Remaining Mountain West Members Sign Agreement To Stay Together

Six remaining full members of the Mountain West have signed a memorandum of understanding to remain with the league through 2032 amid the latest wave of realignment, CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd confirms. That includes UNLV and Air Force, both of which were top expansion candidates for other conferences but intend to remain with the MWC. 

Hawaii, a football-only member in the MWC, also intends to sign the MOU after engaging in conversations with the Pac-12, though no invitation was ultimately sent, according to Yahoo Sports. 

The Mountain West is expected to pay UNLV and Air Force at least $25 million in bonus money to each school to remain in the conference, a person familiar with the decision told CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello. That bonus will be funded by the upwards of $17 million that Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State, Fresno State and San Diego State each owe for breaking the Mountain West's grant of rights so they can join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026. 

The MWC currently stands at seven football members, including Hawaii. It must reach a minimum requirement of eight full members to be recognized as a conference by the NCAA, an important distinction when it comes to being eligible for one of five automatic berths in the 12-team College Football Playoff field.