Following the substantial departures from the Pac-12, Oregon State had to explore various options for its future.
Despite most of the Pac-12 teams leaving for the upcoming season, the Beavers remained one of the top teams in the nation in 2023, finishing with an overall record of 8-5 and a 5-4 record in the Pac-12, after losing to Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl.
While Oregon State’s athletic director, Scott Barnes, has stated that rebuilding the Pac-12 is the program’s top priority, the two remaining teams in the conference are entering into a scheduling partnership with the Mountain West.
Here’s more on Oregon State’s position amid the ongoing conference realignment in college football.
OSU-Mountain West Scheduling Alliance
Oregon State and Washington State have officially entered a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West for at least this year. There remains a possibility of a merger between the Mountain West and the Pac-2, or for these two schools to eventually join the Mountain West.
The Mountain West has announced that its teams will schedule seven games against their own league opponents, with one additional game against either WSU or OSU in 2024. However, these two programs will not be eligible for the Mountain West Championship.
For the first year of this partnership, Oregon State and Washington State will pay the Mountain West $ 14 million, according to Yahoo Sports. This agreement could extend through the 2025 season.
Of all the conferences that could potentially become Oregon State’s future home, the Mountain West appears to be the best fit. Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez has shared reasons with OSU on why they should consider joining the league, as reported by CBS
Pac-12 Lawsuit and Hearing
Leaders from Washington State and Oregon State attended a hearing in Whitman County Superior Court in Washington, where a judge ruled in favor of OSU and WSU, granting them exclusive voting rights on the Pac-12 board.
The Washington Supreme Court upheld this decision by declining to review an appeal from the league’s departing members, thereby maintaining OSU and WSU’s control over the board.
Recently, the remaining Pac-12 members reached an agreement that temporarily resolves the legal disputes. The departing programs will forfeit some, but not all, of the funds from the previous academic year. With OSU and WSU in charge of the Pac-12 board, the league retains its future revenue and resources moving forward.
This conflict involved hundreds of millions of dollars from television contracts and other income streams.
Is Oregon State Staying in the Pac-12?
OSU and WSU have previously signaled their intention to attempt to keep the Pac-12 afloat.
According to Pac-12 bylaws, the presidents of Washington State and Oregon State serve as the conference’s board of directors since they are the only schools that have not announced plans to leave. This situation could grant them significant authority over the future direction of the Pac-12 and its resources, such as television revenue.
These resources could potentially enable the Pac-12 to invite several new teams to join.
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