Mountain West Conference Announces UTEP will Play at North Dakota State in 2026

2/24/2026 1:02:00 PM

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West Conference announced on Tuesday that UTEP will play at North Dakota State in 2026.

NDSU, after playing in the FCS since 2004, will play its first FBS game in 2026. UTEP's contest against the Bison will replace the game scheduled at UNLV, and will mark the first ever meeting between the two programs.

The Mountain West announced on Feb. 9 that the North Dakota State football program will join the league. The Bison will be the conference's 10^th football school.

North Dakota State football played in Division II from 1922 to 2003, then moved to Division I-FCS in 2004. NDSU qualified for its first FCS playoffs appearance in 2010, falling in the quarterfinals, before starting its run of five straight national titles from 2011 to 2015. Overall, the Bison won 18 total NCAA Championships, including 10 in FCS. The Bison finished 50-6 in the FCS Playoffs.

Mountain West foes coming to the Sun Bowl are Hawai'i, Nevada, San Jose State and Wyoming. The Miners will hit the road to take on Air Force, New Mexico, NIU and North Dakota State.

In nonconference action, UTEP will host Oregon State and Texas Southern, while playing at Power Four programs Michigan and Oklahoma.

Five of the Miners' opponents advanced to postseason play in 2025. Hawai'i (9-4) defeated Cal in the Hawai'i Bowl, Michigan (9-4) lost to Texas in the Citrus Bowl, New Mexico (9-4) was edged out by Minnesota in the Rate Bowl, North Dakota State (12-1) fell against Illinois State in the NCAA FCS Playoff second round, and Oklahoma (10-3) lost against Alabama in the College Football Playoff first round.

The Orange and Blue will face Michigan and Oregon State for the first time, while the Miners will renew old rivalries in '26.

QUICK NOTES – RIVALRIES RENEWED
Air Force – 16th all-time meeting, first since 1995
Hawai'i – 32nd all-time meeting, first since 2004
Nevada – fifth all-time meeting, first since 2019
New Mexico – 81st all-time meeting, first since 2022
San Jose State – 11th all-time meeting, first since 2004
Wyoming – 34th all-time meeting, first since 1995

UTEP will face NIU for the first time since 1996.

UTEP officially joins the Mountain West on July 1, 2026, following a 21-year run in Conference USA.

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