After losing five members to the Pac-12, the Mountain West Conference is in the process of keeping its members together and making a new-look conference that can survive.
With Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State headed to the Pac-12, the MWC has been forced to act fast — and they have.
Last week, it was reported that UNLV and Air Force had decided to stick with the conference, and now, they’re set to add another school.
According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the UTEP Miners are in the “final stages” of leaving Conference USA to join the Mountain West Conference.
Additionally, Thamel reports that the Miners have informed CUSA officials of their intent to leave the league and that a formal announcement is expected soon.
Thamel’s report corroborates with one from Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, who says the Miners will join the Mountain West as full members in 2026.
UTEP will become the seventh full member of the MWC, joining Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV and Wyoming, as well as football-only member Hawaii.
After spending the last 20 years as members of Conference USA, it’s quite a shocking development to hear that the Miners are on the move, but such is life in the age of conference realignment.
UTEP is 0-4 in Scotty Walden’s first season and coming off a bye week in Week 5. The Miners are set to face Sam Houston (4-1) on Thursday, October 3.
