Honestly, if you looked at a map of college football two years ago, you probably thought Washington State and Oregon State were finished. Dead in the water. Most people did. When the Big Ten and Big 12 swooped in like vultures to pick apart the Pac-12, leaving only the Cougars and the Beavers behind, the narrative was pretty much "turn out the lights, the party’s over."
They called them the "Pac-2." It sounded like a joke.
But here we are in January 2026, and the vibe has shifted in a way that’s actually kinda wild. The Washington State Oregon State partnership hasn't just survived; it's basically rebuilt an entire conference from the ground up while nobody was looking. They didn't just sit in Pullman and Corvallis and cry about their "left behind" status. They got to work.
The 2026 Resurrection: How the Pac-12 Actually Came Back
It wasn't easy. You’ve gotta remember that at the start of 2024, they were essentially independent teams with a $250 million "war chest" and a whole lot of legal paperwork. People kept saying they’d eventually just join the Mountain West or drift into irrelevance. Instead, they did a "reverse merger" of sorts.
Starting July 1, 2026, the Pac-12 is officially back as a full-fledged FBS conference. They didn't just add a couple of random schools to fill seats. They poached the heavy hitters from the Mountain West—Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and Fresno State. Then they landed Utah State. Then they went way out of the box and grabbed Texas State. And for the basketball junkies? They got Gonzaga.
This isn't the old Pac-12 with the glitz of USC or the tradition of Washington. It’s something different. It’s a "best of the rest" league that’s positioned itself to be the clear #5 conference in the country. If you’re a fan in Pullman or Corvallis, you aren't looking at the Big Ten with envy anymore. You're looking at a path to the College Football Playoff that’s actually realistic.
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Why the Washington State Oregon State Connection is Unique
Most rivalries are built on hating each other. Think about the Apple Cup or the Civil War. But for the last couple of years, Wazzu and Oregon State have been more like brothers-in-arms. They had to be.
- Shared Legal Battles: They spent months in courtrooms fighting for the Pac-12's intellectual property and assets.
- Scheduling Pacts: When nobody else would play them without demanding a king's ransom, they scheduled each other and worked together on Mountain West agreements.
- Identity: Both schools are the "land-grant" institutions of their states. They aren't the flashy city schools in Seattle or Eugene. They are the grit-and-dirt programs.
There’s this weird mutual respect now. Don't get me wrong, when the ball is kicked off at Martin Stadium or Reser Stadium, they still want to beat the brakes off each other. But there's a recognition that without one another, both programs might have been relegated to the history books.
The Economic Reality of Small-Town Powerhouses
A lot of folks think these schools only matter on Saturdays. That’s a huge mistake. Just look at the numbers coming out this year.
WSU recently reported a nearly $4 billion economic impact on the state of Washington. That’s not just football tickets. It’s research, agriculture, and the fact that they support 20,000 jobs. Oregon State is in the same boat, contributing over $3.5 billion to Oregon’s economy.
When people talk about conference realignment, they talk about TV markets and "eyeballs." They forget that these schools are the lifeblood of Pullman and Corvallis. When the Pac-12 crumbled, it wasn't just a sports problem. It was an existential threat to these towns. Local shops like Crimson & Gray in Pullman saw the hit immediately. The 2026 rebuild isn't just about winning games; it's about keeping these communities solvent.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the "New" Rivalry
The biggest misconception? That the games "don't matter" because they aren't against the "Big Boys" anymore.
Go tell that to an Oregon State fan in Corvallis when Boise State comes to town this fall. Or watch the atmosphere in Pullman when WSU hosts San Diego State. The intensity hasn't dropped. If anything, there’s a chip on the shoulder of every player and fan in this new conference. They feel like they have something to prove to the Fox and ESPN executives who tried to write them off.
Also, the TV situation is actually better than people realize. By partnering with The CW and using their own "Pac-12 Enterprises" production arm, they’ve made the games easier to find than they were back in the Pac-12 Network days. Remember trying to find that channel? It was impossible. Now, you just turn on a local broadcast or jump on a stream. It's simplified.
By the Numbers: The Series History
If you look at the all-time series between these two, it’s surprisingly close.
- Washington State leads the series (as of the last count) but only by a handful of games.
- The "Home Field" Factor: Both teams have historically struggled when traveling to the other's "high desert" or "Palouse" environment.
- Recent Trends: The games have mostly been high-scoring shootouts.
The Gonzaga Factor: A Massive Win
You can't talk about the current state of these schools without mentioning Gonzaga joining the Pac-12 for basketball. This was the masterstroke. It gives the conference immediate national credibility. When Wazzu hosts Gonzaga in a conference matchup, Beasley Coliseum is going to be a madhouse.
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It also helps Oregon State. The Beavers have had a rollercoaster ride in basketball, but being in a league with the Zags and the improved San Diego State program means their "Strength of Schedule" will always be high enough to warrant an At-Large bid in the Big Dance.
Practical Steps for Fans in 2026
If you’re planning to follow or attend a Washington State Oregon State matchup this year, things are a little different than the old days.
- Check the New Schedule: The 2026-27 season is the first year of the "New Pac-12." Don't look for the old rivals like Stanford or Cal. Look for the "Mountain" and "Coast" matchups featuring the new additions.
- TV and Streaming: Most games are now on The CW, FOX, or produced by Pac-12 Enterprises for digital platforms. Download the Pac-12 app; it’s actually useful again.
- Travel to Pullman/Corvallis: Hotel inventory is still tight. If you’re going to Pullman for a game, look at staying in Moscow, Idaho, or even Spokane. For Corvallis, Albany is your best bet if the local spots are booked.
The "Pac-2" era is over. It’s a full league again. The Cougars and Beavers didn't just survive the "End of the World"—they became the architects of the new one. They proved that tradition and community actually mean something, even in a world obsessed with TV revenue.
The next step is simple. Stop calling them "mid-majors." With the new College Football Playoff format and a revitalized conference, the path to a national title goes right through the Pacific Northwest. If you’re a fan, get your tickets early. The stadiums are smaller than the Big Ten giants, but the noise level in the Palouse or the Willamette Valley is second to none.
Keep an eye on the recruiting trails too. Since the Pac-12's resurrection was confirmed, both schools have seen a spike in four-star commits who want guaranteed playing time and a shot at the 12-team playoff. The "left behind" stigma is officially gone.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Update your bookmarks: The official Pac-12 website has transitioned to the new membership list for the 2026-27 academic year.
- Review the media deal: Familiarize yourself with The CW’s broadcast schedule for the upcoming season to ensure you don't miss any kickoff times.
- Support local: If visiting Pullman or Corvallis, prioritize local businesses that stuck by the universities during the two-year transition period.