Utah State is reportedly a target for Pac-12 expansion

Few if any major college football observers consider Utah State a priority add for the latest version of the Pac-12 Conference, but that doesn't mean the Aggies aren't still in the running to leave the Mountain West and join the Pac-12.

According to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger , Utah State is one of three MW teams — among the eight who haven't been invited to join the Pac-12 already — that could be looked at by the league going forward.

Specifically in the instance that the trio of Memphis, USF and Tulane — top-tier teams in the American Athletic Conference — elect to stay in their current league and wait for potential invites to the ACC.

"If Memphis does stay in the East, it could severely disable the MWC," Dellenger writes. "The Pac-12 is likely to turn attention to UNLV, Air Force and Utah State, three programs that have or will soon see the league's presentation to expansion members."

That Utah State is now considered a genuine potential add for the Pac-12 shows how quickly things move in conference realignment discussions.

Previously it was reported by The Athletic, ESPN, CBS Sports and The Mercury News that the Pac-12 was somewhat interested in adding the likes of UNLV and/or Air Force — after looking east — but there was nary a mention of Utah State.

The Aggies were viewed by most as a MW team through and through, along with Wyoming, Nevada, Hawaii, New Mexico and San Jose State. With their best hopes lying in the conference surviving realignment by expanding itself.

"If (these) eight can stay together and we can add some teams, we can really be a good league," Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman told media last week. "If (the Pac-12 can't add AAC schools), it's likely they're going to circle back to the Mountain West, and we could lose an additional member or two members. So that's why expansion is very, very important."

And if was expected that if the MW were to fall apart, Utah State would most likely be looking at joining Conference USA or independence — with membership in the AAC the best scenario but not considered all that likely.

A week later, though, and the Aggies appear to be in the conversation.

Things would have to fall right, though, for USU, and Memphis and Tulane (whether USF or UTSA is more valuable is a matter of debate) remain of utmost importance to the Pac-12 when it comes to expansion.

Memphis in particular appears to hold the next round of conference realignment in its hands.

The Tigers are widely considered the best Group of 5 program currently, Dellenger writes.

"The Pac-12′s pursuit of Memphis justifies what many in college athletics know to be true: The most desirable remaining Group of Five program is Memphis The school resides in a college football hub (Memphis often ranks as a top-10 market in college football viewership); it has recent success in the sport (winning seasons in eight of the last nine, including three 10-win years); it has a historic basketball program (11 Sweet 16s); and, perhaps most notably in these money-driven times, it has an incredibly wealthy and powerful booster (Fred Smith, the founder and chairman of FedEx, a company that recently pledged $25 million in name, image and likeness funds over the next five years)."

If Memphis elects to join the Pac-12, USU's chances of an invite are all but dead, Dellenger noted.

"Memphis (and the others) going west impacts another league too: the Mountain West, which is working to solidify its current members with a more long-term agreement while also searching for expansion schools. The three AAC schools going west would likely eliminate the possibility of any more Pac-12 poaching of the Mountain West (ahem: UNLV, Air Force and Utah State)."

There is some skepticism that Memphis wants to join the far-flung Pac-12, though. The Tigers' true dream appears to be ACC membership and at the rate that conference realignment has remade the college sports landscape it isn't out of the question that said invite could be coming in the next couple of years.

If Utah State doesn't ultimately get a Pac-12 invite, because Memphis and other AAC teams gamble that Pac-12 membership is more beneficial, the Aggies best hopes lie with a surviving MW.

Per The Athletic , the league is being proactive in engaging potential new members.

"Sources familiar with discussions believe UTEP and Texas State are potential targets, as FBS members who wouldn't have to make a transition," Chris Vannini writes. "Sam Houston might be an option, too. New Mexico State is in the region, but the school is going through a presidential search, and New Mexico may not favor adding the Aggies. FCS Tarleton, located in Stephenville, is another potential Texas option. The school just recently completed its transition from Division II but is growing rapidly and has a lot of money at its disposal."

The idea of unequal revenue sharing has also been floated as a means of keeping UNLV and Air Force in the league long term, per Yahoo Sports.

The Pac-12 is hoping to move quickly to finish the reconstruction of its league and per league commissioner Theresa Gould has high aspirations for its additional members.

"We are going to swing for the fences and we are going to do everything we can to make Phase 2 kind of the cherry on the ice cream, if you will, to kind of finish it out," she said earlier this week .

Gould also told CBS Sports , though, that "our presidents and ADs are open to lots of different membership iterations."

Utah State can only hope that the iteration that wins out is the one that includes the Aggies. At the very least though, Utah State appears to be in the conversation right now.