Northern Illinois joining Mountain West in 2026

[MLcardinalfan]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/...otball-only-26

[Ghost Of The Year]

This is less surprising than that time No. Illinois beat Notre Dame.
Maybe the MAC could replace them with Washington State or Oregon State, lol.

[Solidice]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ghost Of The Year

This is less surprising than that time No. Illinois beat Notre Dame. Maybe the MAC could replace them with Washington State or Oregon State, lol.

I believe UMass is already going back to MAC next season.

[DonkeyJote]

Quote: Originally Posted by Solidice

I believe UMass is already going back to MAC next season.

Indeed. Leaves the MAC with 12 unless Toledo gets poached too.

Mountain West will now have 9 for football. So they can do an 8 game season.

Pac-12 is sitting at just 7. They still need one full time member, and realistically should probably shoot for another additional full time member to get to 9 football, 10 total members.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[SilverBullet19]

I’m anxiously awaiting PAC news. They’re coming down to a time crunch to get the additional member in time.

[sherrane]

Quote: Originally Posted by DonkeyJote

Indeed. Leaves the MAC with 12 unless Toledo gets poached too. Mountain West will now have 9 for football. So they can do an 8 game season. Pac-12 is sitting at just 7. They still need one full time member, and realistically should probably shoot for another additional full time member to get to 9 football, 10 total members. Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

Quote: Originally Posted by SilverBullet19

I’m anxiously awaiting PAC news. They’re coming down to a time crunch to get the additional member in time.

Who else is available? I wonder if the MWC made this move out of the concern the Pac-12 is going to come after UNLV or another MWC school.



I wonder if the Pac-12 expected Tulane, Memphis, and USF to join. Add those three to their MWC additions and that gets them back to a power conference in my opinion. I understand why the American teams stayed because the American might be considered a better conference than the rebuilt Pac-12 is without them and they won't burn their travel budget.

[BullPredator29]

Didn't the MWC make UNLV and the remaining members sign a contract saying they are going to stay?

PAC should've jumped on UTEP, their athletic profit wasn't too bad and were still in the Mountain Time Zone.

North Texas didn't pledge allegiance to American and is closer than Tulane, Memphis, and USF. They got a new stadium recently and are close to the DFW metroplex.

I've been rooting to the PAC to come back from the dead, but I don't know who is left that is: FBS, Close, decent at sports

[DonkeyJote]

The existing Mountain West teams are locked in. It's possible Hawaii or UTEP don't have the same level of commitment yet, but they seem unlikely.

The Pac making another run at UTSA/Memphis/Tulane/USF seems very possible; they didn't have anything resembling a rights deal to present last time around, and definitely lowballed them on the exit fees. And having Gonzaga in the conference for basketball now is probably appealing to Memphis especially. Texas State is also a possibility. Something like Sacramento State would be an extreme fallback plan.


Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk