Members of the media in the Mountain West Conference footprint concluded their annual gathering in Las Vegas to predict how the 2025 football campaign would play out. 

It was no surprise that the Boise State Broncos are the favorites to win the league and secured 35 of 39 first-place votes with a total of 464 points. UNLV nabbed the other four first-place votes and are expected to be the main challengers to the Broncos in Dan Mullen’s first year at the helm and totaled 415 points. San Jose State was third followed by colorado state (326) and Fresno State to round out the top five. 

After a dismal 3-9 campaign in Jay Sawvel’s first  season, there wasn’t much love from the media for the Wyoming Cowboys who were slated to finish 10th in the 12-team league this fall with 150 points. The Utah State Aggies were just in front of the Pokes with 165 points in what will be the first year under Bronco Mendenhall who will helm his third Mountain West team in his career after leaving New Mexico and BYU. 

Mullen and Mendenhall are the two high profile new coaches but the FCS newcomers may make some noise as well with Matt Entz taking over Fresno State after winning a pair of national titles at North Dakota State. Joining him in the move to the FBS is Jason Eck who replaces Mendenhall at New Mexico after leading Idaho to successful campaigns in the last handful of years. 

It is the final year for the Mountain West in its current configuration with all of the “State” schools from Boise, Colorado, Fresno, San Diego and Utah joining the Pac-12 next season. 

The Cowboys open their season schedule on the road on August 30 against Akron before opening up their home slate with back-to-back games against Northern Iowa and the Utah Utes to celebrate the recently remodeled War Memorial Stadium. <

Preseason MWC Media Poll

Team / 1st Place Votes / Total Points

1 Boise St (35) 464

2 UNLV (4) 415

3 San Jose St 359

4 colorado st 326

5 Fresno St 301

6 Air Force 280

7 Hawaii 213

8 San Diego St 202

9 Utah St 165

10 Wyoming 150

11 New Mexico 84

12 Nevada 83