All of the changes we’re seeing in college football from conference realignments to the transfer portal and NIL has forced Northern Illinois University to make a move to keep up or to stay a step ahead.

Back in the summer 2022, NIU Director of Athletics Sean Frazier was in his car when the news struck.USC and UCLA were going to spurn the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten. Frazier called a friend of his who works in the Big Ten about the bombshell report.

The university officially announced it would join the Mountain West Conference in a football-only capacity starting in 2026. The move puts the Mountain West Conference at nine teams: NIU, Air Force, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.