REPORT: UTEP in "Deep Talks" To Join Mountain West Conference

Another domino in the realignment world may potentially drop soon

UTEP quaterback Cade McConnell looks for a pass down field during a football game against UTEP on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colo. / Logan Newell/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After losing five members to the Pac-12, the Mountain West Conference has been tasked with finding two new full members to comply with NCAA tules

The UTEP Miners could end up being one of those members. Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, the Mountain West is in deep discussions" with UTEP to join the conference as a full member.

Sources: The Mountain West is in deep discussions with UTEP, and there’s mutual interest between both sides. A deal has yet to be finalized, but an answer on UTEP joining the league is expected soon. pic.twitter.com/NXSWwh8tIi

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 1, 2024

UTEP has been a member of Conference USA since 2005 and through the amount of turnover within the conference, they have stuck around. UTEP has never made it to a CUSA championship game in football.

At the moment, UTEP and New Mexico State are the outliers of the conference and realistically, a fit in the Mountain West could make sense geographically for the Miners

Thamel also reported over the weekend that Texas State had received a verbal offer to join the Mountain West Conference. A resolution on that is also expected in the near future.

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