CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said the newly rebuilt Pac-12 is looking to add at least two schools as quickly as possible by 2026.

“I think John Wooden said it, ‘Let’s be quick, but let’s not rush,'” Barnes said Saturday. “Do it right, but it’s in our best interest to move as quickly as possible.”

The Conference of Champions, which broke up with the departure of 10 teams, announced a new incarnation Thursday with four teams from the Mountain West joining Oregon State and Washington.

The revived Pac-12, featuring Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State, is set to launch in 2026. But the league must have at least eight teams to qualify for automatic entry into the NCAA championships and the College Football Playoff.

When asked if any teams had expressed interest in participating within 48 hours of the realignment announcement, Barnes replied simply, “A lot.”

Barnes spoke before the rivalry game between Oregon State and former conference opponent Oregon, which moved to the Big Ten this season. He said the league could potentially add more than just the two schools needed to meet the NCAA and CFP thresholds.

“It’s very similar to the processes we used to bring in these foundational members, in that the criteria will be very similar. We’ve already started in earnest with our first meeting yesterday to look at the landscape. There’s a lot of interest at this very early stage,” Barnes said.

“I’d like to see this wrapped up as quickly as possible,” he added. “But we certainly want to get it right. These are long-term decisions that we’re making, and we’re taking the time to make sure we have the right new members. But the sooner we can move forward, the better.”

With only two active schools, the Pac-12 is taking advantage of NCAA rules that allow for a two-year grace period. Currently, the Beavers and Cougars have a football scheduling agreement with the Mountain West for this season, giving them six league opponents each to fill out their schedules. The agreement does not extend beyond this season.

Part of that deal included millions of dollars in additional costs for the Pac-12 if it poached Mountain West schools. All told, the Mountain West Conference stands to reap $110 million from the shakeup.