After being poached almost into oblivion, the Pac-12 is fighting off extinction by plucking schools from the Mountain West.
The Pac-12 announced Thursday that it in 2026 it will add Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State alongside Oregon State and Washington State in a rebuilt Conference of Champions.
The additions rob the Mountain West of four of its more prominent schools and successful football programs, most notably Boise State. It still leaves the Pac-12 two schools short of the eight it needs to have in place in two years to be recognized as a conference by the NCAA, so more moves are expected.
The Pac-12 and the departing schools will likely be on the hook for about $110 million in exit fees and penalties to the Mountain West.
It is a remarkable bounce-back move by a conference left for dead a year ago when 10 members …