The Bobcats give the Pac-12 an eighth football-playing member, finalizing a move Texas State described as a "transformative milestone."

The program, which began play in 1904 but only elevated to college football's top division in 2012, has posted back-to-back 8–5 seasons and bowl wins under coach G.J. Kinne. The school's San Marcos campus is less than an hour from two sizable markets—Austin and San Antonio—and it boasts an impressive enrollment of over 40,000 students.

The Pac-12 and Texas State announced Monday that the Bobcats will join Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, Utah State and Washington State as the nine foundational members of the new Pac-12, with the league’s official launch set for July 1, 2026.