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· collected 2026-08-27 · by John Marshall The Associated Press
The Pac-12 conference has created a unique "flex" schedule for its final week of regular season games, aiming to improve its chances of getting teams into the College Football Playoff. The schedule allows the conference to manipulate matchups for bowl access and CFP consideration. According to Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould, this move was a deliberate attempt to strengthen the conference's postseason prospects. Four teams - Colorado State, Utah State, Fresno State, and Washington State - will host these non-conference games, which won't count in league standings.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Pacific Conference (Pac-12) is trying to increase its chances of getting one of its teams into the College Football Playoff (CFP). The conference, which lost several teams and was forced to reinvent itself, has implemented an unusual "flex" schedule for the final week of the regular season. This allows them to manipulate the schedule in a way that benefits their teams, whether it's for bowl access or CFP access. The Pac-12 Commissioner, Teresa Gould, thinks this is a genius idea and hopes it will pay off by giving the conference a better chance of getting into the CFP. The new schedule will also create at least one high-profile rematch from earlier in the season as a prelude to the actual championship game on December 4.
Written for “Pac-12 Conference Reboot” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but none of the 1 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 2891: no verified evidence · logged 2026-08-27
The reincarnated Pac-12 will try to flex its way into the College Football Playoff.
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Pac-12 → reincarnate → Playoff
No longer an automatic-bid Power Five conference, the Pac-12 will use an unusual “flex” schedule during the final week of the regular season to enhance its postseason chances.
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Pac-12 → use → chances
It is by far one of the most ambitious moves in the chase to make the highly lucrative CFP.
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It → make → CFP
“We can kind of manipulate the schedule in a way that it’s the most advantageous to our teams, whether it’s for bowl access, CFP access,” Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said.
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Gould → manipulate → access
“It was a genius idea and I’m thrilled that our ADs, our coaches and others were on board with moving forward with this
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ADs → ’m → this
The Pac-12 was forced to reinvent itself after a mass exodus put the century-old conference’s future in doubt, leaving Oregon State and Washington State as the only teams standing.
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exodus → force → teams
The conference rebuilt itself by adding six new teams for football — Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Utah State, Texas State and Fresno State — with Gonzaga joining in basketball.
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Gonzaga → rebuild → basketball
The Pac-12 also worked out new media rights deals so all of its games would be shown on linear TV.
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all → work → TV
Finding a path to the CFP turned into a big hurdle for the re-formed conference.
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Finding → find → conference
The previous iteration of the Pac-12 was as a Power Five conference, providing a clearer path to the CFP.
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iteration → provide → CFP
The new-look league is now part of the Group of Six, which has one guaranteed CFP spot going to the highest-ranked team from the six conferences.
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which → have → conferences
The rest of the 12-team playoff is filled out by the teams with the best resumes.
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rest → fill → resumes
The Pac-12 faced operational scheduling challenges with an eight-team league, its schools potentially needing to find five nonconference games — not an easy task in the current Football Bowl Subdivision climate.
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schools → face → climate
The Pac-12 found a solution that would not only alleviate the need to find one extra conference game, but strengthen its CFP hopes.
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that → find → hopes
With its flex schedule, the conference will be able to create at least one high-profile rematch from earlier in the season as a prelude to the actual Pac-12 championship game Dec. 4 at the home stadium of the highest-seeded team.
“We’re eager to see what happens and we’ll see at the end of the season if it paid dividends, if it works it gives us as a conference a better chance of having one of our teams in the CFP playoff,” Oregon State athletic director Kevin Griffin said.
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Griffin → create → playoff
“And that’s what the goal is: is to make sure we’re giving ourselves all the opportunities available to get in there.”
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giving → ’ → opportunities
Because the conference wants every team to have four home league games, Colorado State, Utah State, Fresno State and Washington State will host the flex games.
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State → want → games
The games won’t count in conference standings and matchups will be determined six days in advance.
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matchups → count → advance
“It’s better for our TV partners in terms of the quality of the matchups, the quality of the games,” Gould said.
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Gould → ’ → games
“It’s better competitively in terms of strength of schedule and CFP positioning and the way that the flex is going to work.
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flex → ’ → that
We can kind of manipulate the schedule in a way that it’s the most advantageous to our teams.”
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it → manipulate → teams
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AP Sports Writer Annie Peterson contributed to this report.
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Peterson → contribute → report
