Mountain West, Northern Illinois and NIU Football

Northern Illinois joins Mountain West: Huskies will compete as football-only member beginning in 2026 season
The Mountain West Conference has announced the addition of Northern Illinois in football after the school's board of trustees approved the move on Tuesday. Northern Illinois, which will begin competing in the conference in 2026,
Northern Illinois becomes football-only member of Mountain West, leaving MAC
Northern Illinois confirmed on Tuesday that it is joining the Mountain West in 2026 as a football-only member.
Mountain West officially adds Northern Illinois as football-only member for 2026 season
The Mountain West Conference will have nine football-playing members for the 2026 season. Northern Illinois was officially introduced as the latest member of the conference on Tuesday. The Huskies compete in the Mid-American Conference and are still considering options for all non-football sports,
Northern Illinois set to join Mountain West for football only in 2026
Northern Illinois has accepted an invitation to join the Mountain West for football only in 2026, the school and conference announced Tuesday. The Huskies will go from the Midwest-based MAC to a conference in which the easternmost school is in Colorado Springs,
It’s official, NIU football is saying “Good-bye” to the MAC and racing toward the Mountain West Conference
All of the changes we’re seeing in college football from conference realignments to the transfer portal and NIL has forced Northern Illinois University to make a move to keep up or to stay a step ahead.
Northern Illinois football joins Mountain West Conference
The Northern Illinois Huskies’ football team will be joining the Mountain West Conference, leaving the Mid-American Conference that it had been a member of for nearly 30 years.
NIU football officially joins the Mountain West Conference
The university officially announced it would join the Mountain West Conference in a football-only capacity starting in 2026. The move puts the Mountain West Conference at nine teams: NIU, Air Force, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.
Northern Illinois to join Mountain West as football-only in '26
Northern Illinois will join the Mountain West as a football-only member in 2026, joining Air Force, Hawai'i, UNLV, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State and Wyoming.
Mountain West adds Northern Illinois as a football member
The addition of Northern Illinois gives the Mountain West nine football members. With it comes the ability to play a full 8-game conference slate. It also expands the MW footprint into Illinois and the coveted Chicago market. NIU is located 65 miles west of Chicago and currently plays in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Northern Illinois agrees to join Mountain West as football-only member
The conference will expand to the Central Time Zone as it welcomed Northern Illinois as a football-only member on Tuesday. The Huskies, whose Board of Regents voted to accept an invitation that comes with a $2 million entry fee, will officially join the Mountain West on July 1, 2026.
Northern Illinois is set to join Mountain West for football only in 2026
Northern Illinois has accepted an invitation to join the Mountain West for football only in 2026, the school and conference ...
Northern Illinois to join Mountain West as football-only member
Another football program is set to join the Mountain West. The conference announced on Tuesday that Northern Illinois (NIU) ...