LAS VEGAS – Boise State has been selected as the preseason favorite to claim the 2023 Mountain West football regular-season title, as selected by a media panel and announced by the Conference at its annual media days, being held at Circa Las Vegas.
Boise State garnered 28 first-place votes and 433 total points, while Air Force has been selected to finish in second place with 364 points and two first-place votes. Fresno State earned five first-place votes and was picked third with 351 total points.
San Diego State was voted to finish fourth, earning one first-place vote and 338 points. San José State earned 293 points, good for fifth in the preseason media poll, while Wyoming was picked to finish sixth with 281 points, and Colorado State was selected seventh, earning 201 points.
Rounding out the preseason predicted order of finish was Utah State in eighth with 194 points, UNLV in ninth with 177 points and the remaining first-place vote, Hawai’i in 10th with 102 points, Nevada in 11th with 92 points, and New Mexico in 12th with 60 points.
In 2022, the MW announced the elimination of football divisions beginning with the 2023 season. The new schedule rotation enhances the opportunity of matching the two best teams in the MW Football Championship Game annually, providing access to the New Year’s 6/College Football Playoff more frequently.
The new model features a 2-6 structure where each team will play two guaranteed opponents annually and face six other Conference teams. During the three-year cycle, all teams will face nine of 11 opponents at least twice, once at home and once on the road, and two opponents in each of the three years. The top two teams with the highest Conference winning percentage will compete in the MW Football Championship Game on the first Saturday of December.
2023 Mountain West Predicted Order of Finish
1. Boise State (28) 433
2. Air Force (2) 364
3. Fresno State (5) 351
4. San Diego State (1) 338
5. San José State 293
6. Wyoming 281
7. Colorado State 201
8. Utah State 194
9. UNLV (1) 177
10. Hawai’i 102
11. Nevada 92
12. New Mexico 60