The rebuilt Pac-12 released its 2026 football schedule on Wednesday night, with a unique “flex” game for the final week of the regular season.
The new Pac-12 will include eight football members in Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State and Washington State. OSU and WSU remain from the old Pac-12, before the league broke apart as teams left for the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC.
The eight-member league will play a seven-game round-robin to determine the conference standings. Additionally, every school will have a “flex” rematch game on the final weekend that will not count toward conference standings but will be scheduled based on interests of the league, such as College Football Playoff or bowl considerations, according to the conference.
Announcing the 2026 Pac-12 football schedule the best way we know how… #Pac12AfterDark style! 😎
LET’S GO!!! 🏈⏳#BackThePac pic.twitter.com/5UWfpwLhzd
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) February 12, 2026
The current “projected” flex games for that final week include Boise State at Utah State, Texas State at Colorado State, San Diego State at Fresno State and Oregon State at Washington State, but a final determination will be made by Sunday of the final regular-season week. Those four home teams are guaranteed to host on that weekend, to make sure every Pac-12 team gets four home games within the league. Other factors will be considered for matchups, such as the possibility of traveling to another opponent twice in one regular season, but the determination will be made by the league office.
Regular season rematches are not unheard of in college football. OSU and WSU held a home-and-home with each other last year. Liberty and New Mexico State did the same when they were FBS independents. The league has pitched it like an NFL division setup.
The top two teams will play in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday, Dec. 4, on CBS/Paramount+ at the home field of the top seed. Standings tiebreakers will be announced at a later date, but the flex game schedule means the championship game participants will be determined nearly two weeks before the game.
Both the flex week and championship game setup are currently just one-year plans.
Notable nonconference games in the league next season include Washington State at Washington (Week 1), Boise State at Oregon (Week 1), the Colorado State-Wyoming rivalry (Week 1) and Boise State vs. Memphis (Week 2), among others.
The Pac-12 will broadcast its games on CBS, The CW and USA Sports this fall, with every game on linear TV. All kickoff times, other than the flex week, will be announced before the season.
Concept to watch
The Pac-12’s flex plan is similar to what the Big Ten introduced in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and is a concept other conference officials are likely to watch closely this fall.
In 2020, the Big Ten called its plan “Champions Week,” where it tried to schedule crossover matchups based on divisional standings. The pandemic altered the lineup, but the basic format was sound. It was supposed to balance games involving teams with comparable seasons, from those with New Year’s Six bowl aspirations to those seeking bowl eligibility.
The Pac-12’s flex plan is different, but it could have the same impact. Arranging games at the top could add a quality win for its champion and help it reach the College Football Playoff. On the back end, it could boost a team needing a sixth victory in a shrinking bowl environment.
With the Power 4 conferences loaded with 16 to 18 members apiece, imbalanced scheduling is rampant. A flex concept like this pitting teams that have not played could provide a valued data point to solid CFP contenders seeking an at-large berth. Considering the Big Ten and SEC are at a stalemate for deciding how to implement a 16-team CFP in 2027-28, such a plan could help distinguish CFP contenders and provide great late-season matchups. — Scott Dochterman, senior college football writer