14 Schools•Division I•Est. 1998
The Mountain West was founded on May 26, 1998, when presidents from eight western universities agreed to build a league of their own. Play began in 1999, and the conference has spent every season since proving that ambition travels well.
Its teams made the sport's biggest stages feel reachable. Utah finished undefeated and routed Pittsburgh 35 to 7 in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, the first such win by a program outside college football's guaranteed access structure. Four years later the Utes beat Alabama 31 to 17 in the Sugar Bowl. TCU followed with a 21 to 19 victory over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl to cap a perfect season. Boise State then won the Fiesta Bowl 38 to 30 over Arizona in the first year of the College Football Playoff era. The league has claimed more Bowl Challenge Cups than any conference in the country.
The Olympic pipeline runs just as deep. New Mexico alone sent middle distance champion Josh Kerr and distance star Weini Kelati from its track program to the world stage. UNLV sprinter Kaysha Love turned conference speed into a Team USA bobsled seat. League athletes have won 60 individual national titles.
Rivalries carry hardware older than the conference itself. Wyoming and Colorado State play for the Bronze Boot in a series dating to 1899. Nevada and UNLV chase the Fremont Cannon. Air Force and Hawaii meet for the Kuter Trophy, Hawaii and Wyoming for the Paniolo Trophy, and Hawaii and San Jose State for the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy. New Mexico and New Mexico State have met since 1894. Air Force pursues the Commander in Chief's Trophy every fall.
Geography gives it character. Campuses stretch from the Pacific to the high plains, including the highest campus in Division I at 7,220 feet in Laramie.
Official Website
The Mountain West was founded on May 26, 1998, when presidents from eight western universities agreed to build a league of their own. Play began in 1999, and the conference has spent every season since proving that ambition travels well.
Its teams made the sport's biggest stages feel reachable. Utah finished undefeated and routed Pittsburgh 35 to 7 in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, the first such win by a program outside college football's guaranteed access structure. Four years later the Utes beat Alabama 31 to 17 in the Sugar Bowl. TCU followed with a 21 to 19 victory over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl to cap a perfect season. Boise State then won the Fiesta Bowl 38 to 30 over Arizona in the first year of the College Football Playoff era. The league has claimed more Bowl Challenge Cups than any conference in the country.
The Olympic pipeline runs just as deep. New Mexico alone sent middle distance champion Josh Kerr and distance star Weini Kelati from its track program to the world stage. UNLV sprinter Kaysha Love turned conference speed into a Team USA bobsled seat. League athletes have won 60 individual national titles.
Rivalries carry hardware older than the conference itself. Wyoming and Colorado State play for the Bronze Boot in a series dating to 1899. Nevada and UNLV chase the Fremont Cannon. Air Force and Hawaii meet for the Kuter Trophy, Hawaii and Wyoming for the Paniolo Trophy, and Hawaii and San Jose State for the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy. New Mexico and New Mexico State have met since 1894. Air Force pursues the Commander in Chief's Trophy every fall.
Geography gives it character. Campuses stretch from the Pacific to the high plains, including the highest campus in Division I at 7,220 feet in Laramie.
Official Website