Oregon State AD Scott Barnes speaks out about Pac-12 rebuild, its timing and damaging the Mountain West

With a goal of remaining nationally relevant, Oregon State and Washington State couldn’t have better timing.

Two days before their in-state rivalry games and aided by multiple national television bullhorns, OSU and WSU made a bold conference realignment play Thursday when the Pac-12 announced it will add four current Mountain West schools beginning with the 2026-27 school year.

Was there an element of strategy with timing this announcement, knowing it will get significant national play Saturday?

Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said yes, but “we weren’t sure. There were so many complicating factors, so many different aspects. It could have gone longer. But it worked out … so we can reap the benefits.”

Since OSU and Washington State began their search for the future more than a year ago, Barnes has spoken about optionality. A top option for months was an eye toward joining an existing Power Four conference. It made some sense. The Big 12 has talked loudly about expansion plans. The ACC has turmoil because of unrest from bell cows Florida State and Clemson.

Rebuilding the Pac-12 was another alternative, but recently it became the clubhouse leader. What changed?

“Over a period of weeks, the last several weeks, I’d say, it became more and more of a priority,” Barnes said. “No. 1, we had great interest in the upside of then understanding the interest of the (MWC) group that we’ve put together. Other options sort of dissipated.

“We are super excited about the trajectory … we’ve got a bit of a white canvas to work with.”

Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State made sense to the Pac-12 because they fit the conference’s objectives for media and brand, academics and athletics performance, Barnes said. Geography, investment in athletics and culture also played a role.

“We’re like-minded, very much so. Our institutions, who we are, what we want to do, and how we want to ascend, were aspects,” Barnes said.

In taking four of the Mountain West’s top schools, the Pac-12 has done significant damage to that conference. It is left with eight schools, including several with annual budgets of less than $50 million. Some are asking is there any difference with what Oregon State and Washington State did to the Mountain West than what Oregon and Washington did to the Pac-12.

Barnes explained that “college athletics has become an eat-what-you-kill, and there’s a domino effect. When one conference is dismantled, it creates issues. I would say the difference is, we didn’t have a home. We had to find a home, and others had a home. That’s a pretty stark difference. I hate the fact that schools are being left behind, because we’ve dealt with that for the last year.”

With six schools, the Pac-12 must expand to a minimum of eight by July 2026 to become an FBS conference. As it stands, a rebuilt Pac-12 wouldn’t receive an automatic CFP berth, but is in position to secure the berth currently open to Group of Five schools. Barnes said the Pac-12 would like to be considered for an automatic berth of its own.

“We’ve got to put our group together and prove it,” Barnes said.

What is the ideal number for 2026-27? Barnes said the Pac-12 is looking to add two to four more schools. He believes nine schools is an ideal number for football purposes. That allows the Pac-12 to play an eight-game conference schedule, with room for four nonconference games.

As for schools that could be next to join the Pac-12, Barnes was purposefully vague. Are other MWC schools in play for membership? To be determined, Barnes said. Also TBA: A school without football but a needle-mover in basketball, like Gonzaga. How about former Pac-12 brethren California and Stanford, should the ACC collapse? Not currently a consideration, according to Barnes.

Barnes wouldn’t issue a deadline as to when the Pac-12 would like to finalize its 2026-27 Pac-12 roster.

“As quickly as possible,” he said. “But there’s always an opportunity to revisit membership, right? That can be a fluid thing, depending on opportunities. My hope is to button it down as soon as possible so we can begin to create our future.”

Regarding television, Barnes said the Pac-12 would begin “socializing” plans with media companies. But serious discussions won’t take place until the conference’s membership roster is established.

In adding Boise State and Colorado State, the Pac-12 has two schools that currently do not play baseball. Barnes said in addressing OSU head coaches Thursday morning, he told them conference alignment “means different things to each of our programs. It’s not one size fits all sort of thing. We’ve got to manage where there are some deficiencies and find the best path forward for specific sports.”

The next bit of Pac-12 news is likely to be a 2025 football schedule. Oregon State and Washington State have six games scheduled for next year. Barnes said he hopes Oregon State will announce “in the next several weeks.”

-- Nick Daschel can be reached at 360-607-4824, ndaschel@oregonian.com or @nickdaschel.

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