Oregon State and Washington State have chosen to rebuild the Pac-12 conference rather than merge with the Mountain West during the latest wave of conference realignment. This rebuild includes adding five MW full-time members and Gonzaga from the West Coast Conference. While this may have been a smart move financially, the performance of the Beavers and Cougars in lower-level leagues has been mediocre so far.
In football, Oregon State and Washington State had a combined losing record against MW teams, including defeats to teams that finished below-.500 in league play. Men’s and women’s basketball saw the teams finish in the middle of the pack in the WCC, with both having a 20-20 record in conference games. Women’s basketball saw slightly better results, with Washington State finishing third and Oregon State fourth in the WCC.
Volleyball results weren’t great either, with Washington State placing fourth and Oregon State sixth in the WCC. Baseball season isn’t over yet, but Washington State ranks sixth in the MW standings. Overall, the Beavers and Cougars did not win any regular-season titles or even have a runner-up finish in the seven sports competed in within the WCC.
While it is too early to draw definitive conclusions from a one-year sample size, there is little evidence that Oregon State and Washington State are too good for the MW or even the WCC. The decision to rebuild the Pac-12 may pay off financially, but it remains to be seen if the new conference will be competitive in terms of winning regular conference championships.
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