Mountain West Reveals Exciting 2026 Football Matchups and New Teams
The Mountain West Conference just dropped its updated 2026 football matchups, and honestly, it feels like a new era for MW football. With North Dakota State, Northern Illinois University (NIU), and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) joining the mix, the league’s up to 10 teams now, stretching out over 40 Conference games and four time zones.
Every team’s got four home and four away games packed into a 13-week schedule. It all leads up to the Mountain West Football Championship Game, which is already circled on a lot of calendars. Here’s a look at what’s coming, who’s playing who, and why fans might want to start planning some road trips.
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Mountain West’s Expanded Footprint
Bringing in North Dakota State, NIU, and UTEP is a pretty bold move for the Mountain West Conference. Not only does it mean more games, but suddenly, the league’s got a footprint that covers four time zones—so there’s almost always a game to catch, no matter where you are.
New Teams on the Block
North Dakota State, NIU, and UTEP are shaking things up. They’re bringing fresh talent and, honestly, some new drama and rivalries to the table.
- North Dakota State: These guys have a reputation for powerhouse football. Expect them to be tough from the get-go.
- NIU: They’ve got a scrappy history and seem eager to make a splash in their first season here.
- UTEP: UTEP’s style is a little different, and it could throw some of the established teams off their game.
Team-by-Team Matchup Breakdown
Here’s a quick look at who’s playing who in 2026. Everyone’s got four home and four away games—should keep things fair, right?
Air Force
Air Force is facing a mix of the usual suspects and some new faces. They’re heading to Nevada, New Mexico, NIU, and Wyoming, while at home they’ll take on North Dakota State, San José State, UNLV, and UTEP.
Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i’s hitting the road for games against Nevada, NIU, UTEP, and Wyoming. Back at home, they’ll play New Mexico, North Dakota State, San José State, and UNLV.
Nevada
Nevada’s away games are against NIU, North Dakota State, UNLV, and UTEP. Their home crowd gets Air Force, Hawai‘i, New Mexico, and San José State.
New Mexico
New Mexico travels to Hawai‘i, Nevada, San José State, and Wyoming. Home games bring in Air Force, North Dakota State, UNLV, and UTEP.
North Dakota State
North Dakota State’s away games are at Air Force, Hawai‘i, New Mexico, and UNLV. Hosting duties go to Nevada, NIU, UTEP, and Wyoming.
NIU
NIU’s on the road at North Dakota State, San José State, UNLV, and Wyoming. They’ll see Air Force, Hawai‘i, Nevada, and UTEP at home.
San José State
San José State is traveling to Air Force, Hawai‘i, Nevada, and UTEP. They’ll host New Mexico, NIU, UNLV, and Wyoming.
UNLV
UNLV’s away schedule is Air Force, Hawai‘i, New Mexico, and San José State. At home, it’s Nevada, NIU, North Dakota State, and Wyoming.
UTEP
UTEP’s got away games against Air Force, New Mexico, NIU, and North Dakota State. Their home slate includes Hawai‘i, Nevada, San José State, and Wyoming.
Wyoming
Wyoming’s on the road at North Dakota State, San José State, UNLV, and UTEP. They’ll host Air Force, Hawai‘i, New Mexico, and NIU.
Key Highlights and Anticipated Matchups
The new season’s got some real buzz, especially with the new teams shaking up the mix. There’s a good chance we’ll see some unexpected rivalries and maybe a few surprises along the way.
Historic Rivalries and New Encounters
Old rivalries aren’t going anywhere, but it’s the new matchups that feel extra interesting. Air Force vs. North Dakota State? Hawai‘i vs. NIU? People are already talking about those.
Potential for Upsets
With all these changes, upsets feel more likely than ever. North Dakota State, for example, could really mess with the usual pecking order. Guess we’ll see who rises and who stumbles.
Conclusion
The Mountain West Conference’s 2026 football matchups are shaping up to be pretty exciting. With North Dakota State, NIU, and UTEP joining the mix, fans are in for a season that’s anything but predictable.
There’s a good balance of home and away games for each team. Every matchup feels like it could matter, especially with the Mountain West Football Championship Game on the line.
The full 2026 schedule should be out soon, and honestly, it’s hard not to get a little hyped for what could be a standout year in Mountain West football.
For more details on the updated 2026 matchups, check out the official Mountain West announcement.
