Report: Tulane, Memphis Eyed by Pac-12 amid Additions of Boise State, More

Adam WellsSeptember 14, 2024

Oliver McKenna/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

As the Pac-12 looks to keep adding more teams to its roster, Tulane and Memphis have emerged as potential targets for the conference.

On Saturday’s Big Noon Kickoff, Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic reported the Pac-12 has shown “some interest” in Tulane and Memphis as expansion targets.

FOX College Football @CFBONFOX”Sources tell me that the Pac-12 has some interest in Tulane and Memphis from the AAC.” @BruceFeldmanCFB shares the latest updates on the Pac-12 expansion ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Fx7x6R47Dx

This comes after Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Fresno State announced on Thursday they would be joining the Pac-12 starting with the 2026-27 academic year.

The Pac-12 is currently operating with Washington State and Oregon State is its only members. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah left to join the Big 12. Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington are now in the Big Ten. California and Stanford moved to the ACC.

In order for Washington State and Oregon State to fill out a full schedule, the two schools entered into a partnership with the Mountain West Conference.

Per ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura, the four Mountain West schools that will join the Pac-12 in two years will have to pay their current conference $an exit fee of $18 million each. The Pac-12 will also pay the Mountain West more than $40 million in poaching fees that were part of their scheduling agreement for the 2024 season.

Bonagura cited Tulane and Memphis as “realistic” targets for the Pac-12, but the two programs “will need a much clearer understanding of the financial picture to leave the AAC than the threshold used by the four MWC schools.”

USA Today’s Scooby Axson noted in 2022 after Cincinnati, Houston and Central Florida reached a deal to leave the AAC for the Big 12 that the American Athletic Conference has an exit fee of $10 million and requires a 27-month notice of departure.

If a school leaves before the 27 months, the exit fee is negotiated between the university and conference.

According to Bonagura, the NCAA requires conferences to have at least eight members. The Pac-12 was given a two-year grace period to exist below that minimum.

The additions of Tulane and Memphis along with Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State would get the Pac-12 up to eight members if the conference can work out an exit deal with the AAC over the notice of departure.