Breaking: West Coast College Football Poised for a Resurgence
August 11, 2025 — In a dramatic twist for West Coast college football, seismic shifts in conference alignment, coaching strategies, and player movement are setting the stage for a high-stakes season.
Pac-12 Reinvents Itself with Bold Relaunch
Once facing collapse, the Pac-12 is now emerging from limbo with firm footing. With Texas State onboard as its eighth football-playing member and a renewed media partnership secured with CBS, commissioner Teresa Gould has dubbed it “a startup” reborn from a century-old conference’s legacy . Schools like Washington State and Oregon State remain holdouts—operating as quasi-football independents in a transitional 2025 season while the new structure takes shape .
Mountain West Fragmented by Legal Fallout
Boise State, Colorado State, and Utah State have filed a federal lawsuit against the Mountain West Conference, alleging the withholding of tens of millions of dollars and abuse of membership rights tied to sudden changes and Grand Canyon University’s early inclusion . This comes as those programs prepare to join the revamped Pac-12 in 2026 along with Fresno State and San Diego State —a move that reshapes the entire West Coast hierarchy.
Key Program Updates on the Coast
Colorado State enters 2025 under head coach Jay Norvell with momentum from a solid 2024. Expectations are cautiously optimistic for a bowl appearance, possibly ending a 12-year drought .
Nevada eyes improvement under second-year coach Jeff Choate. With QB Chubba Purdy at the helm and new offensive weapons, the Wolf Pack hopes to transform narrow losses from 2024 into wins .
At UCLA, hype surrounds transfer QB Nico Iamaleava—the No. 2 overall transfer—who returns to the West Coast and carries heavy expectations, as the Bruins’ defense remains largely overhauled
What it all means: West Coast college football is entering a period of reinvention. Long-standing conferences are being redefined, legal battles are underway, and programs are recalibrating. With the Pac-12’s version 2.0 taking shape and teams like CSU, Nevada, and UCLA firing on new cylinders, passionate fans can expect one of the
most compelling seasons yet.