San Diego State plans to notify the Mountain West it is not leaving the conference by Friday night’s deadline, according to multiple reports.
The school is required to give the Mountain West one year’s notice in order to withdraw. Not serving notice means the Aztecs will be part of the conference for the 2024-25 school year.
San Diego State would have needed to pay a $16.5 million exit fee to leave now. The fee rises to $34 million following the deadline.
San Diego State has been hopeful of receiving an invitation to the Pac-12 but that conference hasn’t completed negotiations of a media rights deal that it intends to have done before making any offers.
San Diego State has also been mentioned as a possible target of the Big 12.
Earlier this month, the Mountain West informed San Diego State that it would not approve exceptions the university requested.
The school had requested a “one-month extension given unforeseen delays involving other collegiate athletic conferences beyond our control,” ESPN reported. San Diego State also requested a reduced exit fee or a payment plan.
With Southern California and UCLA leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, San Diego State is viewed as a program that can keep the conference’s presence in Southern California.
San Diego State’s national profile reached a new peak in April when the Aztecs advanced to the NCAA men’s basketball championship game, losing to UConn.
–Field Level Media