2 AAC teams to potentially join Pac-12 expansion as CFB insider drops latest conference realignment theory

The Pac-12 expansion plan received a big boost with the addition of four programs from the Mountain West Conference. On Wednesday night, news emerged that Colorado State, San Diego State, Boise State and Fresno State will all join the once-depleted Pac-12.

On the set of FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff," college football insider Bruce Feldman revealed that the Pac-12 is also interested in adding two AAC teams, the Tulane Green Wave and the Memphis Tigers.

"The Pac-12 has to add at least two more teams to get to eight and they have to do it by July of 2026. That would be in that two-year window where the NCAA allows them to basically reform itself and here's the interesting parts of this: sources tell me that the Pac-12 has some interest in Tulane and Memphis in the AAC," Feldman said.

As with the MWC departures, leaving the AAC will involve Tulane and Memphis paying $10 million as exit fees along with a 27-month notice to their parent conference.

What next for the Pac-12 expansion plan?

Several prominent programs have been named as potential members of the Pac-12 expansion conference realignment plan after the four Mountain West Conference teams joined. Names like the Tulane Green Wave, Memphis Tigers, UNLV Rebels and the UTSA Roadrunners are viewed as possible candidates.

During an interview on FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff," college football insider Bruce Feldman spoke about the next steps of the Pac-12 expansion plan.

"There's a bunch of other schools that they're considering. Keep in mind, this is not going to be an automatic bid into the CFP so we'll see how much interest comes on the other side of this as the league reforms itself. As for UNLV, that's a program that seems to make a lot of sense in terms of, it's a big market, it's very travel-accessible and that football program under Barry Odom has really improved," Feldman said.

"But the rub with UNLV is, they would probably have to take Nevada too since it's the same school board and that issue may make it a deterrent there. One other wildcard is all the instability around the ACC with Florida State and Clemson and all the saber-rattling that's been going on with court cases around there."

The Pac-12 expansion plan is up against a hard deadline of July 2026 to acquire two more members for the required eight-team conference to be included in the FBS and take part in the expanded college football playoffs.