Air Force will be reaffirming its commitment to the Mountain West Conference and could soon sign a new grant of rights with the league, according to multiple reports. Previous intel suggested that Air Force was a target for the American Athletic Conference, which has taken an aggressive stance during the latest round of conference realignment.
Retaining Air Force is a big win for the Mountain West, which is set to lose a third of its current membership on July 1, 2026 after the Pac-12 announced that it will add Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State to incumbent members Oregon State and Washington State. The Pac-12 is still actively searching to expand its ranks to eight teams, the number of members required to be recognized by the NCAA as a FBS conference.
Keeping Air Force in the fold also means that the Mountain West will remain above the eight-team threshold. The MWC is likely seeking active commitments from its other member schools so that it can secure its future.
Air Force participated in football independent of a conference for a majority of its early history, though it was a member of the Western Athletic Conference from 1980-98 prior to becoming a charter member of the Mountain West in 1999.
