No two conferences are more closely linked this season than the Pac-12 and the Mountain West. For years the MWC was something of the little brother to the Pac-12. The bigger conference used the smaller one for early season games and regularly pulled in transfers after a player showed as a star in the MWC. This year they did a lot more than pulling a few star players.
In a last-ditch attempt to survive as a conference, the Pac-12 looted the Mountain West of roughly half its teams. Five teams made the switch, theoretically to the bigger and more viable conference. Now both conferences look wide open as to who can win a championship and potentially find a spot in the College Football Playoff.
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Ironically, neither of the “legacy” Pac-12 schools are considered favorites to win the title this season. Both Washington State and Oregon State are in the back half of the eight-team conference in preseason polls. The team’s most likely to win the new Pac-12 are familiar names for even the most biased fan in the South or Midwest.
Predict who will win the Pac-12
The Mountain West is interesting for much different reasons. All of the teams most anticipated to compete for the title come with wildly different and intriguing storylines. UNLV and New Mexico have a chance to emerge as the new powerhouse in the conference. North Dakota State is taking a big step up to DI football, and still could beat anyone in the conference. All while a team like Hawaii has the opportunity to upend anyone traveling to the island.
Predict who will win the Mountain West
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