History of Pac-12 Conference in Timeline
The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference comprising twelve universities located in the Western United States. It includes flagship public universities from Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, along with four additional public universities and two private research universities. The Pac-12 competes at the NCAA Division I level, with its football teams participating in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
1912: Arizona and New Mexico Become States
Both Arizona and New Mexico became states in 1912.
December 2, 1915: Founding of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC)
The origins of the Pac-12 can be traced back to December 2, 1915, when the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) was established during a meeting at the Imperial Hotel in Portland, Oregon.
1915: California and USC Begin Rivalry
California and USC started playing each other in 1915, marking the beginning of their long-standing rivalry.
1916: Commencement of PCC Play
The Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) commenced its athletic competitions in 1916.
1918: Washington State and Stanford Join the PCC
Following its formation, the PCC expanded with the inclusion of Washington State College in 1917 and Stanford University in 1918.
1922: USC and Idaho Join the PCC
In 1922, the PCC expanded to eight teams, welcoming USC and Idaho into the conference.
1924: Montana Joins the PCC
Montana joined the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) in 1924.
1924: Pac-12's Unbroken Streak of Leading in Summer Olympics Athlete Count
Since 1924, a Pac-12 school has consistently led the nation in the number of athletes sent to each Summer Olympic Games, a streak that remained unbroken as of a 2017 study.
1928: UCLA Joins the PCC, Expanding it to Ten Members
With the addition of UCLA in 1928, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) grew to ten members.
1939: Oregon Wins First NCAA Tournament
In 1939, Oregon made history by winning the first-ever NCAA tournament.
1942: Stanford's Championship Win
Stanford emerged as the NCAA champion in 1942.
1944: Utah's Championship Victory
Utah claimed the NCAA championship title in 1944.
1947: PCC Champion Gains Automatic Rose Bowl Berth
Since 1947, the champion of the PCC has earned an automatic invitation to compete in the Rose Bowl.
1948: Colorado Joins Big 7 Conference
Colorado joined what would become the Big 12 Conference in 1948, then known as the Big 7 Conference.
1950: Montana Departs the PCC
Montana left the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) in 1950 to become part of the Mountain States Conference.
August 1958: Agreement to Form a New Conference
In August 1958, four schools agreed to form a new conference, setting the stage for the eventual creation of the Pac-12.
June 1959: Disbanding of the PCC and Formation of a New Conference
Following scandals related to "pay-for-play" at several universities, the PCC dissolved in June 1959. Earlier, in August 1958, these schools had decided to establish a new conference, which took effect in the following summer.
June 1959: Disbanding of the PCC
The Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) disbanded in June 1959, marking the end of an era.
July 1, 1959: Launch of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU)
The Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU) was officially launched on July 1, 1959.
1959: California's Championship Triumph
California achieved NCAA championship glory in 1959.
1959: Exclusion of Two PCC Members from the AAWU
Since its establishment as the AAWU in 1959, no school had left the Pac-12. However, two members of the PCC were not invited to join the AAWU or its subsequent iterations.
1959: AAWU Restart and Commissioners
The AAWU restarted in 1959, and has since had five commissioners.
1959: Formation of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU)
The modern Pac-12 Conference originated in 1959 with the establishment of the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU), following the dissolution of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC).
1960: The Big Five Era
From 1960 to 1962, the conference was commonly referred to as the Big Five.
1962: Colorado and Utah End Football Rivalry
Colorado and Utah ended their football rivalry in 1962.
1962: Colorado and Utah Suspend Rivalry
Colorado and Utah, prior to joining the conference in 2011, had a rivalry that was dormant since 1962.
1962: Washington State Joins and the Big Six Era Begins
Washington State's entry into the conference in 1962 led to the informal name change to the Big Six.
1963: Idaho Joins the Big Sky Conference
Idaho, which did not receive an invitation to join the AAWU, remained independent for four years until becoming a member of the Big Sky Conference in 1963.
1964: Oregon and Oregon State Join, Leading to the Pacific-8
The conference expanded with the addition of Oregon and Oregon State in 1964 and became known informally as the Pacific Athletic Conference, later shortened to the Pacific-8 to avoid confusion with the existing Big Eight conference.
1965: Idaho Gains Football Independence
Idaho's football program remained independent until 1965.
1968: Formal Renaming to Pacific-8 Conference
The AAWU officially changed its name to the Pacific-8 Conference, or Pac-8, in 1968.
1973: Pac-8 Allows Participation in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT)
The Pac-8 conference allowed its members to participate in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) starting in 1973.
January 19, 1974: Notre Dame Ends UCLA's Winning Streak
On January 19, 1974, Notre Dame ended UCLA's historic 88-game winning streak in a thrilling game where Notre Dame scored the last 12 points.
1975: Pac-8 Allows a Second Bowl Team
Starting in the 1975 season, the Pac-8 began permitting a second team from the conference to participate in bowl games.
December 1976: Invitations Extended to Arizona and Arizona State
Invitations to join the conference were extended to Arizona and Arizona State in December 1976.
May 1977: Expansion Announcement
The decision to expand the conference was formally revealed in May 1977.
1978: Arizona and Arizona State Join the Pac-10
In 1978, Arizona and Arizona State left the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to join the Pac-10.
1978: Last Expansion Before 2011
Prior to 2011, the last time the Pac-10 expanded was in 1978 with the inclusion of Arizona and Arizona State.
1978: Arizona and Arizona State Join, Forming the Pacific-10 Conference
With the inclusion of Arizona and Arizona State from the Western Athletic Conference in 1978, the conference officially became known as the Pacific-10 Conference, or Pac-10.
1983: Inclusion of Skiing as Co-ed Sport
Skiing became a co-ed sport in 1983. Before this, team skiing championships were awarded as men's or women's championships.
1986: Pac-10 Begins Sponsoring Women's Athletics
The Pac-10 conference expanded its scope in the fall of 1986 to include sponsorship of women's athletics.
1990: "Basebrawl" Erupts Between USC and Arizona State
The "Basebrawl" incident, a bench-clearing brawl during the USC-Arizona State baseball series, occurred in 1990, resulting in injuries, riot police intervention, and national attention.
1990: Inclusion of Fencing as Co-ed Sport
In 1990, fencing was included as a co-ed sport. Prior to this, team fencing championships were awarded as men's or women's championships.
1996: Idaho Rejoins FBS
Idaho rejoined FBS in 1996.
1996: Formation of the Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference was formed in 1996 when the Southwest Conference dissolved.
1997: Arizona's Recent National Title
Arizona secured the most recent national title for the Pac-12 in 1997.
1997: Discontinuation of Kit Carson Rifle Trophy
The Kit Carson Rifle trophy, part of the Arizona and New Mexico rivalry, was no longer used starting with the 1997 Insight Bowl.
1999: Formation of the Mountain West Conference
In 1999, Utah and seven other schools departed the WAC to establish the Mountain West Conference.
2004: USC Football Wins Vacated
As part of the sanctions, USC football had to vacate two wins from 2004, including one conference game and a bowl game.
2005: USC Football Wins Vacated
USC football had to vacate all 12 wins from the 2005 season due to NCAA sanctions.
2006: NCAA Approves 12-Game Football Schedules
The NCAA permanently approved 12-game schedules for college football starting in 2006.
February 28, 2008: Pac-12's Unique Geographic Travel System
On February 28, 2008, the Pac-12's unique geographic travel system for basketball was highlighted, with teams traveling in pairs for road games to reduce travel burdens.
July 2009: Larry Scott Becomes Commissioner
Larry Scott assumed the role of commissioner in July 2009.
February 9, 2010: Pac-10 Explores Expansion and New Television Deal
Commissioner Larry Scott announced on February 9, 2010, that the conference was open to expansion and was in the process of negotiating a new television contract.
June 10, 2010: Colorado Accepts Invitation to Join Pac-10
The University of Colorado Boulder accepted an invitation to become a member of the Pac-10 Conference on June 10, 2010.
June 15, 2010: Texas Remains in Big 12, Halting Pac-10 Expansion
On June 15, 2010, a deal was reached that kept Texas and other key schools in the Big 12 Conference, effectively ending the Pac-10's hopes of expanding to sixteen teams.
June 2010: Pac-10 Considers Adding Six Teams
Reports emerged in early June 2010 that the Pac-10 was exploring the possibility of adding six more universities to the conference.
June 2010: NCAA Sanctions Against USC
In June 2010, the NCAA imposed sanctions on USC for violations in their football, men's basketball, and women's tennis programs.
June 17, 2010: Utah Accepts Invitation to Join Pac-10
On June 17, 2010, the University of Utah accepted an invitation to join the Pac-10 Conference, marking the first time a "BCS Buster" school joined a BCS conference.
July 27, 2010: Pac-10 Announces Name Change to Pac-12
On July 27, 2010, the Pac-10 unveiled its new logo and announced it would be renamed the Pac-12 upon the inclusion of Utah and Colorado.
October 21, 2010: Pac-10 Announces Divisions and Championship Game
On October 21, 2010, the Pac-10 conference announced the creation of divisions and a championship game for football, to take effect when Colorado and Utah joined the conference.
2010: Pac-10 and Big East Implement Round-Robin Schedules
In 2010, the Pac-10 and the Big East were the only BCS conferences using a round-robin schedule.
July 1, 2011: Pac-12 Formally Expands with Colorado and Utah
On July 1, 2011, the Pac-12 officially became a 12-team conference with the addition of Colorado and Utah.
July 2011: Colorado and Utah Officially Join the Pac-12
Colorado and Utah officially joined the Pac-12 in July 2011.
July 2011: Utah Officially Joins the Pac-12
In July 2011, Utah officially became a member of the Pac-12 Conference, after leaving the Mountain West Conference.
2011: Colorado and Utah Join Conference
Colorado and Utah joined the conference in 2011, renewing their historic rivalry in the Rocky Mountain region.
2011: Colorado Joins a Year Earlier Than Announced
Colorado joined the Pac-10 in the 2011-2012 academic year, a year earlier than initially planned.
2011: Pac-12 Implements 10-Year Rotation Model
In 2011, the Pac-12 introduced a 10-year rotation model for scheduling, aiming to maintain the existing 18-game conference schedule while accommodating the expansion to 12 teams.
2011: Adoption of the Pac-12 Name
In 2011, the conference expanded to include Colorado and Utah, leading to the adoption of the Pac-12 name.
2011: First Expansion Since 1978
The additions of Colorado and Utah marked the first expansion of the Pac-10 conference since 1978.
2011: Colorado and Utah Revive Rivalry
The rivalry between Colorado and Utah was revived in the 2011 season when they were placed in the same division for football.
August 15, 2012: Pac-12 Network Launches
On August 15, 2012, the Pac-12 Network made its debut, becoming the first college sports conference to fully fund and own its network.
2012: Initially Planned Start Date for Colorado
Colorado's entry into the conference was originally slated for the 2012-2013 academic year.
2013: Original Target Year for Colorado's Entry
Initially, 2013 was the target year for Colorado to officially join the Pac-10.
August 2014: Pac-12 Relocates Headquarters to San Francisco
In August 2014, the Pac-12 moved its headquarters from Walnut Creek to San Francisco.
December 2, 2015: Pac-12 All-Century Team Unveiled
On December 2, 2015, an All-Century Team, voted on by coaches, players, and media, was revealed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the conference.
July 1, 2016: Individual Titles Update
Individual titles were last updated on July 1, 2016.
2017: OlympStats Study Highlights Pac-12's Olympic Success
A 2017 OlympStats study revealed the dominance of Pac-12 schools in the Olympic Games, with Stanford leading in athlete representation and medals won, followed by UCLA, USC, and California.
2017: Study Confirms Pac-12's Olympic Dominance
A 2017 study reaffirmed the Pac-12's long-standing tradition of leading the nation in the number of athletes participating in the Summer Olympics.
2017: Idaho Leaves FBS
Idaho's membership in FBS ended in 2017.
2017: Washington's Rowing Victory Marks 500th NCAA Championship for the Pac-12
In 2017, Washington's national title in women's rowing marked a significant milestone as the 500th NCAA championship won by a Pac-12 institution.
2019: NACDA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Impact of COVID-19
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019-2020 season of the NACDA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup couldn't be finished.
August 24, 2021: Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten Form "Historic Alliance"
On August 24, 2021, the Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten announced a strategic alliance to address the evolving landscape of college athletics.
2021: Institutional Reporting on Equity in Athletics
For the 2021-2022 academic year, institutions reported data on equity in athletics to the United States Department of Education, as reflected on the DOE Equity in Athletics website.
2021: Revenue Report from NCAA / Conference Distributions
The Knight Commission released a report in 2021 detailing the revenue generated from NCAA/Conference Distributions, Media Rights, and Post-Season Football during the 2021-22 academic year.
May 18, 2022: Pac-12 Eliminates Divisions for Football
On May 18, 2022, the Pac-12 announced the elimination of divisions in football, becoming the first FBS conference to do so following the NCAA's decision to no longer require divisions for championship games.
June 30, 2022: UCLA and USC Announce Departure to Big Ten Conference
UCLA and USC announced their move to the Big Ten Conference on June 30, 2022, significantly impacting the Pac-12's media rights negotiations.
2022: Most Played Rivalries Update
As of 2022, the rivalry between Oregon and Oregon state, with 126 meetings, and the Big Game between Stanford and California, with 125 meetings, are the most frequently played in the conference.
2022: Salary Information Release
Salary information based on the 2022-2023 academic year was made public.
June 2023: Pac-12 Transitions to Remote Work
The Pac-12 transitioned to remote work in June 2023 upon the expiration of their San Francisco lease.
June 30, 2023: San Diego State's Pac-12 Move Stalled by Media Rights
San Diego State's plan to join the Pac-12 was put on hold due to the conference's inability to secure a media rights deal by the June 30, 2023 deadline.
July 21, 2023: Kliavkoff Deflects Media Rights Questions at Pac-12 Media Days
Commissioner Kliavkoff evaded questions about the Pac-12's media rights deal during Pac-12 Media Days on July 21, 2023.
August 4, 2023: Oregon and Washington Join Big Ten; Arizona Schools and Utah Head to Big 12
Oregon and Washington announced their move to the Big Ten, while Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah revealed their intention to join the Big 12 Conference, all starting in 2024.
September 1, 2023: California and Stanford Join Atlantic Coast Conference
California and Stanford announced their departure to the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in 2024.
September 8, 2023: Oregon State and Washington State Sue Pac-12 for Control
Oregon State and Washington State filed a lawsuit against the Pac-12 to gain control of the conference and its assets, arguing that departing schools forfeited their governing rights.
September 2023: Pac-12 Expected to Operate with Two Members
Reports in September 2023 indicated that the Pac-12 would likely function as a two-member conference in 2024, with a two-year grace period to fulfill NCAA bylaws.
December 5, 2023: Oregon State and Washington State Form Football Alliance with Mountain West
On December 5, 2023, Oregon State and Washington State announced a football alliance with the Mountain West Conference for the 2024 season.
2023: Selection Order for Bowl Games Updated
The selection order for bowl games with Pac-12 tie-ins was updated for the 2023 college football season.
2023: List Update
The provided list was updated through the 2023 season.
2023: Salary Information Release
Salary information based on the 2022-2023 academic year was made public.
2023: Pac-12 Ties for Most Division I Titles
As of 2023, Pac-12 schools tied with the Atlantic Coast Conference for the most Division I national titles won by any conference, with 15 titles each.
May 23, 2024: Team Titles Update
As of May 23, 2024, an update on team titles was provided.
August 2, 2024: Departure of Ten Members and Continuation as a Two-Team Conference
On August 2, 2024, ten members will leave the Pac-12, resulting in the conference operating with only two teams for at least the 2024-25 academic year.
2024: Pac-12 Maintains Strong AAU Membership
As of 2024, ten Pac-12 member schools are part of the Association of American Universities, the second-highest representation among FBS conferences.
2024: Colorado Returns to the Big 12
Colorado announced its return to the Big 12 Conference in July 2023, effective from the 2024-25 school year.
2024: National University Rank
In 2024, U.S. News & World Report released their rankings for national universities.
2024: Oregon State and Washington State to Compete in Mountain West Football
Oregon State and Washington State will compete in football as part of the Mountain West Conference starting in the fall of 2024.
2024: Multiple Schools Set to Depart Pac-12
Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, California, and Stanford are scheduled to leave the Pac-12 in 2024.
2024: Pac-12 to Function with Two Members
The Pac-12 is expected to operate with only two members in 2024.
2024: Pac-12 to Retain Name and Branding
The Pac-12 will continue using its name and branding for at least the 2024-25 academic year, even after the departure of ten member schools.
2024: UCLA and USC to Officially Join Big Ten
UCLA and USC will officially become part of the Big Ten Conference in the 2024-25 academic year.
2026: Oregon State and Washington State's Partnership with Mountain West and WCC
Oregon State and Washington State's partnerships with the Mountain West (football) and West Coast Conference (other sports) are expected to run from 2024 to 2026.
2026: Pac-12's Grace Period for NCAA Compliance
The Pac-12 has until 2026 to meet NCAA requirements and maintain its conference status.