How Does Colorado State Fit in the New-Look Pac-12?

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Colorado State joins the Pac-12 with the opportunity to establish itself in a new era of the conference. The Rams have the athletic facilities, fan support, location, and athletic success that make them an intriguing addition to the Pac-12.

Colorado State has built a strong athletic department over the years and has established itself as one of the better overall programs in the Mountain West. The Rams enter the Pac-12 looking to take the next step in growing the program. Let’s take a closer look at how Colorado State fits in the Pac-12.

Coaches’ Salaries

Colorado State joins the Pac-12 with the highest-paid football head coach in the conference. Head football coach Jim Mora is set to make $2.4 million in 2026, putting him ahead of Boise State’s Spencer Danielson, who is scheduled to make $2.1 million.

The hiring of Mora shows the level of investment Colorado State is willing to make in its football program. Mora brings significant experience to Fort Collins after spending time as the head coach at UCLA, UConn and in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks.

Colorado State is making a major investment in football as it enters the Pac-12. After a disappointing 2025 season, the Rams will be hoping Mora can turn the program around and make Colorado State competitive in the Pac-12.

Colorado State men’s basketball coach Ali Farokhmanesh is set to be tied for the fifth-highest-paid coach in the Pac-12, as he is scheduled to make $850,000 in 2026.

Stadium Capacity

Canvas Stadium has a seating capacity of 41,000, giving Colorado State the biggest stadium in the Pac-12. The stadium opened in 2017 and is located directly on Colorado State’s campus.

Canvas Stadium is the second-newest stadium in the Pac-12, just five years older than Snapdragon Stadium, which was built in 2022.

Over the last two seasons, Colorado State has had two of its three best-attended seasons in program history. In 2025, CSU averaged 31,901 fans per game, coming just under the 2024 average of 33,082.

Social Media Presence

Social media follower counts can give us a brief glimpse into a school’s popularity and national brand power.

Using the combined follower totals from each program’s X and Instagram accounts, here’s how Colorado State compares to Washington State:

Colorado State Athletics: 100,000 combined followers.
WSU Athletics: 134,800 combined followers.

Colorado State football: 162,100 combined followers.
WSU football: 242,300 combined followers.

Colorado State men’s basketball: 54,200 combined followers.
WSU men’s basketball: 56,200 combined followers.

Colorado State women’s basketball: 18,700 combined followers.
WSU women’s basketball: 22,000 combined followers.

Colorado State trails Washington State in overall social media following, but the gap is much smaller in men’s and women’s basketball. The Rams’ football following also gives the program a solid foundation to build on as it enters a more nationally visible conference.

Athletic Department Success

Football: Colorado State’s football program has had some successful seasons in recent years, including an 8-5 season in 2024. 

Men’s basketball: The men’s basketball program has been one of Colorado State’s biggest strengths. The Rams went 26-10 in 2024-25, won the Mountain West Tournament, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Colorado State followed that season by winning another Mountain West Tournament championship in 2026 and returning to the NCAA Tournament.

Colorado State’s basketball success gives the Pac-12 another program capable of competing at a high level nationally. The recent investment in football also shows the athletic department is serious about competing at the top of the Pac-12.

Location

Fort Collins, Colorado, is located approximately an hour north of Denver and is one of the largest cities in Northern Colorado.

The Fort Collins metro area has a population of more than 350,000. With its relatively close proximity to Denver, joining the Pac-12 gives CSU an opportunity to continue expanding its brand throughout Colorado.

Colorado State gives the Pac-12 a presence in Northern Colorado while also putting the conference in the broader Colorado market.

Why Colorado State Was Added to the Pac-12

Colorado State’s location, facilities, and investment in athletics made the Rams one of the most intriguing schools for the Pac-12 to target as part of its rebuild.

The Rams bring a modern stadium, a growing market, a successful basketball program, and an established athletic brand to Colorado.

Colorado State also has significant room to grow.

The move to the Pac-12 gives the Rams access to more national exposure, increased revenue opportunities, and higher-level competition. At the same time, the conference gains a school that has the facilities and resources to compete at the highest level of the new conference.

With Jim Mora leading the football program, a successful basketball program and a modern stadium in a growing market, Colorado State has the foundation to become one of the Pac-12’s most important programs in the years ahead.

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