COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2026 Mountain West football schedule was released today and is comprised of 81 games, including 40 Conference matchups.
The Mountain West enters an exciting new era as it welcomes NIU, North Dakota State and UTEP to the Conference, after coming off a 2025 season in which seven teams played in bowl games. The league will look to continue its storied success as it has had at least one 10-win team in 24 of 26 seasons (does not include the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign).
The 2026 schedule will play out over 13 weeks, concluding with the Mountain West Football Championship Game. The contest will feature the two teams with the highest Conference win percentage.
The 2026 season kicks off in Week 0 with four games, including North Dakota State’s first game as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) when the Bison host Jacksonville State. All 10 league teams are in action in Week 1, which will feature UNLV traveling to Hawai‘i for a MW opener.
The MW slate features 10 games against Autonomous 4 opponents, including UNLV hosting Cal in Week 5, and contests against six teams that finished the 2025 season in the national rankings. In order to complete its non-conference schedule, North Dakota State will play at San José State in a non-conference game.
The MW’s national television partners CBS Sports, FOX Sports and CW Sports will now initiate a selection procedure that will include shifting some games to non-Saturday dates. That will be followed by the identification of network outlets and kick times.
The 2026 MW football membership includes Air Force, Hawai‘i, Nevada, New Mexico, NIU, North Dakota State, San José State, UNLV, UTEP, Wyoming.
2026 MOUNTAIN WEST COMPOSITE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Saturday, Aug. 29
Hawai‘i at Stanford
Jacksonville State at North Dakota State
San José State at USC
Memphis at UNLV
Friday, Sept. 4
San José State at Eastern Michigan
Saturday, Sept. 5
Duquesne at Air Force
UNLV at Hawai‘i*
Western Kentucky at Nevada
Central Michigan at New Mexico
Fordham at North Dakota State
NIU at Iowa
UTEP at Oklahoma
Wyoming at Colorado State
Saturday, Sept. 12
New Mexico State at Hawai‘i
Montana State at Nevada
Mercyhurst at New Mexico
North Dakota State at Air Force*
Illinois State at NIU
Cal Poly at San José State
UNLV at North Texas
Texas Southern at UTEP
Northern Colorado at Wyoming
Saturday, Sept. 19
Nevada at MTSU
New Mexico at Oklahoma
North Dakota State at Sacramento State
NIU at Arizona
Fresno State at San José State
UTEP at Michigan
Wyoming at Central Michigan
Saturday, Sept. 26
Air Force at Nevada*
Hawai‘i at Wyoming*
New Mexico at New Mexico State
NIU at Georgia State
UNLV at Akron
Oregon State at UTEP
Saturday, Oct. 3
Navy at Air Force
San José State at Hawai‘i*
UTEP at New Mexico*
Wyoming at North Dakota State*
Cal at UNLV
Saturday, Oct. 10
Air Force at NIU*
Arizona State at Hawai‘i
Nevada at UTEP*
North Dakota State at UNLV*
Wyoming at San José State*
Saturday, Oct. 17
Nevada at North Dakota State*
New Mexico at Hawai‘i*
NIU at Wyoming*
San José State at UTEP*
UNLV at Air Force*
Saturday, Oct. 24
Air Force at Wyoming*
Hawai‘i at NIU*
North Dakota State at New Mexico*
San José State at Nevada*
Saturday, Oct. 31
UConn at Air Force
Nevada at UCLA
New Mexico at San José State*
NIU at UNLV*
UTEP at North Dakota State*
Saturday, Nov. 7
Air Force at Army
Hawai‘i at UTEP*
New Mexico at Nevada*
NIU at San José State*
Wyoming at UNLV*
Saturday, Nov. 14
Nevada at NIU*
North Dakota State at Hawai‘i*
San José State at Air Force*
UNLV at New Mexico*
Wyoming at UTEP*
Saturday, Nov. 21
Hawai‘i at Nevada*
New Mexico at Wyoming*
NIU at North Dakota State*
UNLV at San José State*
UTEP at Air Force*
Saturday, Nov. 28
Air Force at New Mexico*
Sacramento State at Hawai‘i
Nevada at UNLV*
North Dakota State at San José State
UTEP at NIU*
UConn at Wyoming
* Mountain West game
