USF to remain in AAC after Pac-12 offer

USF football preparing to come onto the field before last Saturday’s matchup against Miami. ORACLE PHOTO / LILY FOX

After several weeks of speculation on realignment, USF will remain in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) for the foreseeable future.

The AAC reaffirmed the three schools’ commitments to the conference with a press release on Monday – featuring the logos of USF, Memphis, UTSA and Tulane.

USF, along with conference foes Memphis, Tulane and UTSA, received an offer to join the Pacific 12 conference on Monday, according to Stewart Mandel of The Athletic.

The four programs received terms that include projected annual revenue of $10-$15 million, $25 million to partially cover a conference exit fee, and a five-year grant of rights, according to Yahoo Sports.

The conference only presented an offer to join the Pac-12 in football and basketball, according to Mandel.

“Together, we are committed to continuing to build the American brand, exploring new opportunities for exposure and value, and developing innovative economic resources,” the press release read.

USF has been in the AAC since 2013, when the Big East Conference was reorganized. The university makes roughly $7 million per year from a 12-year media rights contract the AAC signed with ESPN in 2019.

“While we acknowledge receiving interest in our institutions from other conferences, we firmly believe that it is in our individual and collective best interest to uphold our commitment to each another,” the press release read.

The Pac-12 has undergone a near-complete restructuring in recent years, with several schools departing for other conferences. The only two active programs in the conference are Washington State and Oregon State.

In 2022, USC and UCLA announced they would be joining the Big Ten Conference for the start of the 2024-25 season. They were followed by Washington and Oregon in 2023.

Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State announced they would be joining earlier this month in 2026, but the Pac-12 still needs to add two more schools by July 1, 2026 in order to be recognized as a conference.

Noah Vinsky, Sports Editor

Noah Vinsky is the sports editor for The Oracle. He’s a mass communications and psychology dual-major and started writing for The Oracle in the fall of 2022. His focus is on football, men’s basketball and the on-campus stadium development. Reach him at noahjosephvinsky@usf.edu

Profile