San Diego State TE Claims Team Was Told A Year Ago Aztecs Would Join The PAC-12

San Diego State players were told a long time ago the team would join the PAC-12, according to tight end Mark Redman.

The Aztecs appeared ready to join the PAC-12, but an invite never came. That led to a dust-up with the Mountain West as the conference debated what to do with SDSU after it appeared the program was ready to cut and run.

Ultimately, San Diego State will remain in the MWC and pay the legal fees from the ensuing battle that centered around a letter that the conference claimed was notice of an exit. The situation will likely now be static for at least two years.

San Diego State fails to join the PAC-12.

Well, players on the team were apparently under the impression the Aztecs were a lock to join the PAC-12.

The senior TE told the media during the conference's media days that the team was told a year ago it should expect a PAC-12 announcement. He even expected it to happen a couple months ago.

Again, it never happened and the fallout led to a very embarrassing situation for San Diego. The photo of Redman during the admission is legit hilarious.

The man looks absolutely crushed. So close. Yet, so far away.

SDSU is not in a situation any program should envy.

San Diego State truly looked like a lock to join the PAC-12. It seemed like a done deal. The conference needed to plug some holes after USC and UCLA decided to leave for the Big Ten starting in 2024.

The Aztecs were the clear choice. SDSU has solid facilities, a solid G5 football program and a basketball program that just went to the national title game.

All the pieces were there, and it appeared the PAC-12 was certainly teasing San Diego State like it was a guarantee.

Instead, the PAC-12 hit the Aztecs with the peace sign, never sent an invite and SDSU had to deal with the fallout of groveling to comeback to the MWC. Imagine being on the roster for a year expecting to join the PAC-12 and then it just doesn't happen. Not only does it not happen, but everything falls apart in the most embarrassing fashion possible. Just brutal.

San Diego State will remain in the MWC. The Aztecs had been hoping for a PAC-12 invite. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Better luck next time, San Diego State. Have fun remaining in the G5 for the time being.