Pac-12 Now Nonautonomous Conference

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Conference realignment claims another victim after the Pac-12 loses 10 members and is left with Oregon State and Washington State. The Beavers and Cougars will be classified as a "nonautonomous conference" the NCAA Division I Board of Directors Determined on Monday.

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What Does This Mean for the Pac-12

The Pac-12 will now lose representation on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors but will retain representation and voting rights on the Division I Council, the Football Oversight Committee, with the weight of their vote in the Council rightfully diminished.

For the upcoming athletics season in 2024-2025 both Oregon State and Washington State will not play conference games, they have agreed to play a schedule with teams from the Mountain West and West Coast Conference. The football programs will not be eligible for the Mountain West Championship or standings. It has been determined that Oregon State baseball will play an independent schedule.

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Oregon State and Washington State have said they will continue to spend as a Power 5 conference team while trying to enter a conference with autonomy. This decision comes on the heels of a new governance threshold for conferences that fall below membership requirements. Conversations are underway about a potential merger with the Mountain West by the 2026-2027 season.

Welcome to the ever-changing world of NCAA Football! Don't worry, more changes are coming but it's debatable whether those changes will be for the betterment of collegiate athletics or not.