Dominant Group of 5 Team Set to Join Air Force Falcons in Mountain West

A team that handed a current College Football Playoff participant its only loss is set to join the Air Force Falcons in the Mountain West in 2026.

Northern Illinois celebrates after winning a NCAA college football game 16-14 against Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend. / Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Air Force Falcons will have more competition in the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026.

The Falcons have been a member of the conference since its inception in 1999, staking their claim of three division titles in the 26 seasons since, with the most recent coming in 2021.

While the two campaigns after 2021 were both solid with a combined 10-6 conference record, 2024 was a letdown for Air Force playing to a 5-7 record overall, missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 2020, and a 3-4 conference record.

In 2026, the level of competition in the conference will be taking a step up, as the Northern Illinois Huskies will be leaving the Mid-American Conference to join the Mountain West. They have called the MAC home for two separate stints ranging from 1975 through 1985, and then again since 1997.

While the Huskies have been a big part of the weekly MACtion every year, they will soon represent the Mountain West as the ninth team in the conference.

After Northern Illinois was added, Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez said the league would pause any further efforts to expand. The commissioner stated their goal was to reach nine teams so the league could play a true round-robin schedule with an even split between home and road games.

Northern Illinois will be the eastern-most team in the Mountain West, taking those honors from the Colorado State Rams.

Only the Huskies football program will be making the jump, while the school's other sports will be joining another yet-to-be-finalized Midwest-based conference.

Northern Illinois has been the top program in the MAC for over a decade, leading the conference with five conference titles since 2010. They have earned trips to 15 bowl games this century, including the Orange Bowl in 2012, and have beaten three Power 4 teams in the last four campaigns, including handing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish their only loss to this point in the 2024 season.

Under head coach Thomas Hammock, the Huskies should hit the ground running in their new conference in 2026.

There is time, but the Falcons will need to right the ship from their dreadful 2024 showing if they want to remain competitive in a much tougher Mountain West Conference.