Mountain West “Likely” to Eliminate Football Divisions in 2023
Sam Wasson/Getty Images. Pictured: The Mountain West logo.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Mountain West is giving “strong consideration” to eliminating divisions for the 2023 college football season, sources told Action Network.
One source was much more optimistic, indicating it's “likely” to happen next year.
“We’ve been talking about it and will continue,” a source said.
This month, the NCAA Council is expected to approve a waiver allowing all leagues to play without divisions but still hold conference championship games. The waiver will not require teams to eliminate divisions, but it provides that option.
Without divisions, a conference is guaranteed its best two teams would play in the league championship. That league champion, in theory, would be better positioned to earn a College Football Playoff berth or Group of Five New Year’s Six bowl berth.
Last year, the Mountain West had four 10-win teams — San Diego State (12-2), Utah State (11-3), Air Force (10-3) and Fresno State (10-3) — for the second consecutive season (excluding 2020’s shortened COVID-19 season).
With Cincinnati, Houston and UCF leaving the American for the Big 12 next season, the Mountain West is positioned to become the strongest Group of Five conference.
The Mountain West Conference is currently split into the Mountain (Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State and Wyoming) and West (Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State and UNLV) divisions.
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