Northern Illinois joins Mountain West

Northern Illinois set to join Mountain West for football only in 2026
Northern Illinois has accepted an invitation to join the Mountain West for football only in 2026, the school and conference announced Tuesday. The Huskies will go from the Midwest-based MAC to a conference in which the easternmost school is in Colorado Springs,
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,
Tuesday's college football: Northern Illinois to leave MAC for western-based conference
The Huskies will go from the MAC to a league in which the easternmost school is in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Northern Illinois football pays $2 million to join Mountain West
Northern Illinois football is heading to the Mountain West Conference in 2026. The school announced Tuesday it's paying $2 million to join.
Northern Illinois football joins Mountain West Conference
The Northern Illinois Huskies’ football team will be joining the Mountain West Conference, leaving the Mid-American Conference that it had been a member of for nearly 30 years.
'Location, location, location': Behind the inspirations for NIU football move to the Mountain West
NIU football's move to the Mountain West Conference was inspired by another major college football realignment move, and it might mean more change is coming for Northern Illinois athletics.
NIU football officially joins the Mountain West Conference
The university officially announced it would join the Mountain West Conference in a football-only capacity starting in 2026. The move puts the Mountain West Conference at nine teams: NIU, Air Force, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.
Northern Illinois to vote Tuesday on football-only Mountain West invitation
Northern Illinois’ board of trustees will meet Tuesday to discuss and vote on the acceptance of an invitation to join the Mountain West as a football-only member in 2026.
Northern Illinois becomes football-only member of Mountain West, leaving MAC
Northern Illinois confirmed on Tuesday that it is joining the Mountain West in 2026 as a football-only member.
Northern Illinois joins Mountain West: Huskies will compete as football-only member beginning in 2026 season
The Mountain West Conference has announced the addition of Northern Illinois in football after the school's board of trustees approved the move on Tuesday. Northern Illinois, which will begin competing in the conference in 2026,
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