Podcasts about Mountain west

We find out if Bruntz has a Mountain West team in interest. We also get his latest insight on Nebraska football and thoughts on their depth at the running back position.

Time to preview another Mountain West team from the Phil Steele book.

On this Aloha Friday, the guys are on winding down from Mountain West media days. The guys take on the "Bowl Eligibility Percentage", giving each team in the Mountain West conference their chances to play a postseason game. There's also talk about the Open Championship at the start with a 2-stroke penalty being awarded. And then there's also the World Cup 3rd place and finals...which is actually more important of a game?

Full Court Press radio show as heard on 106.9 FM, 1390 AM The FAN with Eric Frandsen and Jason Walker. Topics for today's show included:ESPN did a pre-season NBA rookie ranking, and Jason and Eric give their thoughts on where Darryn Peterson will rank among rookies this seasonJay Sawvel made a few comments at Mountain West Media Days, taking mild shots at the Pac-12 and a couple of its teamsWorld Cup updates, thoughts on the championship game, and the tournament so far

On this Aloha Friday, Gary talks about Hawaii's standing in the Mountain West as well as discusses players in the WNBA.

7-16-26 Whipping around the Mountain West Football Media day, with hype all around Coach Eck & the Lobos

University of Hawaiʻi football head coach Timmy Chang joined Ku'ulei and Kyle from Mountain West Media Days at the Palms in Las Vegas to preview the 2026 Rainbow Warriors season. Chang reflects on Hawaiʻi's breakthrough 2025 campaign and Sheraton Hawaiʻi Bowl comeback victory over Cal, while explaining how the program is handling increased expectations entering a new season. He also discusses Mountain West Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Micah Alejado, the depth of UH's receiving corps, the importance of the team's culture and the Rainbow Warriors' challenging start against Stanford and UNLV. The conversation also includes Chang's appreciation for his coaching staff, Hawaiʻi's fans and community, along with a personal reflection on his family and coaching journey.

Preview Season rolls along with Garrett and Trey breaking down the new-look Mountain West!With the juggernaut Boise State no longer a factor, this league is wide open with some contenders that were once afterthoughts, like UNLV, New Mexico, and Hawaii, as well as FBS newcomer North Dakota State. Garrett and Trey break down every team to let you know what you can expect this season!Check out our brand new sponsor — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Water Hats!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get 15% off your first purchase from Homefield Apparel when you use code “THREETECHPOD” at checkout!https://tr.ee/ZFhu7XSuLgJoin the Jimmy's and Joe's for CFB content for all 138 teams!FOLLOW: @ThreeTechPod on Instagram and Twitter!HOMEFIELD DISCOUNT: THREETECHPOD for 15% off!

With the Mountain West and Sun Belt having their media days on Wednesday and Thursday, Johnny and Greg (in for Prater) took a look at some of the top projected teams in each league and if the conference champions from either conference could challenge Boise State for the G6 College Football Playoff berth. What are some of the most intriguing storylines in the NFL with training camps set to open next week? Also, there were a lot of big movies released on this day as Johnny and Greg take a look back on some notable titles in pop culture. Plus, as Maddux Madsen enters his final season as Boise State's starting quarterback, is there more pressure on Madsen or Zak Hill. Who are some other assistants on BSU's staff that have a lot of pressure on themselves?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Messi and Argentina came from behind again. How can one athlete elevate and intimidate? Should UNM reach out to Donovan Dent? No preseason polls for the Mountain West and it's the right move. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Mountain West and Sun Belt having their media days on Wednesday and Thursday, Johnny and Greg (in for Prater) took a look at some of the top projected teams in each league and if the conference champions from either conference could challenge Boise State for the G6 College Football Playoff berth. What are some of the most intriguing storylines in the NFL with training camps set to open next week? Also, there were a lot of big movies released on this day as Johnny and Greg take a look back on some notable titles in pop culture. Plus, as Maddux Madsen enters his final season as Boise State's starting quarterback, is there more pressure on Madsen or Zak Hill. Who are some other assistants on BSU's staff that have a lot of pressure on themselves?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interview the University of Hawaii Football Head Coach Timmy Chang.

Interview with Head Coach Jeff Choate of the University of Nevada Reno Football team.

Interview with the Head Coach of the University of Texas at El Paso Football Team Scotty Walden.

Interview with San Jose State University Football Head Coach Ken Niumatololo.

Interview with EJ Colson from the University of Incarnate Word.

Interview with University of Hawaii Quarterback Micah Alejado.

Interview with players from the San Jose State University offensive team.

Interview with players from the North Dakota State University defensive team.

Interview with players from the North Dakota State University offensive team.

Interview with the University of Hawaii's Athletics Director Matt Elliott.

Interview with University of Nevada Reno Defense players.

Interview with players from the University of Nevada Las Vegas Football.

Interview with University of Hawaii Defense players.

Interview with the Commissioner of the Mountain West Conference Gloria Nevarez.

Interview with University of New Mexico football players Jaxton Eck & Jack Layne.

Interview with University of Nevada Las Vegas Football Player Jai'Den Thomas.

With the Mountain West and Sun Belt having their media days on Wednesday and Thursday, Johnny and Greg (in for Prater) took a look at some of the top projected teams in each league and if the conference champions from either conference could challenge Boise State for the G6 College Football Playoff berth. What are some of the most intriguing storylines in the NFL with training camps set to open next week? Also, there were a lot of big movies released on this day as Johnny and Greg take a look back on some notable titles in pop culture. Plus, as Maddux Madsen enters his final season as Boise State's starting quarterback, is there more pressure on Madsen or Zak Hill. Who are some other assistants on BSU's staff that have a lot of pressure on themselves?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Josh Pacheco and John Veneri tag team in for Kanoa and Billy today to give us a special show LIVE from Las Vegas where they talk to multiple football players from the Mountain West teams.

Combat sports in New Mexico, could Bare Knuckle Boxing be banned? Are you OK with no official preseason polls for the Mountain West? NFL Notes! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The previous post covered my grades on how the strength of today’s four largest college athletic conferences compare with their previous versions twenty years ago in 2006. Here's a brief recap. In my estimation, only the SEC (which expanded from 12 to 16 teams over that 20 year period) has shown an upgrade in competition levels since 2006.  I awarded the SEC a “B” grade. The Big 12 (which lost four of its prominent members to the SEC) received a C+ for their nimble addition of several relevant regional sports schools. A “D” grade was handed down to the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Their nonsensical addition of West Coast newcomers Cal (Berkeley) and Stanford in 2024 crashed the ACC's overall score. Speaking of lousy grades, I awarded a D- to the Big Ten Conference as its recently-annexed properties have resulted in a BIG thud.  From the east (Maryland and Rutgers) to the west (Nebraska, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington), the Big Ten’s new coast-to-coast configuration has failed to improve this conference for either sports fans or student/athletes. How have the five mid-major conferences fared with recent expansion issues? These other conferences (nicknamed the “Group of Five”) can be quite entertaining but rarely win national championships.  They must compete against the “Big Four” major conferences featuring the wealthiest college sports programs. American Athletic Conference (AAC) The AAC has only been around since the year 2013.  There were 10 initial AAC members and now 14 in 2026. Only Memphis, South Florida, and Temple remain from 2013.  The ACC raided Conference USA to obtain several of its new members. Army and Navy – What's not to like about these two additions?  They bring the focus of the entire college football world to their annual game played in early December.  Grades – A Charlotte – The 49ers have been perpetual cellar dwellers in most sports.  Charlotte, North Carolina sports fans are more likely to follow UNC, Duke, and Clemson.  Yawn.  Grade – D- East Carolina – The Pirates have made the NCAA baseball playoffs ten times since 2013 and have occasionally contended for the AAC title in football.  A hearty fan base makes ECU a fun place to watch sports.  Grade – B Florida Atlantic – A member of the AAC since 2023, this school is best known for its men's basketball team and having a great beach nearby.  Sadly, most local sports fans don’t give a hoot about the FAU Owls yet.  Grade – C- North Texas – The Mean Green had a brilliant 12-2 football season in 2025 in the school's third year as part of the AAC.  The other sports are lagging behind.  Grade – C Rice – Another third year AAC member, the Houston-based Owls have been an athletics flop in their new conference.  Grade – D Tulane – Green Wave football program has rejuvenated Tulane athletics down in the Crescent City.  Unfortunately, the remainder of the school’s sports teams rarely lead the AAC.  Grade – C Tulsa – Golden Hurricane football and men's basketball programs have been on the decline in the past decade.  That's a shame, because Tulsa fans desperately want to get behind the city’s lone major college athletics team.  Grade – C- UAB – Try as I might, I'm having trouble remembering any recent sports successes for the Blazers.  Grade – D- UTSA – Like Tulsa, the Roadrunners have the entire San Antonio market ready for their athletics programs to take off.  Other than some recent success in football, UTSA sports still appear to be taking a siesta.  Grade – C- AAC overall grade for expansion: C- Conference USA (C-USA) I am not going to provide individual grades to Conference USA member schools.  It is not their fault that C-USA management has done such a lousy job of keeping this conference together and relevant in major college sports. The conference has seen a 100% turnover in the past 20 years. Schools being added have generally been former FCS top teams such as Delaware, Sam Houston, and Jacksonville (AL) State. Things have declined so badly in Conference USA (“How badly have they declined?”) that longtime member Louisiana Tech recently agreed to pay a reported $8 million to buy its way out of C-USA.  The Bulldogs’ jubilant athletic department and fans are rejoining the Sun Belt Conference this fall.  Louisiana Tech will save more than $1 million annually in travel costs formerly required to travel to schools within the far-flung Conference USA. Longtime C-USA holdovers Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State deserve a better fate.  Save your money and call the Sun Belt in a couple of years! C-USA overall grade for expansion –  F- Mid-American Conference (MAC) In contrast to Conference USA, the MAC has remained remarkably stable for the past 20 years. Eleven of the dozen MAC members in 2006 remain a part of the conference today.  Northern Illinois (which had been part of the MAC for 30 years) is leaving this fall to become part of the Mountain West Conference. In a couple of curious moves, the Mid-American Conference has added two new members recently. UMass – The 2025 addition of the University of Massachusetts (which is at least in regional proximity to longtime MAC member Buffalo) was rather questionable.  Athletic success at Umass has been nearly invisible over the past decade.  After just one year in the MAC, the Minutemen have been a net negative in sports for the Mid-American Conference.  Grade: D- Sacramento State – Seriously?  Yes, the Mid-American Conference will add this longtime FCS member from California to its football schedules this fall.  Sacramento (the #20 TV market) is 2,500 miles from the middle of Ohio. The Hornets will be a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference.  For the usually stable MAC, this is a rather bizarre expansion move.  Grade: F MAC overall grade for expansion:  D- Mountain West Conference (Mountain West) The Mountain West has survived a few departure tremors in recent years.  Of the nine Mountain West members 20 years ago, only Air Force, New Mexico, UNLV, and Wyoming remain.  Let’s review the teams which have come aboard since 2006. Hawaii – The Rainbow Warriors (2012) have posted winning football records in just four of their 14 seasons in the Mountain West.  The other athletic squads are nearly invisible in the post-season tournaments.  Hawaii remains a dream road trip destination for visiting teams and their fans, though.  Grade: C- Nevada – At least the men’s basketball team has appeared in the NCAA March Madness event five times over the past nine seasons.  Otherwise, fans of the Nevada Wolfpack (which joined the Mountain West in 2012) haven’t had much to howl about lately.  Grade: C- North Dakota State – This former FCS division powerhouse football program is stepping-up to play against the big boys beginning this fall.  The move is for football only. The Bison are a terrific geographic fit for the Mountain West Conference, too.  This makes sense.  Grade: A Northern Illinois – The Huskies will join the Mountain West this fall after 30 years in the Mid-American Conference.  Northern Illinois’ sports resume has weakened in recent years.  Other than bringing the #3 TV market (Chicago) to the Mountain West, this move makes little sense.  Grade: D San Jose State – The Spartans (members since 2013) have appeared in four bowl games over the past decade.  On the other hand, the men’s basketball team has won just 33% of its conference games over the past 13 years.  Grade: C- UTEP – This longtime Conference USA member joins the Mountain West this fall.  UTEP’s football team has been downright awful in recent years.  Despite a sports slump, UTEP bring strong fan support from the El Paso area.  They should be a fine geographic fit for the Mountain West.  Grade: C Mountain West overall grade for expansion:  C Sun Belt Conference (Sun Belt) The Sun Belt has been nicknamed the “Junior SEC”.  This conference has grown from 10 members in 2006 to 14 today. Only Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, South Alabama, Troy, and UL-Monroe remain from 2006. Appalachian State – The Mountaineers (members since 2014) have been a top football contender in the Sun Belt.  Their enthusiastic fans make road trips to Boone, North Carolina a fun stop.  Grade: B Coastal Carolina – Speaking of fun stops, how about a visit to Myrtle Beach to play Coastal Carolina?  The 2017 Sun Belt addition of the Chanticleers has been a terrific addition for the conference.  Coastal’s football team has played in six straight bowl games.  The baseball team won the men’s College World Series in 2016.  Grade: A Georgia Southern – Would it surprise you to learn that the Golden Eagles from Statesboro, Georgia have played in seven bowl games over the past eight seasons?  The other sports programs at Georgia Southern need to step it up.  Grade: B Georgia State – The 2013 addition of the Panthers from Atlanta has not added a lot of sports notoriety.  However, the men’s basketball program has earned four invitations to March Madness in the past 11 seasons.  Grade: C Louisiana Tech – The Bulldogs paid dearly ($8 million) to escape Conference USA beginning this fall.  Louisiana Tech brings several highly competitive sports teams. They are a perfect geographic addition to the Sun Belt Conference Western division.  Grade: A Marshall – This begins Marshall’s fourth year in the Sun Belt Conference.  The Thundering Herd has been a top football competitor and competes well in other major sports.  Grade: B Old Dominion – ODU came into the Sun Belt in 2022.  The Monarchs from Norfolk, VA posted a nifty 10-3 football record in 2025.  Old Dominion has been relatively quiet in its other sports, though.  Grade: C Southern Miss – The Golden Eagles (Sun Belt members since 2022) have been a dominant team in recent NCAA college baseball post-season tournaments.  Last season’s 2025 football team improved from a miserable 1-11 record in 2024 to a hopeful 7-6 mark.  Grade: B Sun Belt overall grade for expansion:  B+ Bonus Conference!  The newly revived Pac-12 Conference “states” its case in 2026 The most prominent names of the long-time Pac-12 Conference bolted for better TV money into the Big Ten and ACC in 2024.  That left holdovers Oregon State and Washington State “homeless”.  The Beavers and Cougars have bagged a few top teams from the Mountain West Conference to help them rebuild the Pac-12 starting this fall. Boise State is the biggest name coming to the new Pac-12.  The Broncos have fielded a nationally ranked football program several times in the past few decades. Other Mountain West migrants include Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Washington State. Texas State (formerly of the Sun Belt Conference) will also join the Pac-12 this fall. In case you didn’t notice, each of the eight new Pac-12 schools has the last name of “State”! Summary Only the Sun Belt Conference has earned a positive score (B+) from SwampSwami among the “Group of Five” mid-major conferences. The Sun Belt is the only major college athletic conference opting to maintain two divisions (East and West) to minimize travel expenses for its member schools and lessen the travel impact on their student/athletes.  Bravo! The post Grading the Mid-Major Conference expansions – Part 2 appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

In this college football podcast episode, we continue our 2026 Group of Six conference previews by breaking down the resurrected Pac-12, the new-look Mountain West and a wide-open Conference USA. We start with Boise State’s move into the Pac-12 and discuss whether the Broncos are truly a College Football Playoff threat or simply the best team in their new neighborhood. From there, we examine the cases for Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State and Washington State, along with the conference’s unusual plan to flex matchups during the final week of the regular season. The Mountain West has undergone an even more dramatic transformation, with North Dakota State making the jump to FBS and Northern Illinois and UTEP entering the league. Can NDSU immediately contend with UNLV and New Mexico? Does Hawaii have enough around Micah Alejado to make a run? And can Air Force, Wyoming or one of the conference’s rebuilding programs force its way into the race? We also venture into Conference USA, where Western Kentucky may be the preseason favorite, but Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Liberty and several recent FBS arrivals give us plenty of reasons to question the established order. Finally, we bolt independent UConn onto the end of the preview and explore Jason Candle’s attempt to rebuild a roster that lost nearly everything from last season. Timestamps:0:00 - Intro5:05 - Pac-12 Conference Preview38:44 - Mountain West Conference Preview1:09:55 - CUSA Conference Preview1:27:24 - UConn Football PreviewSupport the show!: https://www.patreon.com/solidverbalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are in that brief summertime window where college athletics have gone on vacation. The men’s and women’s College World Series ended last month.  Football season begins again in late August. I have been reflecting on the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. Even just twenty years ago, the major college sports conferences looked a whole lot different than they do today.  Schools have been shifting to new conference locations primarily to maximize revenues. A few have switched conferences primarily to reduce expenses (I’m looking at you, Louisiana Tech!) The question remains as to whether the recent decades of musical chairs has resulted in improvements for college athletic fans and athletes?  Or have these changes primarily benefited the wallets of major universities and the media companies who quietly wink and nod after bigger TV markets have been added to the portfolios of the largest conferences. Let’s jump into the Wayback machine today and return 20 years to 2006.  We will take a look at each major college athletic conference as it was in 2006 and how it is structured today in 2026. Have these additions been for the better or worse for each conference? Today, let’s examine the top four (by money) major football conferences.  We will review the group of “mid-major” conferences in my next report. Southeastern Conference (SEC) New teams:  Missouri and Texas A&M (2011); Oklahoma and Texas (2024).  Interestingly, each of those four teams moved from the Big 12 Conference to the SEC. Analysis by Team: Missouri – has been a geographic misfit in the SEC from Day 1.  The Tigers have not competed at a high level in most sports nor do they have a lot of trophies to show for the past 15 years in the SEC.  Grade: D Texas A&M – made a lot of sense coming to the SEC in 2011.  The Aggies needed to move along from its constant obsession about being compared to intrastate foe “Texas University”.  SEC leaders were able to snag the huge Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth TV markets.  A&M has proven it “belongs” in the SEC over its 15 years in the league by earning several league titles and staying relevant annually.  Grade: B Oklahoma – The Sooners played in the College Football playoffs last year and just claimed the men’s College World Series title in June.  OU’s long history of athletic success has already been felt around the SEC.  Grade: B+ Texas – The Longhorns are annually contending for the College Football Playoffs in recent seasons.  Texas also brought the growing San Antonio and Austin TV markets into the SEC.  The Longhorns have quickly become top SEC competitors in basketball, baseball, and other sports.  Grade: B+ SEC overall grade for expansion: B Big Ten Conference (Big Ten) New teams: Nebraska (2011); Maryland and Rutgers (2014); Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington (2024). It took a long time for the stodgy Big Ten Conference to finally invite Penn State to become its 11th team in 1990.  Since that time, the poorly named Big Ten has grown to 18 schools today.  The league picked-up several large TV markets in New York City and Philadelphia (Rutgers), Washington DC/Baltimore (Maryland), Los Angeles (UCLA and USC), and Seattle (Washington).  Those new schools have produced relatively little in terms of sports titles for the conference, though.  Analysis by Team:  Nebraska – The Cornhuskers left the comfy confines of the Big 12 Conference in 2011 and quickly saw their national stature in sports take a beating in the Big Ten.  Despite lofty expectations, Nebraska has been a disappointment.  Grade: D Maryland – Ditto.  Just substitute “ACC” for “Big 12”.  Grade: D Rutgers – Rutgers was lousy at most major sports prior to joining the Big Ten.  They were added to the Big Ten simply to attract television viewers from the New York City and Philly TV markets.  Athletically speaking, Rutgers has been a Big Ten bust.  Grade: F Oregon – The Big Ten’s raid of the former Pac-12 snagged one of the nation’s top football teams in Oregon.  The Ducks have given the Big Ten a much needed bolt of energy.  However, I can’t give a top grade to Oregon when its athletes must travel thousands of miles just to participate in Big Ten events.  Grade: C+ UCLA – The Bruins’ women’s basketball and softball teams have been been excellent.  However, the men’s sports programs haven’t made much of a dent in the Big Ten yet.  Grade: C USC – There were lofty expectations for the Trojans’ football team.  They have under-performed.  Like UCLA, USC has not been a difference maker in the Big Ten.  Grade: C- Washington – The Huskies’ football team has regressed the past two years with a 14-11 overall mark.  Washington’s other sports teams have been nearly invisible in the 18-team Big Ten Conference.  This is yet another school spending a ton of money on jet fuel.  They are forcing student/athletes to travel across the country to play in athletic events just to grab more money from television.  Grade: D- Big Ten overall grade for expansion: D- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) New teams: Pitt and Syracuse (2013), Louisville (2014), SMU, Stanford, and Syracuse (2024) Exiting team: Maryland (2014) to Big Ten *Notre Dame:  The Irish joined the ACC in 2013 but remained independent in football.  The current 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference has, by far, the worst geographic fit of any major college conference in America.  Twenty years ago, the ACC’s 13 teams (Maryland has since left) were located along the Atlantic coast.  Adding SMU (Texas) and West coast entries Cal and Stanford in 2024 has been one of the most puzzling decisions in recent years.  Analysis by Team: Louisville – This school (since 2013) has been surprisingly competitive in football but surprisingly non-competitive in men’s basketball recently.  Overall, the Cardinals have been a solid addition to the ACC.  Grade: B+ Syracuse – The Orange (coming aboard in 2013) has produced just four winning seasons in football after 13 years in the ACC.  Some early ACC basketball success has faded in recent years.  Grade: C- Pittsburgh – Pitt (which arrived in 2014) had a good run in football a few years ago with Kenny Pickett running the offense.  Otherwise, their addition to the ACC has been “OK” at best.  Grade: C- Cal (Berkeley) and Stanford – these two Pacific Coast schools (added in 2024) have brought zero titles to the ACC since joining the league.  They remain a waste of jet fuel.  Grades for both schools: F SMU – The Mustangs effectively bought their slot in the ACC in 2024 with the help of their wealthy financial backers.  SMU made it into the 2025 College Football Playoffs but hasn’t been a factor in other sports.  Grade: D+ *Notre Dame – The Irish baseball team made it into the College World Series in 2022.  Notre Dame’s financially prudent but quite selfish decision not to participate in football in the ACC comes with a marked-down score. Grade: D ACC overall grade for expansion: D Big 12 Conference (Big 12): Only seven of the Big 12 Conference members remain from 2006.  Within that group, Colorado left the Big 12 for the Pac-12 in 2011 but returned in 2024. Analysis by Team: Arizona – The Wildcats came to the Big 12 in 2024 as a refugee from the dying Pac-12 Conference.  Arizona went 9-4 in football last season.  It’s too early to give the Cats a good grade.  Grade: C Arizona State – Same story as Arizona.  Grade: C BYU – The Cougars came into the Big 12 in 2023.  They have rolled-off 11-2 and 12-2 football records in 2024 and 2025.  The BYU basketball team has appeared in the NCAA tourney in all three seasons after joining the Big 12.  Despite its geographic distance from other longtime Big 12 members, Brigham Young has been a positive addition to its new conference.  Grade: B+ Cincinnati – They entered the Big 12 in 2023.  The Bearcats haven’t been a major sports factor in their three years in the conference.  Cincy has been a good geographic fit for the Big 12, but a sports dud.  Grade: D- Houston – The Cougars also came into the league in 2023 along with the valuable Houston television market.  The Coogs have been competitive in football and a regular national championship contender in men’s basketball.  U of H has been a solid addition to the Big 12.  Grade: B TCU – Texas Christian joined the Big 12 in 2012.  In addition to bringing the Dallas-Fort Worth TV market into the league, the 2022 Horned Frogs’ football team played in the national championship game (and lost).  TCU’s other athletic programs have been regular contenders in the Big 12.  Grade: A- UCF – Central Florida (added 2023) hasn’t posted a winning season in football in three years in the Big 12.  The other sports teams haven’t been very competitive, either.  This school was added primarily due to its enormous size (70,000 students) and the Orlando television market.  Despite those pluses, the school is 1,000 miles east of Houston (the nearest Big 12 city).  This addition has been puzzling since Day 1.  Grade: F Utah – The Utes football team finished 11-2 in 2025 (the school’s second year as part of the Big 12).  Utah’s sports programs are generally quite competitive and bring enthusiastic fans.  Grade: B- West Virginia – Mountaineers entered the Big 12 back in 2012.  In the past 14 years, West Virginia has posted a winning football record 50% of the time.  Like Utah, this is a school with passionate sports fans who have been a plus for the Big 12.  Grade: B- Big 12 overall grade for expansion: C+ Conclusion – SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 conferences After the questionable addition of Missouri in 2011, the SEC’s expansion to add both Oklahoma and Texas in 2024 has made their conference a bit stronger.  OU and Texas jumped from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2024 after huge piles of money were being pushed in their direction to incentivize the move.  It still saddens me that these two long-time anchor tenants of the Big 12 Conference aren’t around any longer. Speaking of the Big 12, let’s give that conference credit for adding several new schools within relatively proximity of the league’s Midwestern stalwarts.  However, the addition of UCF (Central Florida) made absolutely no sense in 2023.  It is still puzzling today. Both the Big Ten and ACC moved to add schools located west of the Mississippi River in recent years.  The Big Ten’s addition of four former Pac-12 universities still feels odd.  Meanwhile, Cal and Stanford have brought zero value to the ACC. Instead of buying their way into the ACC, SMU should have remained patient.  The Mustangs could have bought their way into the Big 12 at some point and be competing with nearby TCU and other regional rivals instead of jetting their athletes up and down the Atlantic seaboard. All in all, expansion has generally served to water-down the four major college conferences – at least on the playing field.  The recent moves have all centered on universities pocketing more money from television and media companies. Let’s examine the American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, and Sun Belt conferences during our next visit! The post Grading the College Conference expansions – Part 1 appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

7-8-26 Andy Garcia, the voice of the NIU Huskies joins the program as the football program makes its way to the new-look Mountain West

Today, we preview a familiar foe from the Big Ten conference and a Mountain West team.

-A week away from Mountain West media days-Voice of the Nevada Wolf Pack John Ramey-Former Bison Luke Weerts-Derrick Lang named Deputy Director of Athletics

Geoff Grammer from the Albuquerque Journal shares why he's launching a new column in the Journal and his thoughts on how the Mountain West has handled media and messaging over the last two years. PAC vs MW, it's time to dig in and see what happens. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

-Sam reveals his Mountain West preseason all-conference team-Group of 6 writer Colton Pool-Future Crop of Bison -USMNT gets crushed

The Full Court Press radio show as heard on 106.9 FM, 1390 AM The FAN with Eric Frandsen and Jason Walker. Topics on the docket for this edition of the show:Topics on the docket for today's show:A look back at the best moments for Utah State during its time as a member of the Mountain West ConferenceThe United States advanced in the knockout stage of the World Cup despite a second-half red cardNBA Summer League rosters are being announced and multiple former Aggie basketball stars have made rosters

Thanks to local authorities, a potential mass shooting was stopped over the weekend at a locals casino in Henderson. The City Cast crew dives into the measures local authorities are taking to protect us from potential threats. Plus, Yvette Fernandez of NPR's Mountain West News Bureau helps us understand how officials across the Mountain West are banding together to improve extreme heat response protocols. Along with Fernandez, Executive Producer Layla Muhammad and host Jesse Merrick also dissect how — and why — Las Vegas was recently named the seventh-best city in the country. Learn more about the sponsors of this Wednesday, July 2nd episode: Neon Museum Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. Learn more about becoming a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor at membership.citycast.fm. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino talk everything Atlanta Sports, the National Sports picture and the current (and WAY back when) in pop culture! Get the latest and your fill of Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Hawks daily from two "Southern" Yankees daily Mon-Fri from 10a-2p! The 11 o'clock hour is brought to you by TRAJAN WEALTH; Planning for tomorrow starts today. Visit Trajan Wealth dot com to learn more about retirement and state planning RedZone - Falcons On Campus - Texas A&M is killing it on the recruiting trail This Week In Sports History See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Group of Five Guys Podcast, The GOFG discuss the newly released Pac-12 and Mountain West betting win totals for the season. Where did FanDuel get it right or wrong? Also, which coaches are under the most pressure to win right now? The guys dive into it all!! Do not miss out on another jam packed episode of The Group of Five Guys Podcast! SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@GroupofFiveGuys WEBSITE: http://www.groupoffiveguys.com/ MERCH: https://groupof5guys.onechaptr.com/group_of_5_guys_2-24/shop/products/all?page=1 Subscribe and follow the Group of Five Guys! @groupoffiveguys @Sprouse_68 @Tyler_J_Tipton @JMurphyLee SPONSOR THE SHOW OR BUSINESS INQUIRES: Email: groupoffiveguys@gmail.com Direct Message on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GroupOfFiveGuys #G5 #groupoffiveguys #G5Live Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Full Court Press radio show as heard on 106.9 FM, 1390 AM The FAN with Eric Frandsen and Jason Walker. Topics on the docket for this edition of the show:Topics on the docket for today's show:Utah State officially starts its Pac-12 era, leaving the Mountain West for the rebuilt Conference of ChampionsJason and Eric attended the kick-off event on The Quad and recorded interviews with Cam Walker, Ben Jacobson and Bronco Mendenhall among others. Those conversations will be played back during the show.The Utah Jazz traded away Walker Kessler and signed Jaxon Hayes, how does this change they dynamic of the roster?

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The 2026 Group of 6 preview series begins with the MAC, Conference USA, and Mountain West. Gary Segars breaks down all three conference races with championship picks, best futures bets, win totals, dark horses, schedule edges, quarterback storylines, and teams to fade.The MAC discussion centers on Western Michigan's repeat case, Miami's program floor, Toledo's upside at +440, Central Michigan over 6.5 wins, Eastern Michigan as the best longshot, and Kent State under 3.5 as the top fade.Conference USA features Liberty's bounce-back profile, Jacksonville State as the best value, Western Kentucky's program floor, Delaware's continuity case, and Kennesaw State's defending-champ fade profile. The Mountain West preview focuses on New Mexico as the stability pick, UNLV's ceiling under Dan Mullen and Jackson Arnold, Air Force's value if Liam Szarka fixed the offense, Hawai'i's upside with Micah Alejado, and North Dakota State's fascinating FBS transition.Also covered: Sacramento State joining the MAC, Liberty's QB room, Caden Creel's importance to Jacksonville State, New Mexico's continuity, Air Force over 6.5, UNLV under 8.5, best title futures, projected title games, surprise teams, and disappointment picks.