Momentum is reportedly building for the Aggies to join the Pac-12

Utah State is reportedly in better position than ever when it comes to possible Pac-12 membership.
Action Network’s Brett McMurphy reported Saturday afternoon — while Utah State football was playing Temple — that USU is one of two Mountain West schools that are top targets for Pac-12 expansion should the league add more schools within its geographical footprint.
In other words, if the Pac-12 raids the MWC again.
Sources told McMurphy that UNLV and Utah State have “gained momentum due to their competitive, revenue and viewership stats being on the rise,” and that “the athletics and university leadership at both universities have a synergy with the new Pac-12 makeup.”
That is a change from a report Friday by Yahoo Sports that said Air Force is a real possibility for the Pac-12 too, along with the Rebels and Aggies.
If Utah State were to join the Pac-12, McMurphy noted that the Pac-12 would have poached five of the Mountain West’s top six media markets, after the previously announced additions of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State.
As reported Friday by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, the Pac-12′s most desired targets for expansion are a combination of Memphis, Tulane, UTSA and USF, however. Memphis in particularly is viewed as the most desirable add among the schools remaining in the Group of 5 ranks.
McMurphy noted something similar Saturday, but ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that those programs — all members of the American Athletic Conference or AAC — are currently weighing the pros and cons of joining the Pac-12.
The biggest issue, per Thamel, is the potential exit fees that would need to be paid to the AAC.
SMU left the AAC a year ago in order to join the ACC and paid $25 million to the conference. Memphis, Tulane, USC and UTSA all could be required to pay upwards of $27 million if they were to leave for the Pac-12 in time to join by 2026, the deadline for the Pac-12 to reach at least eight members.
Those fees are subject to negotiation.
For Utah State, there has been a rapid rise in terms of Pac-12 interest.
When the Pac-12 first announced its expansion, the Aggies weren’t viewed as a genuine future add by most national observers. UNLV was frequently touted, but the rest of the MW was viewed as schools likely to be left behind.
Steadily, though, USU has moved into a better and better position — reportedly — to join the Pac-12 if the conference ultimately decides to add more Western universities.