This season it will be important to enjoy the Mountain West, because the conference as we know it will never be the same, or likely as relevant, again.
Some of the most important (read: generally most successful) programs within the league will depart for the reborn Pac-12 in 2026, led by Boise State, the only Mountain West member to have played in a CFP game and won a New Year’s Six bowl game. When that happens, the Mountain West will go from a conference generally respected for its solid G5 play to one more or less fighting for a spot at the table of relevancy.
It is a sad reality, as the current Mountain West lineup features a number of solid programs that routinely produce NFL talent and good rivalries that actually make sense from a geographic standpoint. Not that those things can’t or won’t happen moving forward, but the presence of a “mid-major” juggernaut like Boise State plays a definite role in upping the quality of the rest of the league and the respect that it receives from the general public.
So, soak it in. The Mountain West figures to be in the Playoff conversation this year just as it was in 2024, meaning that its importance to the national picture is still very real. For now. That is very likely to change after this season.
Embed from Getty ImagesTeams I Like
Air Force
The Falcons finished the 2024 regular season under .500 for the first time since 2018 and just the fourth time in head coach Troy Calhoun’s 18-year tenure with the program. However, if you look at the way Air Force finished the season compared with the way they started it, there’s a lot to like heading into this year given how much of the production from that team returns for 2025. With an inexperienced offensive line and quarterback, the Falcons struggled out of the gate, starting 1-7 while facing the meat of the schedule early. But a four game win streak to end the year also marked four of the five games against FBS competition where the offense scored at least 20 points.
With a more experienced offensive line, quarterback, defense and four of the top five rushers from last season back, the Falcons should be one of the tougher teams in the Mountain West. Coach Calhoun knows what he wants to do and his players typically execute that plan well. The schedule is littered with tough road games but Air Force should at least be in the mix for the Mountain West title this season.
Boise State
The Broncos may need to rely on the singular spot awarded to the highest ranked G5 champion to make consecutive Playoff appearances, but are well positioned to make a run at that. Despite the departure of their main man Ashton Jeanty from last season’s team, Spencer Danielson has a lot coming back on the offensive side that makes dealing with the loss of their star running back manageable. This is particularly true on the offensive line, where all but one starter returns and NFL talent exists. They’ll pave the way for the guy(s) who will replace Jeanty, who if it turns out to be primarily redshirt freshman Sire Gaines, draws some comparisons physically to last year’s Heisman runner up.
The Broncos might need to dominate on the offensive side of the ball early, at least until a somewhat unproven defensive front has time to gel. That typically hasn’t been an issue for Boise State in the past, though, and with so much firepower on the offensive side seems like a reasonable possibility. There are some landmines on the schedule, including a tricky Thursday evening date at South Florida to begin the season and a massive trip to South Bend in early October. But if the Broncos are victorious in at least one of those and take care of business as expected in the Mountain West, they should be right in the thick of the Playoff conversation once again come December.
San Jose State
The Spartans were one of the bigger surprises in the Mountain West last season, qualifying for the postseason in Ken Niumatalolo’s first year with the program. While I have long been a big fan of Niumatalolo, the biggest revelation from last season’s squad was the effectiveness of offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann’s Spead-N-Shred scheme. The Spartans were actually better offensively last season than they were in Brent Brennan’s last year in San Jose, and far more balanced. With an experienced offensive line, running back corps and far more stability at the quarterback position, the Spartans should continue to improve in the scheme this season.
The non-conference schedule is challenging, but it should prepare the Spartans well for a favorable conference schedule that sees them missing Boise State and UNLV entirely and getting Air Force at home. The pieces appear to be lined up for San Jose State to make a serious run at a Mountain West Conference title, and perhaps even a Playoff berth.
Embed from Getty ImagesNot High On
New Mexico
The Lobos were a major surprise being on the cusp of postseason eligibility last season and probably would have been poised to get there in 2025 had Bronco Mendenhall stuck around. Sadly for New Mexico, Mendenhall left after just one season as head coach and that departure resulted in a decimation of the roster thanks to the transfer portal. New head man Jason Eck, the third in as many years at the program, takes over a squad that feels like it is starting over at square one yet again.
With so many new faces in the locker room and a treacherous schedule both in and out of conference, it would be an accomplishment if Eck manages to keep New Mexico out of the Mountain West cellar in 2025. Particularly affected by losses is the offensive side of the ball, so the Lobos will likely need to rely on the defense to keep things competitive this year. This is one of those situations that I hope I am wrong about, because the fan base deserved the direction that it appeared the program was headed during last season.
UNLV
Barry Odom, the orchestrator of the program’s best season at 11-3 and ranked in the final AP poll in 2024, left for Purdue in the offseason. In his place this year is former Florida and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen. Coach Mullen has taken the increasingly popular approach of utilizing the transfer portal heavily in hopes that he can build a winner out of spare parts quickly. While there is no denying Mullen got the job done in terms of filling the coffers, it is entirely unknown how well the team will gel together in a real game atmosphere. Nearly everyone on both sides of the ball will be new starters this season, and the Rebels’ toughest games are frontloaded on the schedule.
My other concern with this squad is the idea that a team lacking real continuity will be brought together successfully with a two quarterback system. The thought is that Mullen will utilize both Anthony Colandrea and Alex Orgi at the position throughout the year depending on the situation. I am not a firm believer in that strategy and I believe that despite a lot of talent being brought in, the offense will struggle to mesh adequately enough for UNLV to make another serious run at a Mountain West title.
Embed from Getty ImagesPlayers To Watch
Maddux Madsen, Boise State quarterback
Handing the ball off to Ashton Jeanty last season sort of made Madsen look like a game manager, but in actuality he was one of the more productive quarterbacks in the Mountain West as a passer. His 3,018 yards passing and 23 touchdown tosses led the conference, and his ability with his arm was the main reason that opposing defenses couldn’t just stack the box to stop Jeanty on every play. Additionally, Madsen can be dangerous with his legs and typically shows that off several times per game.
With Jeanty moving on, this is now very clearly Madsen’s team offensively and he won’t wither in the spotlight. Though offensive coordinator Nate Potter is a former offensive lineman, he was co-OC last season as well and the Broncos were not a one-dimensional offense. It is unlikely Potter will move away from a balanced approach, as he can trust Madsen as a seasoned veteran at this point.
Trey White, San Diego State defensive end
White finished tied for fifth in the country in sacks and seventh in tackles for loss in 2024 and will serve as the leader of a San Diego State defense that should be much improved as a whole in 2025. White will be surrounded by returning starters on the defensive line this year and should also benefit from Rob Aurich taking over the defensive coordinator role for the Aztecs, as Aurich focused on edge rushing last season and likely has ideas to make White even more productive.
While the Aztecs may not be in the national spotlight much this season, there is a chance that White will be, having made the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Trophy. With so many returning starters on the San Diego State defense, White should get more help and thus less focus will be able to be applied to him. While it will be difficult for White to improve upon last year’s impressive numbers, it is certainly possible.
Walker Eget, San Jose State quarterback
Eget didn’t take over the starting role for the Spartans until midway through last season, but once he did the Spread-N-Shred offense really started to pop. The 6’3”, 228 pound senior has good size and a strong arm and just needs to take the next step in his progression this season by cutting down on turnovers (13-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season) to be amongst the league’s most dangerous passers.
Though the Spartans will need to replace the production of their top two receivers from last season, Eget’s maturation and understanding of the offense should allow for others to step up rather quickly. If that happens, the San Jose State offense will be one of the best in the Mountain West.
Jordan Pollard, San Jose State linebacker
Pollard is the leader of a senior laden San Jose State defense and the quarterback on the field for that unit. He is seemingly everywhere all at once, leading the team with 115 tackles last season, including 14 for a loss (sixth best in the conference).
A testament to his quarterbacking abilities on the defensive side, Pollard is adept at recognizing how a play is developing and rarely gets fooled. His ability to stay at home coupled with excellent closing speed explains why he racked up so many tackles last season. With talented teammates on either side of him this year, Pollard is poised to become a first-team All-Mountain West selection again in 2025 and lead what should be one of the conference’s best defenses.
Jai’den Thomas, UNLV running back
One of the only returning starters on the UNLV offense is a good one in Thomas. The junior earned second-team All-Mountain West honors last season and was just 82 yards from eclipsing the 1,000 yard rushing mark, something that he may be able to do this season even as Dan Mullen brings more of a spread approach to the program.
Nicknamed “Jet”, Thomas is a speedster and can be used in multiple ways by Mullen. As the offense seeks to become more cohesive with so many new pieces, Thomas may serve as someone to lean on early in the season. That could translate into massive stat lines for the shifty running back, as the Rebels face Sam Houston State and Idaho State in two of their first three games.
Embed from Getty ImagesGames to Watch (Conference)
Boise State at Air Force (September 20)
What will likely be Boise State’s toughest conference road test of the year will be its first, traveling to Colorado Springs to take on the service academy. Air Force should be much improved from its 2024 campaign, but does get a Broncos squad off of a bye week in this one.
Air Force at UNLV (October 11)
A tough back-to-back sees Air Force traveling to face Navy, then heading right back out west to Las Vegas to take on the Rebels. The Falcons have fared quite well against UNLV on the road, but generally speaking those Rebels teams were not as strong as this one should be. This game will likely carry some weight in terms of deciding the Mountain West title game participants.
UNLV at Colorado State (November 8)
Some questions about the Rebels heading into the season will likely already be answered by the time this game rolls around, but if the answers were positive, then this is perhaps the only significant hurdle left that Dan Mullen’s team would need to clear to make it back to the conference title game.
Air Force at San Jose State (November 8)
The contrast of Air Force’s run heavy offensive attack to the Spread-N-Shred of San Jose State will be on display and should produce a lot of points. Spartans’ head coach Ken Niumatalolo and the Falcons’ Troy Calhoun are very familiar with each other, having faced off 17 times stemming back to Niumatalolo’s days as Navy’s head coach (Niumatalolo holds a slim 9-8 lead).
Embed from Getty ImagesGames to Watch (Non-Conference)
San Jose State at Texas (September 6)
The Spartans are unlikely to topple the Coaches Poll’s preseason No. 1 team in Week 2, but how San Jose State looks against the Longhorns may quickly provide some insight as to whether the Spartans can truly be considered a dark horse for the G5 Playoff bid this season.
UCLA at UNLV (September 6)
Dan Mullen is very familiar with P4 football and invites one of its members to Vegas for an early season non-conference battle. The spotlight will of course be on Nico Iamaleava, but the Rebels pulled two quarterbacks with starting experience at P4 programs from the portal and we’ll find out quickly whether they can fill the shoes of Hajj-Malik Williams.
San Jose State at Stanford (September 27)
I want so badly to call this one the Silicon Valley Bowl, but believe it or not it already has a name. The Bill Walsh Legacy Game is on its 69th edition this season, and though San Jose State is at a severe disadvantage in the series all-time (14-52-1), has a great chance to get a rare “W” in 2025.
Air Force at Navy (October 4)
The first of the three legs that makes up the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy will take place where the hardware currently resides. Defending the trophy will be difficult for the Midshipmen in 2025, as it appears that all three service academies are similarly talented this year, meaning it could be anyone’s to claim.
Embed from Getty ImagesAw, Shuck It (3 Bets to Place)
*odds via DraftKings at time of publication. Around The Corn is not responsible for lost bets!
Boise States Makes College Football Playoff (+180)
A return to the Playoff for the Broncos will be tough, with a difficult schedule added to the pressure of replacing the production of Ashton Jeanty.
However, the Broncos appear to remain the class of the Mountain West and thus if they take care of their business, figure to be in good position to capture the G5 auto bid.
San Jose State Makes College Football Playoff (+3000)
If you’re not interested in betting the favorites, the Spartans are an intriguing team with an excellent ROI possibility (+3000 odds).
The Spread-N-Shred offense that San Jose State employs, which was potent last season, can only get better with more experience at the quarterback position.
New Mexico Under 3.5 (-135)
The Lobos made excellent progress under Bronco Mendenhall last season, but he is now gone and it feels like a lot of that progress dissipated with Mendenhall’s departure.
New Mexico is unfortunately not a stranger to being one of the worst teams in college football, and they may once again be closer to that than a bowl bid in 2025.
Embed from Getty ImagesPredictions
- Boise State (11-1, [8-0])
- San Jose State (11-1, [8-0])
- Air Force (8-4, [6-2])
- Colorado State (7-5, [5-3])
- UNLV (8-4, [5-3])
- Fresno State (6-6, [5-3])
- Hawai’i (6-6, [4-4])
- San Diego State (4-8, [2-6])
- Utah State (4-8, [2-6])
- Wyoming (3-9, [1-7])
- Nevada (2-10, [1-7])
- New Mexico (1-11, [0-8])
Conference Title Game
San Jose State at Boise State
Champion: Boise State
