Why The Mountain West Is Done Without Boise State

The sports world is consumed by headlines concerning the future of two of the most overlooked conferences in college football: the Mountain West and the revived Pac-12. The Mountain West has the unenviable challenge of surviving after several of its teams left to resuscitate the Pac 12.

Today's news involves the Mountain West inviting Conference USA powerhouse UTEP, while the Pac 12 added basketball powerhouse Gonzaga. The Pac 12 continues to look for one or two final members to round out their new look and work on attracting the most lucrative television package.

College football is all about revenue and ratings. Does anyone outside the diehard commit fans of the remaining Mountain West teams to believe the conference has a future? Before it imploded, Boise State was the flagship brand for the Mountain West and the old Western Athletic Conference.

Boise State is a program that threatened the very centers of power in the college football establishment. Americans from Iowa to Indiana cheered the underdog team from Idaho, which beat the big powerhouses. The original Mountain West Conference featured regional rivals like Utah, BYU, and TCU, who didn't want Boise State to steal their shine. When those teams left for greener pastures, the Broncos saved the conference.

Without Boise State, what does the future hold for the Mountain West? Will fans in New York be clamoring for a matchup between UNLV and UTEP? Or a game between San Jose State and Air Force? The answer is a resounding no.

The Mountain West overplayed its hand with the Pac-12 and suffered significant losses, including Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno State. The contrast between the new Pac-12 and the fading Mountain West is stark.