{"id":118996,"date":"2024-10-07T10:28:12","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T17:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/?p=118996"},"modified":"2024-10-07T10:28:18","modified_gmt":"2024-10-07T17:28:18","slug":"fbs-utep-mountain-west-conference-realignment-miners-cusa-cpcp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/fbs-utep-mountain-west-conference-realignment-miners-cusa-cpcp\/","title":{"rendered":"UTEP & Mountain West Conference Realignment: Why The Miners Are Leaving Conference USA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Pac-12 nearly dissolving and its rebuild continues to have impacts on the Group of Five<\/a>. This time, the Mountain West<\/a> added a team after losing several members to the Pac-12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MW announced last week the league is bringing in UTEP, which is currently a member of Conference USA<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s more about the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Reasoning For UTEP\u2019s Mountain West Move<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UTEP is joining a conference that\u2019s stronger in terms of on-the-field performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s not including the five teams which will be members of the Pac-12 in two years. For example, Air Force reached the AP Top 25 as recently as last season, and UNLV was ranked at 25th last week after two wins over Power Four programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s also familiarity with the Miners and the other current Mountain West teams, as UTEP played against all of those programs while in the Western Athletic Conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UTEP\u2019s decision appears to be financially sound as well. The money made from the Mountain West\u2019s TV deal could be more than four times as much as UTEP is making with Conference USA\u2019s. That\u2019s going off of the current numbers of those deals, and that could of course end up changing with so many teams leaving the Mountain West, which has a TV deal that will reportedly expire after next season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UTEP\u2019s move could also end up making sense from a travel standpoint as well. Reports have indicated Texas State and Tarleton State might also end up going to the MW, so that could be two other teams in the state of Texas. Currently only one other CUSA team is in the Lone Star State (Sam Houston).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt this will be better for our student-athletes, our fans, and for El Paso,\u201d UTEP president Heather Wilson said in a press release. \u201cWe look forward to rekindling former rivalries and welcoming teams and their fans to El Paso.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When Is UTEP Joining The Mountain West?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UTEP will become a member of the Mountain West on July 1, 2026. The Miners\u2019 football team will begin Mountain West play during the 2026 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are excited to welcome The University of Texas at El Paso to the Mountain West as the next step in our strategic membership initiatives,\u201d MW commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a press release. \u201cThe addition of UTEP restores historic rivalries with several of our member institutions within the geographic footprint and provides valuable exposure in the great State of Texas. We welcome and look forward to competing against the student-athletes of UTEP.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mountain West Teams Going To The Pac-12<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

San Diego State, Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State, and Fresno State are the teams from the Mountain West going to the Pac-12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But more could be joining them soon. The Pac-12 added Gonzaga for basketball, but the league needs at least one more full-time member.<\/p>\n\n\n

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