The Mountain West opens 2026 with a brand new look and the same old attitude. The conference slogan is Above The Rest, and it’s literal: half its campuses sit above 4,000 feet, and Wyoming’s home in Laramie is the highest Division I campus in the nation at 7,220 feet. This season brings fresh faces to the league, with UTEP, UC Davis, Northern Illinois, and North Dakota State arriving to open a new chapter. Week 1 gives the conference a national showcase from Las Vegas to Honolulu, and every matchup is live on RallyFuel. Tap your pick, earn +20 RallyFuel points per vote, and climb with the league that plays above everyone.
The Vegas Showcase: UNLV vs Memphis
UNLV hosts Memphis at Allegiant Stadium, the conference’s largest venue at 65,000 seats, in a Friday night meeting of two of the most ambitious programs outside the power conferences. Both teams have playoff dreams and the rosters to chase them. A Week 1 win here echoes all season. Who leaves Vegas with the statement?
Conference Points on the Line: UNLV at Hawaii
The Rebels turn right around for a second Week 1 test, and this one counts double. UNLV travels to Hawaii for a league matchup on the islands, where the Rainbow Warriors are famously tough after opponents make the long flight over the Pacific. Hawaii opens with two games of its own, including a trip to face Stanford. Island magic or Rebel road win?
Welcome to the League
The Mountain West’s newest members waste no time making noise:
North Dakota State vs Jacksonville State: the Bison, owners of one of the great winning traditions in all of college football, host a Jacksonville State squad in a Friday matchup that instantly becomes appointment viewing.
UTEP at Oklahoma: the Miners announce their arrival with a trip to Norman and a shot at an SEC giant.
Northern Illinois at Iowa: the Huskies bring their giant-hunting reputation to Kinnick Stadium. Nobody in the country has more experience shocking the Big Ten.
Road Warriors
San José State at USC gives the Spartans a Friday night stage at the Coliseum, and they follow it with a second Week 1 game at Eastern Michigan. Two games, two chances to bank early wins.
And the Border War rides again. Wyoming travels to Colorado State in one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in the West, with the Bronze Boot on the line and a new conference wrinkle adding fuel to a series that needs none.
Home Openers Across the Mountains
Air Force hosts Duquesne at the Academy, Nevada welcomes Western Kentucky to Reno for a late-night kickoff, and New Mexico opens under the lights against Central Michigan. High altitude, hostile crowds, and long trips for every visitor. That’s Mountain West football.
Above The Rest, On and Off the Field
Founded in 1999 when eight schools set out to build something new, the Mountain West now sponsors 19 sports for more than 5,000 student-athletes, and its programs compete at the top of the revenue sharing structure. This is a league built on grit, altitude, and fanbases that travel. Explore the Mountain West conference hub to browse verified athletes across the league, follow your favorites, and back them directly. Ninety percent of every contribution goes straight to the athlete.
Make Your Picks
From Allegiant Stadium to Aloha Stadium, the Mountain West’s Week 1 slate is live right now. Tap into any matchup above, cast your vote for +20 RallyFuel points, drop a comment for your squad, and turn your fandom into direct support for the athletes who play the sport a mile above everyone else.
