UTEP joins Mountain West: League moves closer to renewing full-time membership with Miners defecting from Conference USA

It was announced Tuesday that UTEP will leave Conference USA and join the Mountain West Conference starting in July 2026. Sources confirmed to CBS Sports that the Mountain West Conference entered into serious discussions with UTEP about joining the league over the weekend. The move gives the MWC eight members with seven holding full-time status (Hawaii is a member for soccer only). The NCAA requires eight full members for the league to be recognized as an FBS conference.

This development comes on the heels of the Mountain West reportedly seeking Northern Illinois and Toledo as football-only members. Sources told CBS Sports that MW is also in the exploratory phase with Texas State, which would be a full-time member of the conference if discussions become serious.

“Joining the Mountain West Conference will put us back in contention with historic rivals in the West,” UTEP President Heather Wilson said in a statement. “There is no doubt that this will be better for our student-athletes, our fans, and El Paso.”

UTEP will owe Conference USA about $2 million in exit fees. The TV market in El Paso, Texas, is seen as an added advantage for MW, and a decision is expected soon.

UTEP had long eyed the Mountain West as a potential home long before the latest round of realignment began earlier this month with the Pac-12 torn five members away from the current MW lineup. UTEP joined Conference USA in 2005 after spending the previous 38 years in the WAC. The Miners were excluded from MW at that time and joined C-USA.

UTEP won the WAC championship in 2000 and last advanced to a bowl game in 2021, when it lost to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. UTEP is 0-4 this season under first-year coach Scotty Walden, who was hired from FCS Austin Peay.

The Mountain West announced Thursday that its remaining members have signed a memorandum of understanding to remain with the league through 2032 as the conference still needs to bolster its ranks amid the departure of five Pac-12 schools.

“We are pleased to welcome The University of Texas at El Paso to the Mountain West as the next step in our strategic membership initiatives,” said Gloria Nevarez, Mountain West Commissioner. “The addition of UTEP brings back historic rivalries with many of our member institutions within our geographic footprint, provides valuable exposure in the great state of Texas, and contributes to our priority of maximizing the academic and athletics experience for our student-athletes.”

Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State announced last week that they will leave MW for the newly reformed Pac-12 starting in July 2026. The Pac-12 is suing MW over a “poaching penalty” that could push the total financial penalty for their departure to Pac-12 to about $140 million.