LAS VEGAS — The San José State football team took part in the 2026 Mountain West Media Days on Wednesday and Thursday at the Palms Casino Resort.
All 10 conference schools were represented by four players who met with the media on the first day of the event, along with their head coaches who took questions on the second day.
The MWC enters a new era in 2026 after losing five longtime members, Boise State University, Colorado State University, Fresno State University, San Diego State University and Utah State University, to the rebuilt Pac-12 Conference.
Following the collapse of the Pac-12 after the 2023 season, only Oregon State University and Washington State University remained before the conference officially reformed with eight football-playing members for the 2026 season.
Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said the conference remains focused on strengthening the identity of its member schools despite the realignment.
“Brand is really important, but we always have to remember that our schools are our hero brands,” Nevarez said. “The Mountain West is an umbrella family brand, and what we try to do is elevate those school brands within our family. For us, it’s really important that we’re providing national exposure, that we’re known for highly competitive events.”
To offset the departures, the Mountain West added three new schools: Northern Illinois University, North Dakota State University and the University of Texas El Paso.
North Dakota State, which finished 12-1 last season, is the only newcomer making the jump from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Bison also own a record 18 FCS national championships.
The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) is one of two Division I football subdivisions, alongside the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), according to the NCAA webpage.
Bison senior quarterback Nathan Hayes said the program expects to maintain its championship culture despite moving up a division.
“It just means continuing the tradition of winning. We’re going to keep working hard, we’re going to keep recruiting really good kids,” Hayes said. “I think as long as we keep doing that, we’ll keep having success no matter what.”
Northern Illinois joins the Mountain West after spending 39 seasons in the Mid-American Conference, while UTEP arrives from Conference USA.
Despite the conference’s changes, seven returning schools remain, including University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which ESPN projects to win the Mountain West title in 2026 with University of New Mexico projected as the runner up.
Lobos senior quarterback Jack Layne said the football program has an opportunity to unite the Albuquerque community.
“There’s no professional teams. There’s a minor league baseball team. That’s kind of the only team in town. If we can keep this thing rolling, we can really show out each weekend and sell out each game,” Layne said.
SJSU was among the schools that declined an invitation to join the Pac-12 during the latest round of conference realignment, according to a Sept. 23, 2024 Yahoo Sports report.
That decision leaves the Spartans as one of the conference’s most accomplished remaining football programs.
SJSU won its lone Mountain West championship in 2020 and now has more conference football titles than any current league member after the departures of Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State, according to a Dec. 6, 2024 Fox Sports report.
Junior offensive lineman Tyler Chen said SJSU embraces its role as one of the conference’s longest-standing programs while looking toward the future.
“We’re considered one of the legacies of the conference, and that kind of set the foundation,” Chen said. “But there’s always the future.”
Mountain West schools will now shift their focus to fall camp as they prepare for the college football season, which kicks off Aug. 29.
