The Mountain West Conference Is Finding Its Place in a Shifting FBS Landscape
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The Mountain West may lack the financial clout and national influence of the Big Ten and SEC, but its early results show that competitive football—and a promising future—remain strong throughout the conference.
By Roger Holien | Mountain West Connection
The Mountain West entered the 2026 season markedly different from a year earlier after the departure of the Pac-12 teams, a big chunk of the conference it was.
The Mountain West began the 2026 season with a lot to prove after losing Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State to the Pac-12.
The conference is still defining its new identity, but early signs are encouraging. New Mexico and North Dakota State appear to be early contenders, San José State has shown potential, and other teams are starting to settle in.
Although it is still early in the season, the new-look Mountain West is proving it can remain competitive, bounce back, and carve out its place in the evolving world of college football.
That is a lot of change in a short period of time
Yet the opening weeks of the season have shown that the Mountain West still deserves a place in the national college football conversation. The teams may have changed, and the conference may span more territory, but competitive football remains at its core.
A Conference Building a New Identity
For years, the Mountain West benefited from Boise State’s national reputation and the consistent success of programs at Fresno State and San Diego State.
Those programs are gone, leaving the conference searching for new contenders, rivalries, and national recognition.
A few teams have already begun to step forward
New Mexico appears poised to become one of the conference’s leading programs. After winning nine games and reaching a bowl game in Jason Eck’s first season, the Lobos opened 2026 with two dominant victories, outscoring Central Michigan and Mercyhurst 108–14.
It is still early, but New Mexico has looked capable of competing for the Mountain West championship.
North Dakota State has also had an immediate impact.
The Bison opened 3–0 and secured their first Mountain West victory with an impressive 38–32 win over Air Force in Colorado Springs. That is a difficult place to win, especially for a program playing its first FBS conference game.
The Bison may be new to the Mountain West, but its championship culture is not. The Bison brought one of college football’s strongest winning traditions, and that confidence is already evident at the FBS level.
Despite its uneven start, UNLV remains an important part of the conference’s future. San José State has also shown early promise, while Hawai‘i, Wyoming, UTEP, Nevada, and Air Force are still striving to achieve greater consistency.
Northern Illinois has had the most difficult start, but that should not define the Huskies’ entire season. Several teams are still trying to figure out what they can become.
That is understandable for a conference undergoing this much change. The Mountain West is rebuilding, but it is not starting from scratch, so you can expect some ups and downs as it becomes a conference with these new teams.
An Early Mountain West Report Card
These grades should be treated as progress reports, not final marks. Plenty of football remains, and conference competition can change everything quickly.
North Dakota State: A+
The Bison could hardly have asked for a better start. A 3–0 record and a road win at Air Force immediately established North Dakota State as a legitimate championship contender.
New Mexico: A
The Lobos have been among the conference’s most dominant teams, winning their first two games by a combined 94 points. Their fast start suggests last season’s nine-win breakthrough was no fluke.
San José State: B+
Two wins in its first three games give San José State a solid foundation and a chance to become a factor in the conference race.
UTEP and Wyoming: C+
Both programs have shown encouraging signs despite early losses. Neither has established itself as a contender, but both have the potential to improve.
Air Force, Nevada, and Hawai‘i: C
All three have had uneven starts. Each can be a difficult conference opponent, but greater consistency is needed.
UNLV: C-
The Rebels’ 1–0 conference record is encouraging, yet their 1–2 overall start falls short of preseason expectations. UNLV still has the talent and resources to recover, but its margin for error is narrowing.
Northern Illinois: F
An 0–2 start, including a home loss to FCS opponent Illinois State, has made the Mountain West debut difficult. The Huskies still have time to turn things around, but their early performance is concerning.
Overall, Mountain West Grade: B-
The conference’s leading teams have given fans reason to be optimistic, but the Mountain West needs more depth and higher-quality nonconference wins to strengthen its national reputation.
Competing in the Larger FBS Landscape
The Mountain West cannot match the Big Ten or the SEC financially.
The widening revenue gap gives college football’s wealthiest conferences significant advantages in media income, coaching salaries, facilities, recruiting, revenue sharing, and name, image, and likeness opportunities.
The Mountain West will not win that financial battle.
But it can still win football games.
That remains the conference’s greatest opportunity.
The Mountain West can compete with and dominate mid-majors such as American, Sun Belt, MAC, and Conference USA for recognition beyond the Power Four. It can also challenge the revitalized Pac-12 for football dominance in the West.
That requires success beyond conference play. Defeating FCS opponents is expected. Beating teams from other Group of Five conferences builds credibility.
Beating teams in the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, or SEC can shift national perception of an entire league. Every one of those games matters because the Mountain West is competing for more than wins.
It is also competing for television exposure, bowl invitations, recruits, financial opportunities, and access to the College Football Playoff.
This conference will not be handed national respect. It must be earned every Saturday.
A Larger Footprint Brings New Opportunities
The Mountain West now spans from Hawai‘i to Northern Illinois. That creates additional travel challenges, but it also expands the conference’s reach and opens new recruiting areas.
North Dakota State brings a championship tradition, and Northern Illinois brings a proud MAC history. UTEP gives New Mexico a natural regional rival, and Hawai‘i’s full membership strengthens the conference beyond football.
The new members may not fully replace what the Mountain West lost, but they provide a solid foundation for its next chapter.
New Mexico has an opportunity to become one of the conference’s new dominant faces. North Dakota State has already demonstrated it is ready to compete immediately. UNLV has the resources and expectations to remain in the championship picture.
Air Force, Wyoming, San José State, and Hawai‘i also have proud traditions. If those programs become more consistent, the Mountain West can build the depth needed to remain nationally relevant.
The October 24 matchup between North Dakota State and New Mexico in Albuquerque already looks like one of the season’s most important conference games.
It could serve as a measuring stick for two programs vying to lead the new Mountain West. Games like this will help create a new generation of rivalries and contenders.
A New Conference with the Same Opportunity
The Mountain West is not the Big Ten or the SEC. It does not have their money, television influence, or collection of national championship contenders.
That does not mean the conference no longer matters.
College football has always made room for programs that develop players, build strong cultures, exceed expectations, and refuse to be defined by financial constraints. These are areas where good coaches, committed athletes, and unified programs can still make a difference.
The Mountain West’s future will not be decided solely by the teams it lost. It will be shaped by what its remaining members and newcomers build together.
There will be challenges and growing pains. Some weeks will expose the financial gap between the Mountain West and college football’s richest conferences. Other weeks will remind everyone that games are decided on the field—not by television contracts or athletic department budgets.
The Mountain West may look different in 2026, but its opportunity remains the same. If New Mexico, North Dakota State, UNLV, and the rest of the conference continue to develop players, build winning cultures, and earn respect on the field, the league can forge a strong new identity. The names have changed, but the fight has not—and the Mountain West’s best days may still be just ahead.
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