Will Oregon State and Washington State join the Big-12? Conference realignment options explored for remaining Pac-12 schools

The Pac-12 has been decimated by conference realignment as ten of the 12 programs are set to leave the conference ahead of the 2024 season. While the majority of the conference has a home, the future of the No.16-ranked Washington State Cougars and No.19-ranked Oregon State Beavers remains unclear. Take a look at their options below.

Could the Oregon State Beavers and Washington State Cougars join the Big 12?

It is highly unlikely that the Big 12 will express interest in the Oregon State Beavers and Washington State Cougars. While both programs have played well this season, the Big 12 has no intention of bringing them on board, even when the California Golden Bears and Stanford Cardinal were a part of the package.

Although the Beavers and Cougars may have a better on-field product, the Golden Bears and Cardinal generate more revenue. Prior to the latter two programs joining the ACC, Brett McMurphy shared that the Big 12 was uninterested in further expansion, tweeting:

"Despite various reports to the contrary, Big 12 has not had conversations w/any of the Pac-4 schools & has no intention in engaging w/those schools, multiple Big 12 sources told @ActionNetworkHQ."

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What are the remaining Pac-12 schools options?

While the majority of the Pac-12 will leave for greener pastures following the season, the future of the Oregon State Beavers and Washington State Cougars is up in the air. Mark Zeigler recently discussed the remaining two options for Oregon State and Washington State, saying (via The San Diego Union-Tribune):

"One is to simply join the Mountain West, which is more geographically favorable than the AAC but could mean abandoning tens of millions of dollars in Pac-12 assets that presumably would be divided 12 ways instead of two if they stay."

"The other is to have Mountain West schools join them under the Pac-12 banner, either poaching a breakaway group from the Mountain West’s upper tier or a reverse merger with between nine and all 12 current members," he added.

He continued:

"The problem with the former plan is it invokes exit fees of $16.6 million with one year’s notice and $33.2 million inside that, and Oregon State and Washington State will be homeless in 11 months. A merger would involve voting to dissolve the Mountain West and eliminate exit fees, but sorting through legal details takes time, a luxury and Oregon State and Washington State don’t have. As of today, each has three football games on next season’s schedule (including WSU at SDSU next September)."

Although both teams have performed on the field to start the 2023 season, their futures are filled with uncertainty. While they both have claimed to want to rebuild the Pac-12, they will need plenty of help in order to do so.