DENVER (AP) — Colorado State and Utah State have filed a lawsuit saying the Mountain West is engaging in “extraordinary and unauthorized actions” to penalize the five schools leaving the conference for the Pac-12.
Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Utah State announced in September they planned to join the Pac-12 in 2026. The lawsuit filed Monday in Colorado state court by Colorado State and Utah State says the Mountain West and commissioner Gloria Nevarez have disregarded the league’s bylaws to punish those five schools “in a desperate attempt to prevent further membership departures.”
The complaint says the Mountain West is threatening to withhold tens of millions of dollars due to the departing league members, including refusing to reimburse them for travel and other expenses in connection with postseason football games.
“This flouting of the Bylaws and Colorado law is not new,” the complaint says. “It is part of the Mountain West’s ongoing efforts to restrict its members’ ability to freely explore the best options in the marketplace for their student-athletes and penalize certain members for announcing their intent to withdraw from the Conference.”