After news broke that UCLA and USC would be leaving the Pac-12 Conference to join the Big Ten, other schools have already been in contact with the conference regarding joining. One of those schools is Fresno State.
Terry Tumey, Fresno State’s athletics director, has already had conversations with a high-ranking Pac-12 official regarding the school’s expansion prospects, according to a Fresno Bee article on July 5.
The Bulldogs’ football program is coming off a 10-3 season with a big upset win over No. 13 UCLA, a close contest with Oregon and a New Mexico Bowl victory, which has given them improved consideration for its placement in the Pac-12. Fresno State has been a program that has proven it can reach the AP Top 25 rankings, reaching No. 22 the week after defeating UCLA in 2021.
This year, however, the ‘Dogs have gotten off to a 1-2 start, with both losses coming against Pac-12 opponents Oregon State and No. 4 USC. In the Oregon State loss, the ‘Dogs played at home and gave up a game-winning touchdown to the Beavers with no time remaining. In the USC loss, the Bulldogs went on the road and struggled to score, ending with a loss of 45-17.
Fresno State head coach Jeff Tedford acknowledged USC’s superior performance, noting during the press conference that the Bulldogs “got beat by a bigger team.”
Both losses will hurt the program’s resume during its bid for conference placement. However, joining the Pac-12 could help the Bulldogs build upon these losses by giving them an increased budget and recruiting opportunities to work with, which could get them the extra help they need to make the program more competitive.
Another hurdle for Fresno State’s move to Pac-12 are sports beyond the football program. It is harder to convince the conference that different sports like basketball qualify for a more competitive division. Men’s basketball, for example, went 23-12 its last season, but it’s not as impressive a number when looking at the ‘Dogs 2021-22 schedule.
The Fresno State men’s basketball team took advantage of a weak, out-of-conference schedule, defeating teams such as Fresno Pacific by 20 points and Long Island by 24 points. Teams that Fresno State was clearly better than and wins that were not notably impressive.
After having a successful first half of the season, the Dogs’ entered Mountain West Conference play where they could not replicate the same level of success. Finishing conference play with an 8-9 record. If the men’s basketball program can’t compete within the Mountain West, odds are it would be helpless in the Pac-12.
To earn a spot in the Pac-12, Fresno State will have to compete with other Mountain West teams including Boise State, San Diego State and UNLV. Fresno State was unable to defeat Boise State in both football and men’s basketball in the 2021-22 season.
Fresno State’s football team has nine regular season games remaining on their schedule as they attempt to redeem themselves and show that they belong in the Pac-12.
