The Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences have announced a settlement in their lawsuit over the Pac-12’s addition of several Mountain West schools. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Background

The Mountain West conference had pursued legal action against the Pac-12 in 2024 after the Pac-12 announced it would be adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State as member institutions. The Mountain West had sought up to $55 million in penalties, citing a football scheduling agreement between the two conferences.

The Pac-12 had sued, calling the agreement an anti-competitive practice, while the Mountain West countered that the Pac-12 had understood the terms of the contract and was trying to evade the fees. The case had expanded in recent months due to discovery disputes and other counterclaims.

Conference Realignment

The Pac-12 will begin a new era this season with the addition of Texas State, joining Oregon State, Washington State, and the five former Mountain West schools. The conference has also added Gonzaga for all sports except football, with a focus on men’s basketball.

The Mountain West, meanwhile, has added UTEP as a full member and North Dakota State and Northern Illinois as football-only affiliates. The conference will have 10 teams for the 2026 football season, including Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, and Wyoming.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.