Utah State and San Jose State will announce they are joining the Mountain West Conference for the 2013-14 season on Friday, multiple sources told ESPN.com on Wednesday.
The two schools will replace San Diego State and Boise State. SDSU and Boise State are leaving for the Big East in football while the Aztecs will join the Big West in all other sports. Boise State is set to join the WAC in all other sports, but multiple sources said the Broncos are trying to get in the Big West, as well, now that the WAC is falling apart.
The Mountain West would have 10 football playing members for 2013-14, nine in basketball with the following membership: UNLV, New Mexico, Nevada, Fresno State, Wyoming, Colorado State, Air Force, Utah State, and San Jose State. Hawaii is a football-only member.
Sources told ESPN.com the Mountain West wanted to preserve its Football Bowl Subdivision membership at 10 in football, and stay at nine in men's and women's basketball for scheduling purposes.
The sources said the proposed Mountain West-Conference USA merger is dead, but there could be some sort of scheduling agreement. There's also the possibility of UTEP switching to the Mountain West. The sources said the Mountain West is going to hold firm with the 2013-14 membership.
The departures of San Jose State and Utah State leave the WAC decimated. Texas State, a prospective WAC member, is now joining the Sun Belt. Multiple sources expect Louisiana Tech and UT-San Antonio to head to Conference USA. Texas-Arlington may be off to the Sun Belt, as well, according to sources.
The WAC would be left with Idaho and New Mexico State in all sports, and Denver and Seattle in everything but football. Sources said the Mountain West has no interest in adding NMSU or Idaho.