Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Fresno State will join the Pac-12 for the 2026-2027 academic year, they announced Thursday.

The Pac-12 Board of Governors unanimously approved the applications of the four schools, who join Oregon State and Washington State, the two remaining schools after the league collapses in the summer of 2023.

“For more than a century, the Pac-12 Conference has been recognized as a leading brand in intercollegiate athletics,” Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue bold, groundbreaking opportunities for growth and advancement to best serve our member institutions and student-athletes. I am grateful to our board for their efforts to welcome Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno and San Diego State University to the conference. An exciting new era for the Pac-12 Conference begins today.”

Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez released a statement Wednesday night responding to reports that the four schools would be leaving the conference.

“The Mountain West Conference is aware of media reports regarding the potential departure of several of our members, and we will have more to say in the coming days,” Nevarez said. “All members will abide by the conference’s bylaws and policies should they choose to leave. The requirements of the scheduling agreement will apply to the Pac-12 if they admit Mountain West members. Our board of directors will meet to determine our next steps. The Mountain West has a proud 25-year history and will continue to thrive in the years to come.”

Under Mountain West rules, departing schools must pay a severance package of about $18 million with two years’ notice. That’s what the four schools expect to pay, according to a source. (With one year’s notice, that figure would rise to $36 million.)

The Pac-12 is expected to be able to help the schools with exit fees, in part because of retained media rights distribution fees from departing members and other conference assets. The conference would also be subject to $43 million in severance fees, as outlined in the conference scheduling agreement this year that resulted in Oregon State and Washington State playing six Mountain West opponents.

“We are thrilled to be joining the Pac-12 Conference,” said San Diego State Athletic Director John David Wicker. “While we are grateful to be a founding member of the Mountain West with 26 years of success in the conference, we are excited about what lies ahead with these new opportunities.”

The six members will work together to decide which schools to target for further expansion, as the conference must add two more schools to meet the NCAA minimum requirement. The conference is in the first year of a two-year grace period the NCAA bylaws provide to stay under the minimum in the event of a departure.

It is not yet clear how many schools the new conference expects to have in 2026.