Jul 22, 2025 | Los Angeles, Sports, Valleys

Mountain West Faces Change But Stays Competitive

The Mountain West Conference (MWC), founded in January 1999, has spent 25 years producing standout athletes across both men’s and women’s sports. And this year, the talent pipeline continues to thrive.

Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez address media

(Photo: Earl Heath)

Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer

Two Mountain West athletes were selected in the first round of major professional drafts—one in the NBA and the other in the NFL. Nique Clifford of Colorado State was picked by the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty went sixth overall to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Managing Shifts in a Changing Landscape

Despite those athletic successes, the conference is navigating a whirlwind of off-field challenges: NIL deals, conference realignment, and ongoing media rights negotiations. These developments have created uncertainty across the college sports landscape, and the Mountain West is no exception.

At this year’s Mountain West Media Days, Commissioner Gloria Nevarez addressed many of those issues—offering updates, clarification, and a note of optimism.

“The offseason has been fast and furious,” Nevarez said. “Certainly, I agree that the [House v. NCAA] settlement provides a good set of parameters, but it’s going to be a bumpy road. We’ve only lived with it for a few weeks, and we’re already hearing stories about tampering and unapproved deals.”

Still, Nevarez sees a path forward. “There is a growth period, but I’m optimistic this sets us up to have a more stable environment than the wild, wild West we’ve been living in,” she said. “If we can implement NIL guidelines, revenue sharing, and the other parameters created by the settlement, I think we have a good shot of keeping college athletics going.”

Legal Disputes and Departures

This upcoming season will be the final one in the MWC for five member schools—Fresno State, Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State. Those programs are set to join Oregon State, Washington State, and newly added Texas State to rebuild the Pac-12 beginning next football season.

That move, however, has sparked a legal dispute between the Mountain West and the Pac-12, centered around alleged poaching fees.

“We’re not suing anyone,” Nevarez clarified. “But we do feel people should honor the contracts they enter into—knowingly, willingly, and with the advice of counsel.”

Despite the departures, Nevarez remains focused on the present. “We really want to stay in the moment and thank those student-athletes for the legacy that is the Mountain West.”

Boise State Tops Preseason Poll

On the field, Boise State is the clear favorite to win the conference title this season. The Broncos, who have won back-to-back MWC championships, received 35 of 39 first-place votes in the conference’s preseason football media poll.

UNLV, with new head coach Dan Mullen at the helm and a revamped roster from the transfer portal, was picked second. The Rebels received four first-place votes and 415 points overall. UNLV has dropped two straight conference championship games to Boise State but returns top talent, including junior running back Jai’Den Thomas and senior linebacker Marsel McDuffie—both named to the preseason All-Mountain West team.

At the other end of the rankings, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) was picked to finish last in the 12-team league.

Mountain West Preseason Football Media Poll