 | |
| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 26, 1998; 27 years ago (1998-05-26) |
| Commissioner | Gloria Nevarez (since January 1, 2023) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | FBS |
| No. of teams | 12 (10 in 2026) |
| Headquarters | Colorado Springs, Colorado (Current) Las Vegas, Nevada (to relocate in 2026) |
| Region | Western United States |
| Broadcasters | CBS Sports TNT Sports |
| Streaming partners | Paramount+ Fox One |
| Official website | themw |
| Locations | |
 | |
TheMountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiateathletic conference in theWestern United States, participating inNCAA Division I. Itsfootball teams compete in theFootball Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on January 4, 1999. Geographically, the MW covers a broad expanse of theWestern United States, with member schools located inArizona,California,Colorado,Idaho,Nevada,New Mexico,Utah,Wyoming andHawaii.Gloria Nevarez took over as commissioner of the MW on January 1, 2023, following the retirement of founding commissionerCraig Thompson.[1][2]
The charter members of the MW included theUnited States Air Force Academy,Brigham Young University,Colorado State University,San Diego State University, theUniversity of New Mexico, theUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas,University of Utah and theUniversity of Wyoming. Before forming the Mountain West Conference, all eight charter members had been members of theWestern Athletic Conference (WAC) and half of these had been charter members of that conference from 1962.
– Full member
— Departing member
— Future member
– Associate member (women's soccer)
– Associate member (baseball & women's swimming)
– Associate member (baseball & men's soccer)
– Football-only and future full member
– Future associate member (football & women's gymnastics)
The creation of the MW was a delayed aftereffect of the1996 NCAA conference realignment, which had initially been triggered two years earlier when theBig Eight Conference agreed to merge with four members of theSouthwest Conference (SWC) to create theBig 12 Conference, which would begin competition in the 1996–97 school year.
The Western Athletic Conference, which had initially announced plans to expand beyond its then-current 10 members to at least 12, ended up with even more potential expansion prospects. Ultimately, the WAC took in three of the four SWC schools left out of the Big 12 merger,Rice University,Southern Methodist University (SMU), andTexas Christian University (TCU). Three other schools were added to bring the total membership to 16, namelyBig West Conference membersSan José State University and UNLV, plus theUniversity of Tulsa, anNCAA football independent and otherwise a member of theMissouri Valley Conference. The WAC's 16 teams were divided into four four-team "quadrants", two of which rotated between the Mountain and Pacific Divisions every two years. However, the newly expanded WAC was soon wracked by tension between the established and new members.[3]
In spring of 1998, BYU and Utah proposed a permanent split into two eight-team divisions. The proposal would have forced some schools into an unnatural alignment because of the geographic distribution of the conference.[3] Air Force was the most strident opponent of this proposal, threatening to become an independent.[3] Soon after the proposal by BYU and Utah, the presidents of Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming met atDenver International Airport to discuss their future, and they agreed to break away from the WAC to form a new conference.[3] They invited the WAC members New Mexico, San Diego State, and UNLV to join them in what became the Mountain West Conference.
The next move for the MW came in2005, when the conference added TCU, who had spent the previous four seasons inConference USA (C-USA).
On June 11, 2010,Boise State University agreed to join the conference as its tenth member. On June 17, 2010, Utah announced it would be leaving the Mountain West to join what would become thePac-12 Conference. On August 18, 2010, amidst rumors that BYU was considering leaving the Mountain West to go independent in football and rejoin the Western Athletic Conference in all other sports, the Mountain West Conference officially extended invitations toCalifornia State University, Fresno (Fresno State) and theUniversity of Nevada, Reno (Nevada). Both schools accepted and would become the tenth and eleventh members of the league.[4][5] BYU announced on August 31, 2010, that it would leave the Mountain West Conference and go Independent in football and become a member of theWest Coast Conference (WCC) in other sports starting in 2011.[6] On November 29, 2010, TCU announced all athletic teams would move to theBig East Conference effective in 2012.[7] (Less than a year later, on October 10, 2011, TCU announced it would not join the Big East but would join the Big 12, home to fellow former SWC membersBaylor,Texas,Texas Tech, and formerlyTexas A&M, in 2012 instead.)[8] On December 10, 2010, theUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa accepted a bid to become the 10th member of the conference for football only.[9] These changes would leave the Mountain West Conference with 10 teams for the 2012 football season.
During the era of football'sBowl Championship Series (BCS), which was replaced by theCollege Football Playoff (CFP) in 2014, the MW champion qualified for a BCS bowl four times after the BCS formula was tweaked to allow teams from non-BCS conferences to play in BCS bowls if ranked in the top 12. However, two of the three schools that qualified are no longer with the conference.
On October 14, 2011, the Mountain West and C-USA announced a plan for a football only alliance.[10] On February 13, 2012, the two leagues announced that both conferences would be dissolving after the 2012–13 season to reform into one conference with at least 15 members for all sports, and a 16th team,University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa as a football-only member.[11] However, when the two conferences discussed their plans with the NCAA, they were told that due to NCAA rules, they would forfeit substantial revenues. Specifically, the new conference would receive only one automatic bid to NCAA championships; at least one of the former conferences would lose future revenue distributions from the NCAA men's basketball tournament; and at least one former conference would not be able to collect exit fees from any members that departed to join the new conference.[12] As a result, the Mountain West and C-USA backed away from a full merger. In late March of that year, the commissioners of both conferences stated that all 16 schools had entered into binding agreements to form a new "association",[13] although the Mountain West and C-USA would have apparently remained separate legal entities.[12] In the end, this alliance never materialized due to both conferences soon adding new teams.
On May 2, 2012,San José State andUtah State agreed to join the conference for the 2013–14 academic year. On December 31 of that year, Boise State announced that it had backed out of its previously announced move to the Big East for football and the Big West for other sports, and would remain in the MW.[14]
On January 16, 2013, San Diego State accepted an offer to remain/return to the Mountain West Conference in all sports. Keeping SDSU in the conference gave the Mountain West 12 football members, allowing for achampionship game to be held. The first championship game took place on December 7, 2013.[15]
In February 2018,The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the MW was looking to expand in the near future. In the report, commissioner Craig Thompson revealed that the conference had discussed expansion with six schools, withWCC memberGonzaga (which has not sponsored football since World War II) the only school mentioned by name. Thompson added that Gonzaga could potentially join the MW as a full but non-football member as early as July 2018. While Thompson said that BYU had not contacted the conference, the report indicated that BYU would be open to an MW return, at least in non-football sports, should Gonzaga join.[16] A laterUnion-Tribune report indicated that talks were advanced enough that the conference's presidents planned a vote on an invitation to Gonzaga during the MWmen's andwomen's basketball tournaments in Las Vegas, but decided to delay the vote until after theFinal Four.[17] However, on April 2, the day of theDivision I men's title game, Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth notified the MW, the WCC, and media that the school would remain in the WCC for the immediate future.[18]
On June 30, 2022, UCLA[19] and Southern Cal[20] announced their departure from thePac-12 Conference to theBig Ten Conference beginning in the 2024–25 academic year. After that announcement,San Diego State had been considered one of the top candidates for Pac-12 expansion. On June 16, 2023,Pete Thamel ofESPN reported that San Diego State had given the Mountain West Conference notice that the school would be departing from the conference and asked for an extension for the departure deadline of July 1, 2023, to avoid paying extra exit fees.[21] The Mountain West Conference denied the request for a deadline extension and considered the letter from San Diego State as a formal notice of departure and began to proceed with the separation process; however, San Diego State disputed that its letter of intent was a formal notice.[22] On June 30, 2023, with the Pac-12 still lacking a media rights agreement for 2024–25, ESPN reported that San Diego State would remain in the Mountain West Conference, rescinding the intention to withdraw from the conference.[23] The MW and San Diego State reached a settlement of their dispute the following month, with SDSU remaining a member for the immediate future.[24]
In September 2023, after a mass exodus from the Pac-12 leftOregon State andWashington State as its only remaining members, MW commissioner Gloria Nevarez began discussions with the two schools regarding various options for partnership, affiliation, or merger.[25][26] On December 1, 2023, the conference announced that it would enter into a football scheduling agreement with the two schools for the 2024 season. All 12 Mountain West members will play one game against either Oregon State or Washington State next season, giving both schools three home games and three away games. These games will not count towards Mountain West conference standings, and Oregon State and Washington State will remain members of the Pac-12.[27] On April 16, 2024, it was also announced that Washington State would be joining the MW as an affiliate for baseball and women's swimming.[28]
On September 12, 2024, it was announced that Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, and San Diego State would be leaving the MW and joining thePac-12 in 2026.[29] On September 23, Utah State also accepted an offer to join the Pac-12 in 2026 as its seventh member.[30]
On October 1, 2024 it was announced that theUniversity of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) will be joining the Mountain West starting in the 2026–27 academic year.[31] On October 14,Craig Angelos, athletic director of football-only memberHawaii, confirmed outside reports that the school would upgrade to full MW membership in 2026.[32] This move was officially announced the next day.[33] On November 1, 2024,Grand Canyon University announced it was joining the Mountain West no later than July 1, 2026.[34] On July 8, 2025, the Mountain West announced Grand Canyon would join the conference for the 2025-26 school year.[35]
On December 10, 2024 it was announced that UC Davis would join the Mountain West Conference in all sports except football, for which it will remain in theBig Sky Conference. This move is expected on July 1, 2026.[36]
On January 3, 2025,Northern Illinois University accepted an invitation from the MW to join forfootball only in 2026.[37] The move became official on January 7, after approval by NIU's governing board.[38] On October 2, 2025, the MW announced that NIU would also join for women's gymnastics in 2026.[39] On October 29, 2025, it was announced that the Mountain West would begin sponsoring both men's soccer and men's swimming and diving for the 2026-27 school year. Alongside them, Utah Tech announced they would join as a baseball and men's soccer affiliate.[40]
Members departing for thePac-12 Conference in 2026.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joining | Type | Enrollment | Endowment (2017) (millions)[43] | Nickname | Colors | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Davis | Davis, California | 1905 | 2026 | Public | 40,848 | $2,172.7[44] | Aggies | Big West | |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa[a] | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1907 | 19,097 | $341.4 | Rainbow Warriors & Rainbow Wahine | ||||
| University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, Texas | 1913 | 25,121 | $241.7 | Miners | Conference USA |
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment[45] | Nickname | Colors | MW sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado College | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 1874 | 2014 | Nonsectarian | 2,266 | $908.6 million | Tigers | Women's soccer | Southern (SCAC)[a] | |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1907 | 2012 | Public | 19,097 | $341.4 million | Rainbow Warriors | Football | Big West (MW in 2026) | |
| Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | 1890 | 2024 | Public | 24,139 | $1.28 billion | Cougars | Baseball | Pac-12 | |
| Women's swimming |
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joining | Type | Enrollment | Endowment[45] | Nickname | Colors | MW sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, Illinois | 1895 | 2026 | Public | 16,769 | $99 million | Huskies | Football | MAC (Horizon in 2026) | |
| Women's gymnastics | ||||||||||
| Utah Tech University[a] | St. George, Utah | 1911 | 12,650 | $16.3 million | Trailblazers | Baseball | WAC (Big Sky in 2026) | |||
| Men's soccer |
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University | Provo, Utah | 1875 | 1999 | 2011 | LDS Church | 34,390 | Cougars | Big 12 | |
| Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, Texas | 1873 | 2005 | 2012 | Disciples of Christ | 11,938 | Horned Frogs | ||
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah | 1850 | 1999 | 2011 | Public | 34,900 | Utes |
Full members Full members (non-football) Associate members (football only) Associate members (other) Other conference Other conference
Excluded from this list are all national championships earnedoutside the scope of NCAA competition, includingDivision I FBS football titles, women'sAIAW championships (17),equestrian titles (0), and retroactiveHelms Athletic Foundation titles.[47]
| School | Team Championships | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Men | Women | Co-ed | |
| San Jose State | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Wyoming | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Fresno State | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| UNLV | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Boise State | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| San Diego State | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Colorado State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nevada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Force | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Canyon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Utah State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 22 | 13 | 6 | 3 |
The Mountain West Conference sponsors championship competition in eight men's and 11 women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[48]Hawai'i is only an associate member for football, andColorado College is only an associate member for women's soccer.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 7 | – |
| Basketball | 11 | 11 |
| Cross country | 9 | 11 |
| Football | 12 | – |
| Golf | 11 | 9 |
| Gymnastics | – | 4 |
| Soccer | 6 (in 2026) | 12 |
| Softball | – | 9 |
| Swimming anddiving | 5 (in 2026) | 9 |
| Tennis | 7 | 11 |
| Track and field (indoor) | 8 | 11 |
| Track and field (outdoor) | 8 | 11 |
| Volleyball | – | 11 |
| Member | Baseball | Basketball | Cross country | Football | Golf | Soccer (begins in 2026) | Swimming and Diving (begins in 2026) | Tennis | Track & field indoor | Track & field outdoor | Total MW sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Boise State | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Fresno State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No[a] | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Colorado State | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 6 |
| Grand Canyon | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| UNLV | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 7 |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| San Diego State | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No[b] | No | Yes | No | No | 5 |
| San Jose State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Utah State | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Wyoming | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Current Totals | 8+1[c] | 12 | 10 | 11+1[d] | 12 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 77+2 |
| Future members | |||||||||||
| Hawai'i | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| UC Davis | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[e] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | 7 |
| UTEP | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 6 |
| 2026-27 Totals | 8+1[f] | 10 | 8 | 8+1[g] | 10 | 5+1[f] | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 72+4 |
Future members in green.
| School | Fencing[a] | Gymnastics | Ice hockey | Lacrosse | Rifle[b] | Volleyball | Water polo | Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Independent | MPSF | AHA | ASUN[50] | PRC | WCC | Big 12 | |
| Hawai'i | Big West | |||||||
| San Jose State | WCC | |||||||
| UC Davis | WCC | |||||||
| Wyoming | Big 12 |
| Member | Basketball | Cross country | Golf | Gymnastics | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & diving | Tennis | Track & field indoor | Track & field outdoor | Volleyball | Total MW sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Boise State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Fresno State | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Colorado State | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Grand Canyon | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| UNLV | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| San Diego State | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| San Jose State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Utah State | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Current Totals | 12 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 12+1[a] | 10 | 10+1[b] | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 108+2 |
| Future members | ||||||||||||
| Hawai'i | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| UC Davis | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| UTEP | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| 2026-27 Totals | 10 | 10 | 9 | 3+1[c] | 10+1[a] | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 93+1 |
Future members in green. Departing members in pink.
| School | Beach volleyball | Equestrian | Fencing[a] | Field hockey | Lacrosse | Rifle[b] | Sailing | Water polo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Independent | PRC | ||||||
| Boise State | Big 12 | |||||||
| Fresno State | Big 12 | Golden Coast | ||||||
| Grand Canyon | MPSF | |||||||
| Hawai'i | Big West | PCCSC | Big West | |||||
| San Diego State | Big 12 | Golden Coast | ||||||
| San Jose State | MPSF | MPSF[c] | ||||||
| UC Davis | WCC | ECAC | MPSF | Big 12 | Golden Coast | |||
| UTEP | CUSA[d] | PRC |
Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights and licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, concessions, and novelties.
Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.
The following table shows institutional reporting to theUnited States Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2023–24 academic year.[51]
| Institution | 2023–24 Total Revenue from Athletics | 2023–24 Total Expenses on Athletics |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego State University | $83,949,123 | $83,949,123 |
| United States Air Force Academy | $81,240,615 | $69,453,628 |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas | $65,376,772 | $65,376,772 |
| Boise State University | $59,885,466 | $59,885,465 |
| California State University, Fresno | $55,761,420 | $55,761,420 |
| University of Nevada, Reno | $53,922,006 | $53,916,558 |
| University of New Mexico | $53,653,134 | $53,043,230 |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | $53,350,682 | $53,350,682 |
| University of Wyoming | $53,042,120 | $53,042,120 |
| Colorado State University | $50,262,504 | $50,262,504 |
| Utah State University | $42,936,608 | $42,936,608 |
| University of Texas at El Paso | $37,006,248 | $36,602,226 |
| Grand Canyon University | $30,628,914 | $30,628,914 |
| San José State University | $30,593,724 | $30,593,724 |
Since Air Force is not available from that source, it was obtained fromKnight Commission for the 2022–2023 academic year.[52]
Totals and records following the completion of the 2022 football season.
| Teams | Rivalry name | Trophy | Meetings (last) | Record | Series leader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Colorado State | Air Force–Colorado State football rivalry | Ram-Falcon Trophy | 60 (2022) | 38–21–1 | Air Force |
| Hawai'i | Air Force–Hawai'i football rivalry | Kuter Trophy | 22 (2019) | 14–7–1 | Air Force | |
| Boise State | Fresno State | Boise State–Fresno State football rivalry | Milk Can | 25 (2022) | 17–8 | Boise State |
| Nevada | Boise State–Nevada football rivalry | — | 45 (2022) | 31–14 | Boise State | |
| Fresno State | Hawai'i | Fresno State–Hawai'i football rivalry | The Golden Screwdriver | 55 (2022) | 30–24–1 | Fresno State |
| San Diego State | Battle for the Oil Can | Old Oil Can | 61 (2022) | 27–30–4 | San Diego State | |
| San José State | Battle for the Valley | Valley Trophy | 86 (2022) | 44–39–3 | Fresno State | |
| Colorado State | Wyoming | Border War | Bronze Boot | 114 (2022) | 59–50–5 | Colorado State |
| Hawai'i | San José State | Dick Tomey Legacy Game | Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy | 46 (2023) | 22–23–1 | San José State |
| UNLV | Hawai'i–UNLV football rivalry | Island Showdown Trophy | 33 (2022) | 19–14 | Hawai'i | |
| Wyoming | Hawai'i–Wyoming football rivalry | Paniolo Trophy | 27 (2022) | 11–16 | Wyoming | |
| Nevada | UNLV | Battle for Nevada | Fremont Cannon | 48 (2022) | 29–19 | Nevada |
| Utah State | Wyoming | Bridger's Battle | Bridger Rifle | 72 (2022) | 40–28–4 | Utah State |
| Schools | First meeting | Game | Trophy | Reigning champion (last meeting) | Next meeting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force /Army /Navy | 1972 | Commander-in-Chief's Trophy | Navy (2024) | 2025 | ||
| Boise State | Idaho | 1971 | Battle of Idaho | Governor's Cup | Boise State (2010) | |
| Colorado State | Colorado | 1893 | Rocky Mountain Showdown | Centennial Cup | Colorado (2024) | 2029 |
| New Mexico | Arizona | 1908 | Arizona–New Mexico football rivalry | Kit Carson Rifle | Arizona (2024) | No future games scheduled at the moment |
| New Mexico State | 1894 | Rio Grande Rivalry | New Mexico (2024) | 2025 | ||
| San José State | Stanford | 1900 | Bill Walsh Legacy Game | Stanford (2013) | 2024 | |
| Utah State | Brigham Young (BYU) | 1922 | Battle for The Old Wagon Wheel | The Old Wagon Wheel | BYU (2022) | |
| Utah | 1892 | Battle of the Brothers | Utah (2015) | |||
| Utah State / BYU / Utah | 1971 | Beehive Boot | BYU (2022) | 2025 | ||
| UTEP | New Mexico State | 1914 | Battle of I-10 | Silver Spade Trophy and the Mayor's Cup | UTEP (2024) | 2025 |
Beginning in 2013, the conference split into two divisions, named the "Mountain Division" and "West Division," of six teams each for football. The Mountain West also added a conference championship game, pitting the winners of the two divisions. This first championship game took place on December 7, 2013, atBulldog Stadium inFresno, California, the home stadium ofFresno State, the divisional winner with the higher BCS ranking.[53] Each team played five divisional games and three cross-divisional contests annually.[54]The 2015 championship game featured the Air Force Academy Falcons against the San Diego State University Aztecs. The 2016 championship game featured the San Diego State University Aztecs against the University of Wyoming Cowboys.
On May 20, 2022, the conference approved a new football schedule format, set to take effect in the 2023 season.[55][56] Under this format, the conference will remove divisions, and instead play a 2–6 format, where each team plays 2 designated rivals every year along with six separate 6-team rotations that flip every other year, such that every team will have at least one home game and one away game against every other team in a three-year cycle (less than the standard length of a college player's career). The MW Championship will also no longer be determined by the winners of the two divisions; the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage will play instead.[57][58] The designated rivals under this system are as follows:
| School | Rival 1 | Rival 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Colorado State | Wyoming |
| Boise State | New Mexico | Utah State |
| Colorado State | Air Force | Wyoming |
| Fresno State | Nevada | San José State |
| Hawaii | San Diego State | UNLV |
| Nevada | Fresno State | UNLV |
| New Mexico | Boise State | San José State |
| San Diego State | Hawaii | Utah State |
| San José State | Fresno State | New Mexico |
| UNLV | Hawaii | Nevada |
| Utah State | Boise State | San Diego State |
| Wyoming | Air Force | Colorado State |
Prior to this, the division format was as follows:
| Mountain Division | West Division |
|---|---|
| Air Force | Fresno State |
| Boise State | Hawaiʻi |
| Colorado State | Nevada |
| New Mexico | UNLV |
| Utah State | San Diego State |
| Wyoming | San José State |
The Mountain West Conference has agreements with six bowls.
Since the 2014 season, the Mountain West champion is eligible for an at-large berth in theCotton Bowl Classic,Fiesta Bowl, orPeach Bowl, if it is the highest-ranked conference champion among the"Group of Five" conferences (which also includesThe American,CUSA,MAC, andSun Belt) in the finalCollege Football Playoff rankings, if it is not in the top 4. In the 2014 season,Boise State became the first team to receive this berth, being selected for and winning theFiesta Bowl.
As of 2020,
| Pick | Name | Location | Opposing conference | Opposing pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA Bowl | Inglewood, California | Pac-12 | 5 |
| Non–specific | Hawaii Bowl | Honolulu, Hawaii | The American | Non–specific |
| Non–specific | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Boise, Idaho | MAC | Non–specific |
| Non–specific | New Mexico Bowl | Albuquerque, New Mexico | CUSA | Non–specific |
| Non–specific | Arizona Bowl | Tucson, Arizona | MAC | Non–specific |
| Conditional* | Cactus Bowl | Phoenix, Arizona | Big 12 orPac-12 | 6 (Big 12) or 7 (Pac-12) |
| Conditional* | San Francisco Bowl | Santa Clara, California | Big 12 orPac-12 | Non–specific (Big Ten) or 4 (Pac-12) |
As of the2024-25 bowl games
| School | Appearances | W | L | T | Win % | BCS/ NY6 | National championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 30 | 16 | 13 | 1 | .550 | 0–0 | 0 |
| Fresno State | 28 | 17 | 14 | 0 | .548 | 0–0 | 0 |
| Boise State | 22[a] | 13 | 9 | 0 | .591 | 3–1 | 2 — 1958 (NJCAA), 1980 (NCAA Division I-AA[b]) |
| San Diego State | 20 | 10 | 10 | 0 | .500 | 0–0 | 3 — 1966–1968 (NCAA College Division[c]) |
| Nevada | 18 | 7 | 12 | 0 | .368 | 0–0 | 0 |
| Wyoming | 18 | 10 | 9 | 0 | .526 | 0–0 | 0 |
| Colorado State | 17 | 6 | 12 | 0 | .333 | 0–0 | 0 |
| Utah State | 15 | 6 | 11 | 0 | .353 | 0–0 | 0 |
| Hawai'i | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 0–1 | 0 |
| New Mexico | 13 | 4 | 8 | 1 | .346 | 0–0 | 0 |
| San Jose State | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 0–0 | 0 |
| UNLV | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | .667 | 0–0 | 0 |
ESPN created theBowl Challenge Cup in 2002 for the conference that had the best college football bowl record amongDivision I Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. The conference has won it five times, more than any other conference, by finishing with bowl game records of 2–1 in2004–05,[59] 4–1 in2007–08,[60] 4–1 in2009–10,[61] 4–1 in2010–11[62] and 5–1 in 2021–22.[63]
The Mountain West andMissouri Valley Conferences hold anannual challenge series that was renewed in the2015–16 season after a two-year hiatus. The series began in the2009–10 season but temporarily ended when the original contract ran out after the2012–13 season, During the first four seasons of the series, it involved all members of the MW and an equal number of the 10 MVC teams in basketball. With the MW now having 11 basketball members to the MVC's 10, the renewed series involves all MVC teams, with one MW team sitting out.
The first game was on November 13, 2009, featuring theBradley Braves and theBYU Cougars inProvo and it concluded on December 23 with theWyoming Cowboys visiting theNorthern Iowa Panthers inCedar Falls, Iowa. The challenge is similar to theACC-Big Ten Challenge, which pits men's basketball teams from theAtlantic Coast Conference and theBig Ten Conference.[64]
As of the2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
| School | Appearances | W | L | Win % | Wins per appearance | National championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah State | 23 | 6 | 24 | .200 | 0.273 | 0 |
| UNLV | 20 | 33 | 19 | .635 | 1.650 | 1 (1990) |
| San Diego State | 16 | 11 | 14 | .440 | 0.733 | 0 |
| Wyoming | 16 | 9 | 21 | .300 | 0.563 | 1 (1943) |
| New Mexico | 15 | 8 | 16 | .333 | 0.533 | 0 |
| Colorado State | 12 | 5 | 12 | .250 | 0.363 | 0 |
| Nevada | 11 | 6 | 11 | .353 | 0.600 | 0 |
| Boise State | 10 | 0 | 10 | .000 | 0.000 | 0 |
| Fresno State | 5 | 2 | 5 | .286 | 0.400 | 0 |
| Air Force | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | 0.000 | 0 |
| San Jose State | 3 | 0 | 3 | .000 | 0.000 | 0 |
| School | Appearances | W | L | Win % | Wins per appearance | National championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNLV | 10 | 3 | 10 | .231 | 0.300 | 0 |
| New Mexico | 8 | 3 | 8 | .273 | 0.375 | 0 |
| San Diego State | 9 | 6 | 9 | .400 | 0.571 | 0 |
| Fresno State | 7 | 0 | 7 | .000 | 0.000 | 0 |
| Boise State | 6 | 0 | 6 | .000 | 0.000 | 0 |
| Colorado State | 6 | 5 | 6 | .455 | 0.833 | 0 |
| Wyoming | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 0.000 | 0 |
| Air Force | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0.000 | 0 |
| Nevada | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0.000 | 0 |
| San Jose State | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0.000 | 0 |
| Utah State | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0.000 | 0 |
The Mountain West's slogan is "Above the rest", and over half of the member institutions, plus women's soccer-only member Colorado College, are at more than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level. This impacts endurance in sports like football, soccer, and the distance races in track & field and swimming meets; air resistance in sprints and horizontal jumps in track & field; and aerodynamics in baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and the discus and javelin throws. The Mountain West's institutions have the highest average elevations inNCAA Division I sports.
Schools initalics are single-sport members. In the case of women's soccer-only member Colorado College, "stadium elevation" refers to the school's soccer venue.
| School | Campus elevation (ft) | Stadium elevation (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force Academy | 7,258 | 6,621 |
| Wyoming | 7,220 | 7,220 |
| Colorado College | 6,053 | 6,053 |
| New Mexico | 5,174 | 5,100 |
| Colorado State | 5,007 | 5,190 |
| Utah State | 4,777 | 4,710 |
| Nevada | 4,564 | 4,610 |
| Boise State | 2,697 | 2,695 |
| UNLV | 2,024 | 2,190 |
| San Diego State | 433 | 25 |
| Fresno State | 338 | 335 |
| Hawai'i | 105 | 19 |
| San Jose State | 85 | 93 |
| Full members | | |
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