Report: Oregon State, Washington State Nearing Mountain West Scheduling Alliance

Tom Hauck/

The remaining two teams in the Pac-12 are reportedly on the verge of aligning with another conference for the 2024 season.

According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, Oregon State and Washington State "are in the final stages of striking a football scheduling agreement" with the Mountain West Conference for next season "that includes a lucrative financial package for MWC schools."

Dellenger noted that an announcement of the scheduling alliance is expected "in the coming days." The agreement is only in place for one season for now and is "expected to include a fee of about $14 million paid to the Mountain West."

The scheduling alliance is currently only for football as Oregon State and Washington State explore their options for their other sports. A similar agreement for men's and women's basketball is being explored with the Mountain West, but nothing is imminent at the moment.

OSU and WSU were left without a home for next season after the 10 other teams in the Pac-12 departed for three other conferences in a seismic realignment. Per Dellenger, the two schools "stand to lose at least $25 million annually in Pac-12 and Power Five conference distribution, though they are likely due a windfall of league revenue over the next two years."

As part of the agreement with the Mountain West, a "7+1" format will be implemented in which MWC teams play seven conference games instead of eight followed by one game over either Oregon State or Washington State. The Beavers and Cougars will not be eligible for the Mountain West championship.

OSU and WSU plan to operate as a two-team conference for at least a year to keep the Pac-12 brand alive. However, conferences with less than eight teams are not eligible for an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff, so the Beavers and Cougars would only be able to earn an at-large berth.