A reshaped Mountain West faces a pivotal season after 5 teams bolt for the Pac-12

The Mountain West conference faces a pivotal season after losing five football programs—Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State—to the Pac-12 Conference. The league strengthened its ranks by adding North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, and UTEP, reducing its roster from 12 to 10 football members. Despite the changes, Commissioner Gloria Nevarez expressed optimism about the retained talent and coaching caliber as oddsmakers predict a highly competitive title race.