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, according to multiple reports.

𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩 @NIU_Football 🤝 pic.twitter.com/1FpOLxopZI
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) January 7, 2025

“We are excited about adding Northern Illinois football to the Mountain West,” MWC commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a press release. “In evaluating NIU, the MW Board of Directors and Directors of Athletics carefully considered and were impressed by its history of football success and its commitment to academic excellence. NIU shares the Mountain West’s vision of balancing academic performance with athletic competitiveness and prioritizing opportunities for an outstanding student-athlete experience both on and off the playing field.”

Northern Illinois has won five MAC titles since 2011, the most of any school.

The Huskies upset Notre Dame, a College Football Playoff semifinalist, in September and finished the season with an 8-5 overall record after defeating Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. In six years at the helm, Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock holds a 32-38 overall record.

The addition of Northern Illinois gives the MWC nine football-playing members for the 2026 season, joining Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming. UC Davis and Grand Canyon are also coming aboard as non-football members in 2026.

Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State are all leaving the MWC for the Pac-12 in 2026, along with West Coast Conference power Gonzaga. The eight-team conference will also feature remaining members Oregon State and Washington State.

The Northern Illinois Board of Trustees finalized the move on Tuesday.

“This is a truly exciting day for Northern Illinois University, for the NIU football program, and for Huskie fans throughout the country,” Northern Illinois president Lisa C. Freeman said in the press release. “We are extremely pleased to accept the invitation for the Huskie football program to join a prestigious group of universities to compete in the Mountain West Conference. This move will open new opportunities for our student-athletes, expand the reach, and strengthen the national brand of Huskie Football as they represent NIU and compete for championships the hard way and the right way.”

The MAC will have 12 football programs for the 2026 season: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Toledo, UMass and Western Michigan. UMass is joining the conference for the 2025 season.

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