The Mountain West on Friday announced a scheduling agreement for 2024 between the conference and two schools left orphaned by the Pac-12 mass exodus.
Next season, Oregon State University, Washington State University, soon to be the only remaining members of the Pac-12, will be in the mix to play San Diego State and the other 11 MW teams in football.
Here’s how it will work: MW teams will play seven traditional conference games in addition to one contest against either Washington State or Oregon State for a total of eight games, four home and four away.
The games against OSU and WSU will not count toward the conference standings and neither Pac-12 school is eligible for the MW championship game.
The Mountain West continues to work on the football schedule and will release matchups soon.
“This is a unique and unprecedented opportunity for Oregon State and Washington State to play against highly competitive Mountain West football programs in 2024,” said MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez.
She added that “the scheduling agreement will expand the Mountain West footprint and enhance our national brand, while providing our student-athletes with new opportunities, all in line with our strategic priorities,” while also strengthening the league’s non-conference schedules.
The most high-profile schools in the Pac-12, UCLA and USC, depart the conference for the Big Ten next year.
San Diego State long had been considered a possible fit for the Pac-12, and had made some maneuvers in that direction, leading to friction with the MW. But the Pac-12 essentially collapsed in August with the departures of Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State University and Utah.
Colorado already had left in July. Cal and Stanford followed in September, leaving just Oregon State and Washington State.
“We have a great opportunity in front of us and a path forward for continued success,” said Scott Barnes, Oregon State’s vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “We are still focused on re-building the Pac-12, and continue to prioritize the student-athlete experience at Oregon State.”
