UTEP to Leave Conference USA for Mountain West in 2026

EL PASO, TX– The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) will be leaving Conference USA and joining the Mountain West Conference (MWC) starting in July 2026, according to an announcement made on Tuesday. Discussions between UTEP and the MWC intensified over the weekend, as confirmed by CBS Sports sources. This move will increase the MWC’s membership to eight, with seven being full-time members, as Hawai'i remains a football-only participant. The NCAA mandates at least eight full-time members for a conference to maintain its status as an FBS league.

This development follows reports that the MWC has been pursuing Northern Illinois and Toledo as football-only members. Additionally, Texas State is in the exploratory phase of discussions for full-time membership, per CBS Sports.

UTEP will owe Conference USA an exit fee of approximately $2 million. The El Paso television market, considered a strategic asset, played a significant role in UTEP’s appeal to the Mountain West, with a final decision expected soon.

UTEP has long viewed the Mountain West as a desired destination, even before the current realignment wave, which began with the Pac-12’s acquisition of five MW schools. UTEP has been a member of Conference USA since 2005 after a 38-year stint in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

In 2000, UTEP won the WAC Championship, and the team last appeared in a bowl game in 2021, losing to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. The Miners, under first-year head coach Scotty Walden, are currently 0-4 this season.

The Mountain West is strengthening its position as several of its prominent members—Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State—announced their departure for the restructured Pac-12 in 2026. A memorandum of understanding has been signed by the remaining MW members, ensuring their commitment to the conference through 2032. The Pac-12 is currently embroiled in a lawsuit against the Mountain West over a “poaching penalty,” with potential damages reaching up to $140 million.