Will the Pac-12 pilfer MWC by adding SDSU, Boise St & UNLV? Exploring CFB expansion news & the drama between San Diego State & Mountain West

The back-and-forth drama between the San Diego State Aztecs and the Pac-12 conference is suitable for a man-for-TV movie. For those living under a rock, the Aztecs informed the Mountain West Conference that they "intended to resign" by June 30, 2024, and many assumed they had an ironclad deal with the Pac-12 all worked out.

In the legendary words of ESPN analyst Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend." The Pac-12 and San Diego State did not have a completed deal, so on June 30, the Aztecs would pen another letter to the Mountain West stating their intention to remain in the conference.

The Mountain West was not pleased with these developments and took the position that San Diego State notified them of their exit, so there was the door, leaving the Aztecs potentially without a conference to call home. There is a starring contest between the Mountain West Conference and San Diego State.

The latest reports suggest that a deal between the Pac-12 and San Diego State isn't dead, and in fact, very much still in the works, and that the Aztecs hope to bring a couple of their friends with them from the Mountain West, Boise State, and UNLV.

Let's dive into the latest rumors and make sense of a muddled mess in the Mountain West.

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Will the Pac-12 add San Diego State? Finally?

San Diego State v Utah

Yes, if you believe the latest reports from "The Dan Patrick Show." This deal, coming to fruition, is the best result for the Pac-12 and the Aztecs. I would argue that they need each other.

Think about it. The Mountain West is mad at San Diego State, telling them to leave. The Pac-12 has seen other West Coast teams, USC, UCLA, and California, leave the conference for the Big Ten.

The Pac-12 needs additional reinforcements to keep their heart beating, and San Diego State needs to find a conference, especially with the Big 12 showing no interest in the Aztecs. The Pac-12 and the Aztecs may not be a match made in heaven, but they're a match nonetheless.

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Will the Pac-12 add Boise State and UNLV?

Frisco Bowl - Boise State v North Texas

My gut tells me no. Even "The Dan Patrick Show" suggests the two teams as "long shot possibilities."

I don't see the conference adding more than two teams currently. Part of the conference's motivation is to split the revenue among as few pieces of the pie as possible, so why bring in more right now?

Can you imagine the backlash if Boise State and UNLV began flirting with the Pac-12 without a done deal? I can't imagine these two universities witnessing the debacle between San Diego State and Mountain West and following suit.

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When will we know who the conference is adding?

Utah v USC

Your guess is as good as mine. Conference realignment and college football expansion have been messy since the beginning, and it has only gotten worse.

These conferences are playing a high-stakes game of musical chairs, and no one wants to be left out, and desperation is beginning to set in for some.

If I were a betting man, I would wager that the Pac-12 and San Diego State get a deal done. How and when? No one knows.