Sept. 12, 2024. Mark this date on your calendar. That’s the day Fresno State Athletics was put on the map.

Fresno State is set to join the Pac-12 in July of 2026, leaving the Mountain West Conference (MWC).

Every athletic team on the Fresno State campus will compete in the Pac-12 except Equestrian (Big 12) and Water Polo (Golden Coast Conference).

The move comes only a couple of months after the university officially hired Garrett Klassy to be the next athletic director at Fresno State. Klassy has made a point of getting to know the community since coming to Fresno.

“One of the things that has really impressed me about the Valley has been the people. One of the things that I kept on hearing was, ‘Please just keep us relevant.’ Well, that’s not what the President’s vision is and it’s absolutely not what my vision is,” Klassy said in a zoom meeting on Thursday.

One of the reasons Klassy was hired was for the high aspirations he shares with the President.

“We have a transformative leader in President (Saul) Jiménez-Sandoval and we’re gonna dream big,” Klassy said. “The Valley has got to stop thinking that we’re second place to anyone. We’re an iconic brand, we’re change agents and we’re gonna be leaders throughout this whole situation. We’re going to put Fresno State in the best position to succeed, and that’s what we’re seeing today.”

Conference realignment has always been a part of Jiménez-Sandoval’s vision.

“It means that Fresno State is going to be showcased on a greater level – It’s really about our region … For me, it’s been a labor of love. And it’s been a mission of mine to really elevate the brand of Fresno State,” Jiménez-Sandoval said.

He went on to add that the move will allow for opportunities for growth with media rights, corporate sponsorships, broadcast and content production capabilities.

What will the new Pac-12 look like?

The Pac-12 saw a mass exodus at the end of the Spring 2024 athletic season, seeing 10 of its 12 schools depart for the Big-10, Big-12 and Atlantic Coastal Conferences (ACC).

In order to reach the eight-school minimum as required by the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to qualify as a conference, the Pac-12 would need to add, at minimum, two more schools in addition to the four MWC schools.

The departures of the former Pac-12 schools left the future of the conference in disarray with a lot of unknowns.

What will happen to Oregon State and Washington State? Will it remain a Power 5 conference? If the Pac-12 rebrands, what schools will join them?

Fresno State will be accompanied by fellow current MWC schools Colorado State, San Diego State and Boise State as they join the two existing members of the conference: Oregon State and Washington State.

Beyond that, it remains to be seen.

The University of Las Vegas, Nevada (UNLV) would be a good option given the Las Vegas market and the Rebels have recently had some success in athletics, but I think that the state of Nevada wants to keep both UNLV and the University of Nevada in the same conference.

Perhaps the Pac-12 is shooting for higher teams.

A return to the conference for Stanford and Cal Berkeley is possible but there are obstacles, namely the fact they are in their first year as members of the Athletic Coast Conference (ACC).

It wouldn’t be completely out of the realm of possibility though. The potential implosion of the ACC with two of its most prestigious members, Clemson and Florida State wanting out would give Stanford and Cal the opportunity to return to the west coast where they can limit travel costs.

A more likely avenue would be poaching two, if not more of the top American Athletic Conference schools.

Both Memphis and Tulane possess strong athletic programs and fanbases, seeming ready to make the jump for the Power 5 level.

The University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and Rice University both have strong football teams.

Any of these four would serve as a slight upgrade over the majority of Fresno State’s current MWC opponents.

If none of these options work out, current MWC teams such as Air Force and Wyoming would probably be in line for promotion.

They could also target schools like the University of Gonzaga, St. Mary’s College or University of Connecticut for basketball only.

Will the Pac-12 get back to being Power 5 status?

There’s a lot of benefits that come with being in a higher conference.

Higher prestige, automatic playoff bids and bigger television contracts (meaning more money) are just a few reasons why the possibility of the Pac-12 becoming a Power-5 conference again is enticing.

Will it actually happen remains a question. It would likely have a lot to do with who the Pac-12 gets to fill the remaining spots in the conference.

For instance, if they re-added Stanford and Cal and brought in Gonzaga and St. Mary’s for basketball they would have a compelling case for matching the quality of the Big 12 or the ACC.

Even if you switch out Stanford and Cal for Memphis and Tulane, they still might have a chance.

If they settle for Wyoming, Air Force, San Jose State, etc; they might be looking at holding an expensive Group of 5 spot.

Al Things Considered

What does all of this mean?

Joining the Pac-12 is not a guaranteed ticket to winning the lottery but it is the start of a very promising journey for both the Fresno State Athletic Department and the university as a whole.

The Bulldogs want to win at the highest level and not settle for mediocrity.

“We’re not going there for a participation trophy – we’re going there to win championships,” Klassy said. “This is one step in the long process we have here.”

The Bulldogs will have an opportunity to show the entire world that they belong.

As the great Pat Hill likes to say, “Anybody, anytime, anywhere.”