43 million, and $67.5 million if it takes six, as detailed in a document acquired by YSL News Sports.

With seven schools on board, the Pac-12 is just one university away from meeting the NCAA’s requirement for Football Bowl Subdivision membership, which mandates at least eight members. Currently, the conference is permitted to operate as a two-team league for two years until July 2026, allowing it time to strategize following the departure of 10 other members to seek better financial opportunities and stability in different conferences. On the other hand, with Utah State’s exit, the Mountain West is also down to seven members and may need to find new additions to comply with NCAA standards.

Earlier this week, the Pac-12 showed interest in American Athletic Conference teams Memphis, South Florida, Tulane, and UTSA. However, on Monday, those schools declared their commitment to staying in the AAC.

In Tuesday’s announcement, the Pac-12 stated that the seven members will collaboratively assess further membership options and other future conference considerations. They are just one school short of their target.

Contributing: Brent Schrotenboer, YSL News