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Report: UNLV and Air Force to stay in Mountain West, forcing Pac-12 to look elsewhere for final additions

UNLV running back Michael Allen (26) outruns Utah Tech linebacker Spencer Rich (45) during the college football game at Allegiant Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Las Vegas.  (Tribune News Service)

PULLMAN – The new Pac-12 will have to look somewhere besides Las Vegas for the eighth member it needs to complete the conference.

Pac-12 targets UNLV and Air Force have decided to stay in the Mountain West Conference, according to multiple reports Wednesday evening, forcing Pac-12 commissioner Theresa Gould to dig a little deeper to complete the conference’s rebuild. Those schools recommitted to the MWC with “significant financial incentives,” according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.

The Pac-12, which has seven full members, needs to get to eight by the summer of 2026 to compete as an FBS conference, per NCAA rules. Current members include Washington State and Oregon State, the two holdovers from the traditional setup, plus recent MWC additions Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State.

Earlier this week, UNLV had decided to stay in the Mountain West, but that was when the conference had eight full members – which changed when Utah State announced its departure for the Pac-12. The Rebels then began weighing whether to join the Pac-12 or stay in the MWC.

For the Pac-12, it shrinks the pool of candidates in a significant way.