Just a year ago, the Pac-12, the venerable "Conference of Champions," was left for dead on the college sports landscape. After a mass exodus of ten member schools to rival conferences, only Oregon State and Washington State remained, tasked with the monumental challenge of rebuilding from the ashes. Now, in a crucial step toward resurrection, the conference has secured a new media rights deal with CBS Sports, a move that provides not just a lifeline but a vital tool in its desperate fight to regain FBS status and rebuild its brand.

A Beacon of Stability: The CBS Partnership

The Pac-12 and CBS Sports recently announced an extension of their media partnership through the 2030-31 season. This new agreement establishes CBS as the primary long-term media partner for the rebuilt conference. Key terms of the deal include:

• National Exposure: The main CBS network will broadcast at least three regular-season football games and the conference championship game annually. The men's basketball championship will also receive a national slot.

• Streaming Presence: All games broadcast on CBS will also be streamed on Paramount+, increasing accessibility.

• Cable Network Content: Additional regular-season games in both football and basketball will be featured on the CBS Sports Network.

While the financial terms were not disclosed, the significance of this deal transcends dollars and cents. For a conference on life support, securing a partnership with a premier media brand like CBS provides a much-needed injection of stability and legitimacy. It sends a clear signal to potential expansion candidates: the Pac-12 is not only viable but has a guaranteed home on national television.

The Race Against the Clock: Expansion

This media deal is the carrot, but the stick is an unforgiving NCAA deadline. To maintain its status as a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conference, the Pac-12 must have a minimum of eight full-time member schools by the 2026-27 academic year. Currently, the conference is one short of that magic number.

The future Pac-12 lineup, set to officially compete together in 2026, includes:

• Legacy Members: Oregon State, Washington State

• New Members (from Mountain West): Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State

• Non-Football Member: Gonzaga (for basketball and other sports)

This leaves one critical football-playing spot to fill, and the clock is ticking loudly. The conference must secure its eighth member to not only satisfy NCAA bylaws but also to present a complete, competitive product to its new media partners and the college football world.

The Candidates: A Hunt for the Eighth Spot

With the CBS deal providing a concrete vision for the future, Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould can now approach potential members with a tangible offer of exposure and stability. The speculation on who will fill that final slot has centered on a few key candidates:

• Texas State: Widely considered the frontrunner, the Bobcats have reportedly been in deep discussions with the conference. Adding Texas State would give the Pac-12 a crucial foothold in the talent-rich state of Texas and access to the burgeoning Austin-San Antonio media market. The university is one of the fastest-growing in the state and is coming off its best football season as an FBS program. A significant hurdle was the Sun Belt's exit fee, which was set to double if notice wasn't given by July 1, adding urgency to the negotiations.

• American Athletic Conference (AAC) Schools: Programs like Tulane, Memphis, and UTSA have been part of the conversation. These schools offer strong recent performance in football and basketball and would elevate the conference's competitive profile. However, the primary obstacle is the AAC's steep exit fee (reportedly over $25 million with short notice), which has so far kept these schools from making a move.

• Other Mountain West Options: UNLV was a name previously in the mix and remains a geographic fit, though they opted to stay in the Mountain West during the last round of realignment.

The Rebirth: A Long Road Back to Prominence

The journey for the Pac-12 is far from over. This new iteration of the conference is, for now, a shadow of its former self. But the CBS deal is a foundational piece of a deliberate, strategic rebuild. It provides the necessary legitimacy to complete its roster and survive as an FBS entity.

The mission now is to transform survival into a genuine rebirth. By securing its eighth member, the "new" Pac-12 can shift its focus from existential crisis to building a competitive and compelling conference. The goal is no longer just to exist, but to re-establish the "Conference of Champions" as a legitimate and respected brand in the turbulent world of college athletics, proving that reports of its demise were indeed greatly exaggerated.