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Texas State's Rapid Ascension Continues With A Move To The Rebuilt Pac-12 Almost Official

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Football

(BCSNN) — Texas State University, its athletic programs, students, and fans, are all on the verge of a pretty major move, as the Bobcats and the Pac-12 Conference are reportedly close to finalizing a membership agreement that would make the Bobcats the league’s eighth full football-playing member.

Sources familiar with the negotiations say a formal invitation could be extended before July 1, a critical deadline that would allow Texas State to exit the Sun Belt Conference for a $5 million fee—half the cost if notice is given after that date.

The potential move comes amid the Pac-12’s ongoing efforts to rebuild following the mass exodus of 10 member schools in 2023. With a new media rights deal in place with CBS Sports through 2031, the conference has added five former Mountain West programs—Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and Utah State—along with basketball powerhouse Gonzaga. Texas State would round out the football membership required by the NCAA to maintain FBS status.

Texas State’s rise to this moment has been more than a decade in the making. After transitioning from FCS to FBS in 2011, the Bobcats spent one season in the Western Athletic Conference before joining the Sun Belt in 2013. Under head coach G.J. Kinne, the program has gained momentum, posting back-to-back 8-5 seasons and earning its first two bowl victories in school history.

The Bobcats’ football roots stretch back to 1904, with national titles at the Division II level in 1981 and 1982. Their recent success at the FBS level has elevated the program’s profile, making it an attractive candidate for a Pac-12 eager to expand its geographic and media footprint. San Marcos, located between Austin and San Antonio, offers the conference a foothold in Texas, the nation’s second-most populous state.

For Texas State, the move would represent a dramatic financial and competitive upgrade. The school currently receives around $2 million annually from Sun Belt media rights; that figure could more than double under the Pac-12’s new deal with CBS and additional partners. Exposure on national platforms like CBS Sports Network and Paramount+ (which will cost TSU fans more in separate subscription fees) may also enhance recruiting and brand visibility across all sports. With at least three Pac-12 football and basketball games airing on CBS each season, the Bobcats will have the opportunity to play in front of more fans than ever.

The Pac-12, meanwhile, would stabilize its football operations and preserve its FBS status with the addition of Texas State. The move also signals the league’s commitment to long-term viability, even after losing its autonomous “Power Five” designation. Commissioner Teresa Gould has called the CBS deal a “transformational partnership,” and adding Texas State could be the final piece in the conference’s immediate expansion puzzle.

While no official announcement has been made, both sides are operating under tight timelines. Texas State’s Board of Regents must approve any conference move, and Texas law requires 72 hours’ notice before such a meeting. With the July 1 deadline looming, the next few days could determine whether the Bobcats make the leap to the Pac-12 or remain in the Sun Belt for the foreseeable future.