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.

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.

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.