The Mountain West made waves this past weekend with the unexpected edition of FCS football powerhouse North Dakota State. Not only are the Bison joining the conference, but they will also be participating this fall. As it currently stands, North Dakota State will not be playoff or bowl eligible until the 2028 season. Nor will they be able to play for the conference title, but they could have a real saying in how the championship picture plays out. Let’s take a look at how I see things sitting in the Mountain West.
1-Hawaii
The Rainbow Warriors will have the best quarterback in the conference in Micah Alejado. The biggest question will be whether or not they can get it done on the road, something that has been a struggle since Timmy Chang took over as head coach. If Hawaii can handle the grind of their road schedule, they have an excellent chance to take home their first Mountain West Championship.
2-New Mexico
The most surprising team from the 2025 season has a solid amount of experience and arguably the best coach in the conference. The Lobos are looking for their first appearance in the Mountain West Championship game, and I like their chances.
3-UNLV
The Rebels will be looking for their fourth straight appearance in the conference championship game and hope to take home their first conference championship. I think the Lobos and Rainbow Warriors are slightly ahead of the Rebels at this point. A third-place finish would be a disappointing season for Dan Mullen’s squad.
4-North Dakota State
The Bison will have a bit of a learning curve and will have to deal with a significant amount of travel. This team is physically built to compete right away. They have a chance to step in and have the best defense immediately, and if the offense can put points up, they might just sneak their way into the championship game. But I think fourth is the most realistic spot for this team and would be a solid finish for their first year in the FBS ranks.
5-Air Force
It’s not often that Air Force goes multiple seasons without making a bowl, but that is where they currently sit. The Falcons should be better this fall and finish at the top of the conference and go bowling for the first time since 2023.
6-Wyoming
It all comes down to the quarterback position. With some of the top teams gone, the Cowboys should finish in the top half of the conference and return to a bowl game after a two-year drought.
7-Nevada
The Wolf Pack have the opportunity to finish anywhere from fifth to seventh. We saw improvement from this team late last season. If they take another leap, they could be a bowl team this fall.
8-NIU
The Huskies are coming off one of their worst seasons in recent memory after going 3-9 in the MAC. The Huskies are going to have to deal with the burden of travel and a higher quality of football. It could be another rough season.
9-San Jose State
The Spartans are coming off a disappointing 2025 season, and there are a number of uncertainties surrounding the program. The Spartans will likely be near the bottom of the standings again.
10-UTEP
A team that struggled to compete in Conference USA isn’t going to come in and be at the top of the Mountain West. There is going to be a learning curve for the Miners, and a lot has to change before they can be contenders.
Can the Bison finish higher than fourth? Are they capable of tipping the scales in the Mountain West? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
