G5 Football Daily

Seven Schools Pledge Allegiance To Mountain West Conference Amid Realignment Rumors

Joe Londergan

Dec 2, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The Mountain West conference logo on the field at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 2, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The Mountain West conference logo on the field at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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It's been an incredibly eventful two weeks for the Mountain West Conference, a league that will take a new form in 2026 and beyond.

The Pac-12 announced last week the additions of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State for the 2026 season. The addition of Utah State to that group of defections was made official on Tuesday.

Mountain West Commissioner Glorida Nevarez quickly circled the wagons to preserve the seven remaining schools: Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, and Wyoming. Each of those schools has formally agreed to execute a Grant of Media Rights from the member institutions to the Conference from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2032.

The departing schools owe the Mountain West Conference about $18 million each for leaving, per conference bylaws. That money will be distributed amongst the members remaining in the league. In a press release distributed on Thursday, the league noted that 24.5% each will be distributed to Air Force and UNLV, 11.5% each for New Mexico, Nevada, San Jose State, and Wyoming, and 5% for Hawaii. Hawaii is a football-only member of the league.

UNLV had reportedly been in discussions with the Pac-12 as well, while Air Force reportedly recently discussed a move to the American Athletic Conference, per ESPN and other outlets.

Per NCAA rules, the Mountain West now needs to add two schools who are full members, with football programs, prior to the start of the 2028 season.

Where do they go from here?

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Joe Londergan
JOE LONDERGAN

Joe covers college sports from the Group of Five ranks and beyond. He has worked in the sports industry since 2008, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville, and a Master's degree from Seattle University.

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