DeKalb, Illinois isn’t known for its mountains, but that isn’t stopping Northern Illinois from sending its football program out West.  According to Brett McMurp

Northern Illinois appears headed to the Mountain West as a football-only member. The school has officially accepted an invite from the conference and its board of trustees is set to vote on the move on Jan. 7.

Northern Illinois’ board of trustees will meet Tuesday to discuss and vote on the acceptance of an invitation to join the Mountain West as a football-only member in 2026.

Northern Illinois called a board meeting for Tuesday regarding an invitation to join the Mountain West in July 2026, according to a public meeting report. The expectation is it will accept the Huskies’ invitation as a football-only member.

In the meeting agenda, shared by Bryan Fischer on SI, Northern Illinois says that it expects for the conference change to be more than lucrative enough to offset the membership fe

Northern Illinois will ask its Board of Trustees on Tuesday to allow the school's football program to move into the Mountain West, per a special meeting posted

The university has accepted a formal offer to join the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member, effective July 1, 2026, subject to a vote.