The Pac-12 Conference announced the upcoming football schedule for the 2026 season, introducing a new format for the final week of the regular season.

This new format for the conclusion of the regular season could help ensure a Pac-12 team is in the College Football Playoff (CFP).

The eight-team league is working to reintroduce itself as a Power Five conference.

For the 2026 season, the conference will be rolling out a home-and-home flex matchup for Week 13.

The projected matchups would see Fresno State host San Diego State at Valley Children’s Stadium, Utah State host Boise State at Maverik Stadium, Colorado State host Texas State at Canvas Stadium and Washington State host Oregon State at Martin Stadium. 

While these matchups are not set in stone, the host teams for the final games are confirmed in order to ensure that each Pac-12 member has six home games and four conference home games. 

These flex games will not be confirmed until six days prior at the latest. There will also be further considerations for the flex matchups to make sure that no team returns to the same stadium twice during the regular season.

The Week 13 matchups will be considered a non-conference matchup for standings.

Being that it is a non-conference matchup, the flex game will not have an effect on the Pac-12 championship game. The matchup for the game will be determined at the end of Week 12 on Nov. 21.

This is not the first time the conference used this flex format. 

Last season, with just Oregon State and Washington State in conference, the Pac-12 provided its two teams with a home-and-home schedule, with the second game being a non-conference battle.

The second matchup helped the Cougars clinch bowl eligibility with their 32-8 victory last November. 

As for helping teams boost their playoff chances, the flex game offers assistance in multiple ways.

If a team is a shoo-in for the CFP, the conference can schedule that team with an easier season finale to secure a better record. 

Similarly, if a team is in a battle for the final non-Power Four spots, the conference can schedule a tougher matchup. If the team wins, it could help to differentiate them from the top teams in other conferences. 

With the Pac-12 losing its Power Five stance following the mass exodus of teams in 2024, this new scheduling format could help reignite the conference