With its four top football programs leaving for a rebuilt Pac-12 Conference, the Mountain West has reached an existential crisis. In fact, it is unknown whether its remains will remain or bolt.
If the Mountain West wants to stay intact, it will have to target replacements for Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Fresno State. But which additions make the most sense? Are any current FBS programs a good fit geographically? Can the Mountain West persuade prominent FCS programs to make a jump up as well?
Other Mountain West members
As speculation swirls about other departures, here’s a look at the top candidates for the Mountain West should it stay together as a conference.
North Dakota State has won nine FCS championships since 2011 and boasts a 129-17 record over the past 10 seasons. The Bison have regularly traveled to FBS power conference teams over the past decade-plus and won games, including defending Big 12 champion Kansas State and Big Ten runner-up Iowa. North Dakota State’s annual attendance averages between 15,000 and 20,000 per game, and Fargo has hosted ESPN’s “College GameDay” twice. Inviting the Bison would immediately provide the Mountain West with credibility, stability and a College Football Playoff contender.
A longtime rival of the Bison, the Jackrabbits have won two straight FCS championships and are 103-31 over the past 10 seasons. Among FCS programs, South Dakota State ranked sixth last year in average regular-season attendance at 18,208, numbers from which were compiled by Hero Sports. There is a passionate following for the Jackrabbits, and SDSU would provide other Mountain West schools with a travel partner for NDSU outside of football. Like the Bison, the Jackrabbits hosted “College GameDay” and would immediately compete for conference titles.
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There is no point in separating these two because it would be an both or neither situation. These two are among the most successful in FCS, with one national title game appearance each of the last three years (Montana last season, Montana State in 2021). The Grizzlies and Bobcats ranked second and third, respectively, in FCS attendance in 2023, with Montana averaging 26,269 and Montana State at 21,610. Both have won more than 70 games over the past decade, and “College GameDay” appeared at their scenic Brawl of the Wild rivalry game in Bozeman in 2022. Few programs fit better geographically in the Mountain West than these two.
UTEP is best known for its 1966 NCAA men’s basketball championship in which it fielded an all-black lineup against all-white Kentucky, but its lack of football prowess kept it away from its traditional foes. Of the 10 members of the Western Sports Conference before it expanded in 1996 (and then imploded two years later), UTEP was the only one to never continue to compete in the Mountain West. With its proximity to New Mexico and its ties to the Mountain West remains, UTEP would provide some immediate name recognition.
New Mexico State has played in-state rival New Mexico every year since 1907, except during COVID-19 and two World Wars. It has almost the same rivalry history with UTEP, which is located only 45 miles from Las Cruces, NM Combined, New Mexico State has played 212 games against those programs, but it has not competed in the same conference with New Mexico since 1951. It rejoined UTEP in Conference USA last year after a 61-year non-conference rivalry. If New Mexico would allow it, bringing in the Aggies would make sense geographically.
Along with Montana, Idaho was once among 10 members of the Pacific Coast Conference, which was dissolved in 1959 and later reborn as the Pac-8. Idaho then became a vagabond and bounced from conference affiliation to independent status in the FBS until choosing to move down to the FCS in 2017. It was never able to secure a Mountain West invite after the WAC flipped in 2012. Should the Mountain West invite both Montana schools . , Idaho would also be a nice addition. Oh, and the Vandals play in one of college football’s great structures in the Kibbie Dome.
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Perhaps a surprise for this list, Sacramento State boasts an enrollment of over 22,000 undergraduate students. The Hornets averaged 13,348 in football attendance last year, beat Stanford by a touchdown and generated $11.46 million in fiscal 2022-23. Although there isn’t much football history, Sacramento State has a 58-48 record over the past 10 seasons and has qualified for the FCS playoffs in each of the past three seasons. Two years ago, the Hornets were 12-0 before losing 66-63 in a playoff shootout to Incarnate Word. Located just 120 miles from San Jose State, Sacramento State would make a nice travel partner outside of football.
3 others to consider
North Dakota and South Dakota boast quality football programs, but from attendance to on-field success, they’re not quite on par with their in-state rivals. Northern Arizona is located in Flagstaff and has an enrollment of over 20,000 students. It’s a good area to claim the Mountain West, but it ranked 50th in FCS attendance in 2023.
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(Top photos: Andrew Wevers and Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
