What Does the Addition of Four Pac-12 Members Mean for Cal?

San Diego State, Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State to join Pac-12 in 2026, but Cal seems bound to the ACC

Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Pac-12 announced on Thursday that it is adding four schools -- San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State and Boise State -- for he 2026-27 academic year.

That would give the Pac-12 six members -- along with current members Oregon State and Washington State -- for the 2026 football season.

This immediately brings up speculation about whether Cal and Stanford could re-join the Pac-12. Ross Dellenger of Yahoo says it can't happen yet but perhaps some day. Here is Dellenger''s explanation.

And before you ask, Stanford and Cal did sign the ACC grant of rights, binding them to the league until 2036 as the current deal is written (this is not new information and was reported last fall when the two programs joined the conference).

For now, as the ACC agreement is written, they are not candidates in a Pac-12 rebuild. But, one day, if the ACC starts losing members, could they be? Sure.

For now, that’s not the case, and it would likely take a catastrophic event to convince the two to turn down millions each in ACC television revenue to return to the Pac-12. While they are not yet receiving full ACC shares, they will eventually get them and those figures are expected to be significantly more than the TV value of the Pac-12 (as much as triple the figures).

Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News presented this information that seems to settle the issue, for now.

When contacted by the Hotline, a Cal spokesperson said the school is committed to a long tenure in the conference. A spokesperson for Stanford echoed the sentiment, saying the school was a proud member of the ACC.

Justin Wilcox was asked about possible conference realignment on KNBR on Friday:

Justin Wilcox on KNBR asked about realignment: "We just don't pay mind to that. I don't have enough mental capital to invest in all the different scenarios."

Asked if there could be a time when West Coast schools come back together he said, "that absolutely could happen."

— Cal Rivals (@CalRivals) September 13, 2024

It may be possible for the ACC to look different in a few years. Florida State and Clemson have made it clear they want to leave the ACC and are trying to find legal means to do so. If they leave, North Carolina is expected to follow.

If all that takes place, it seems possible that Cal might have the option to leave the ACC and return to the rebuilt Pac-12 if that seems desirable.

As part of the negotiation to allow Cal to become an ACC member, Cal agreed to take a smaller share of the ACC's media revenue for the next seven years. Nonetheless Dellenger notes it would probably be a financial mistake for Cal to leave the ACC for the Pac-12 now.

Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury-News took a crack at estimating the media value of a six-team Pac-12.

Wilner also suggested six schools that the Pac-12 might add later, and he introduces his list with this reference to Cal and Stanford:

So where should the Pac-12 turn for the seventh and eighth schools, assuming it cannot get the Cardinal and Bears in time for the 2026 football season?

It's worth paying attention to what Jon Wilner tweeted on Friday:

Chances of Cal/Stanford being the 9th and 10th P12 schools years down the road are >>> being the 7th and 8th schools in the next few months. https://t.co/WtpzmTIgxO

— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) September 13, 2024

What we have learned over the past few years, though, is conference restructuring can take place when it's least expected.

Interestingly, Cal's home football game on Saturday night is against San Diego State. The Aztecs are a Mountain West team that will be a Pac-12 member in two years, while Cal is an ACC school that was a Pac-12 member last year.

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