The Pac-12's attempt to lure schools in the Mountain West is pointless

In the annals of absurdity, financial mismanagement and self-centered decision-making that have long been the hallmarks of conference realignment, Thursday's announcement of a Pac-12 realignment sets a new standard for futility in college sports.

Oregon State and Washington State, which dropped out a year ago when the rest of their league scattered to the winds, have convinced Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State to leave the Mountain West and join them under the Pac-12 banner in 2026. There are sure to be more additions—you'd think UNLV, Air Force and maybe New Mexico would be a start, depending on how big they want to get—but the end result is so inconsequential that you have to wonder if it's even worth the effort.

By leaving the Mountain West, the Disloyal Four have simply joined a new league with an old name that will look almost exactly like the Mountain West.

And the costs for this step?

More than $100 million in exit fees and penalties are tied to the agreement Oregon State and Washington State signed with the Mountain West last year, an agreement that was explicitly designed to prevent exactly this scenario in which the remaining Pac-12 schools destroy the conference that provided them with a temporary home for football.