Ranking the Best Conference Landing Spots for WSU Football Moving Forward

Jared Miller | Jul 28, 2024

Sep 11, 2021; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars helmet sits during a game against the Portland State Vikings in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. The Cougars won 44-24. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The future is uncertain for Washington State football, to say the very least.

The near-complete dissolution of the Pac-12 has left WSU in a very peculiar position and, if the program doesn't want to get left in the dust in this ever-changing world of college football realignment, then it needs to calculate its next steps carefully. The good news for the Cougars is that there are options, and several at that. Some, though, are certainty better than others in terms of a bright future.

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1. Mountain West

This one seems the most likely and appears to be the direction Washington State and its fellow abandoned Pac-2 mate Oregon State are heading. The Cougars already have a MW-heavy schedule for 2024 and don't have to travel all that fair to see anyone in the league (except Hawaii). Mountain West games are under the Fox Sports deal (similar to what the Pac-12 had for a long time) and the possibility of reaching the playoffs is truly there. The league is certainly heading in an upward direction and the possibility for growth down the line seems to be an eventuality. All around this is the move that makes the most sense right now if you're the Cougs and it's probably where they're headed in short order.

2. Big 12

Although there has been hardly any traction to the notion of a possible move to the Big 12, it would not be the worst case scenario for the Cougars... not by a long shot. Former conference mates Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah all are in that league now and, with an active and long-term TV deal with Fox Sports and ESPN, the conference is in pretty good shape moving forward. This could be a train that the Cougars want to jump on if the opportunity ever presents itself. Suddenly they'd have the stability of a large conference again and would again be affiliated with the Power 4, opening several other doors that come with that.

3. Pac-2

There is always the hope that the Pac-2 rebuilds from the ashes and that once more it may field eight or more teams sometime down the line. This would, of course, mean the league would have to poach from elsewhere... likely the Mountain West or the upper tier of the FCS... in order to re-establish some viable membership numbers. For WSU this might seem like the most attractive level on a surface level but is it really the in the program's best interest? If the Pac does rebuild it will most likely not have the stoutest competition for a while because it probably won't be stealing away the Boise States of the world. A new-look Pac may mean more victories for the Cougars, but it won't impress the selection committee in the "quality wins" department. The road to a playoff berth would be tough for the foreseeable future if this is where WSU is committed to playing.

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4. Other

Is it actually possible a league outside the Mountain West or the Big 12 comes calling for Washington State? Likely not, at least not for a while. The Big Ten and even the ACC could be longshot possibilities because both were not shy about scooping up former Pac-12 members in the last cycle. The question here would be one of interest and right now there are not a ton for the Cougars. They would probably need to "wow" by making a run to the playoffs within the next few years for someone of that caliber to truly take a vested interest. Even still, the ACC in particular is facing its share of murky water right now. Geographically it would be a trek as well (although that has proven to not stop the teams that really want it).

5. Independent

Going independent could be the most difficult path for the team's future if that's the route they opt to take. Unless you're Notre Dame, being an FBS independent is an extremely tough place to be from not only a scheduling standpoint but from a playoff-consideration standpoint as well. The Cougars would have to continue building slates from essentially scratch each year and would likely find themselves playing the likes of fellow independents like UMass and UConn each fall. It's certainly an option but if stability is what Washington State wants (and it does) this is not the direction to go.