Contradictory reports emerges on Pac-12 adding Gonzaga: 'No deal in place'

There are conflicting reports on the news from this afternoon that the Pac-12 is partially adding the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

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Per Brett McMurphy, Gonzaga was departing the West Coast Conference in order to join the Pac-12.

“Gonzaga leaving West Coast Conference to join Pac-12, source told @ActionNetworkHQ,” McMurphy tweeted on Monday afternoon. “Pac-12 still needs minimum of two football members by 2026, but Gonzaga, even w/out a football team, will receive a full conference revenue share in Pac-12, source said.”

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However, Jon Rothstein has since tweeted his own update that there’s nothing agreed upon yet.

“Sources: Contrary to reports, Gonzaga currently has no deal in place to leave the WCC for the Pac-12,” Rothstein wrote.

On3’s Pete Nakos has since confirmed as much as well with sources.

This addition would be an interesting one for the Pac-12 if it were to take place. That’s so considering how it works within what they currently need as a conference.

To meet the minimum requirements for a conference in the NCAA, the Pac-12 needs eight programs with football programs. They reached six earlier this month by adding Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Colorado State to the remaining members post-realignment in Oregon State and Washington State.

However, Gonzaga has not fielded a football team since 1941. That would leave the Pac-12 with seven total members if the reported addition of the ‘Zags takes place. Still, they’d remain two shy of the necessary threshold.

This all comes hours after three potential options decided against joining the Pac-12 earlier today. Memphis, Tulane, and South Florida had offers to come into the conference, which would have pushed the total to 10, including nine in football, when including the Bulldogs, but instead wanted to remain as members of the AAC.

With this, though, the Pac-12 could be adding one of the best programs in recent history in college basketball with Gonzaga. The Bulldogs have appeared in the NCAA Tournament in every season that it has been held during the 2000s. That’s a quarter century of success under Mark Few where they’ve gone 716-143 (.834) overall.

The Bulldogs have won 41 of a possible 50 total conference titles in that time in the West Coast Conference. They’ve also been a No. 1 seed in five of the last 11 years in March Madness. They’ve made regular appearances in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight during his tenure with two Final Fours that led to appearances in the national title game in 2017 and 2021.

Gonzaga has been a part of the WCC since 1989-1990.

Gonzaga is not yet official by any means when it comes to making a move. Still, there looks to be interest there from at least one side or the other as far as them being a potential target in the Pac-12’s own additions for realignment.