$11 million penalty for each incoming school as Pac-12 expansion hits Mountain West conference

The Pac-12 expansion plan is finally coming to fruition after a turbulent year during which 10 members were poached from the once Power Five conference. It was left with only two members, the Washington State Cougars and the Oregon State Beavers as the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12 poached its members during the conference realignment and expansion wave that hit college sports.

According to Action Network analyst Brett McMurphy, the Pac-12 expansion move for Fresno State, Boise State, Colorado State and the highly marketable San Diego State from the Mountain West Conference will cost the latter $43 million, which is approximately $11 million per program due to a pre-existing scheduling agreement between the conferences.

This fee will be in addition to the $17 million exit fee each of the four programs will have to pay the Mountain West Conference alongside a two-year notice.

Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez released a statement laying down the law with regards to the Pac-12 expansion plan involving members of her conference detailing the financial penalties required.

"The Mountain West Conference is aware of media reports regarding the potential departure of several of our members, and we will have more to say in the days ahead," Nevarez said (per CNN). "All members will be held to the Conference bylaws and policies should they elect to depart.

"The requirements of the scheduling agreement will apply to the Pac-12 should they admit Mountain West members. Our Board of Directors is meeting to determine our next steps. The Mountain West has a proud 25-year history and will continue to thrive in the years ahead."

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Pac-12 expansion has a stopwatch on it

The Pac-12 expansion will have to move fast to bolster its numbers as the required number of members by the NCAA is eight. The conference has been given a two-year grace period to operate under the limit as it seeks to reestablish itself as a functioning conference.

The grace period deadline is July 2026 giving the decimated Pac-12 room to recruit. During the conference's media days, Commissioner Teresa Gould was optimistic about the conference's future rebuild.

“There’s a lot of interest in having a high-level conference rooted on the West Coast,” Gould said (per Yahoo Sports). “There’s a lot of interest in our communities and fan bases. A lot of people care deeply about the Pac-12 and Pac-12 brand. There is a lot of nostalgia about the possibility of a rebuild.”

The Pac-12 conference champion does not even get an automatic place in the expanded 12-team college football playoff because it is operating under capacity and Teresa Gould will seek to change that by recruiting aggressively before the deadline.