Updated September 2, 2026
The Mountain West Conference is going to look very different moving forward. Several teams moved out of the league to join the new PAC-12, while some fresh faces have moved into the league as well. Here, we break down the Mountain West Conference futures markets and let you know who our prediction is to win this new-look league.
UNLV is among the favorites to win the Mountain West Conference according to the traders at Polymarket. The Rebels have been a title contender in this league for each of the last few years and appear to be the team in the best position to take advantage of all the departures from this conference in the offseason.
However, there is no such thing as a sure thing in sports prediction markets, and this conference is no exception. The Rebels already dropped an early non-conference game at home to Memphis and this conference title race appears poised to be a roller coaster in 2026.
A newcomer to the Mountain West is already being seen by traders as a legitimate threat to win the championship. The North Dakota State Bison have been a dominant program at the FCS level for many years, winning national title after national title at that level of competition. In their first year of FBS action, they will try to make an immediate impact in the MWC.
The Bison have one of the most unique home-field advantages in the sport at the Fargodome, and their rabid fanbase will only be more energized by the transition to FBS. Whether that and all of the talent on their roster are enough to help the Bison contend for a conference title remains to be seen.
A few other teams have a shot to win the Mountain West if their futures prices are to be believed. Hawai'i, Air Force, and New Mexico have all been members of the Mountain West in previous seasons and bring very different offensive approaches to the field this year. They will also look to take advantage of the departure of Boise State to win this conference for themselves.
UNLV has the experience of playing in this conference working in their favor. But North Dakota State has built a winning program over many years and appears to be ready for the spotlight of FBS football. We'll take the Bison to win the MWC at a price that is better than that of UNLV.
