After a seismic shift over the last 12 months, the world of college football has become unrecognizable from what it was just one year ago. The College Football Playoff expanded from four to 12 team and the power conferences effectively condensed from five to four. The Big Ten could be called the Big Eighteen; the Big 12 could be the Big 16; the SEC added Texas and Oklahoma in its quest to become more like the Premier League in English soccer; the ACC added three schools while at the same time dealing with lawsuits from schools that are looking to leave.
There is, though, a conference that remains the same heading into 2024: the Mountain West. The number of teams is still 12 and the rivalries remain the same. In some ways, it is the last vestige of consistency in college football. It won’t get as much publicity as the Power Four media days will this month, but for those who want some stability in college football, the Mountain West will be a fun watch in 2024 — not only because it’s good football, but also for its familiarity. In a sport with more than a century and a half of tradition, the Mountain West has become a conference of football heritage by not changing one bit since its last 2013 round of realignment.
As the Mountain West coaches and players head to Las Vegas for media days, let’s look at some important numbers for each school heading into the 2024 season.
Preseason MWC poll: 4
- 306.3 — Averaging 306.3 rush yards per game since 2016 (most in FBS).
- 20 — Ranked top-20 in FBS in scoring defense in five consecutive seasons (2019-23).
- 9 — Coming off nine-plus wins in three straight seasons for first time in program history.
Preseason MWC poll: 1
- 1,916 — 2023 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year Ashton Jeanty had 1,916 total yards (second in FBS).
- 26 — Number of consecutive seasons with a winning record (longest active FBS streak).
- 4 — Won fourth MWC Championship Game in 11 years in 2023 (most in MWC history).
Preseason MWC poll: 5
- 306.5 — Led MWC in passing yards (3,678) and passing yards per game in 2023 (306.5).
- 6 — The number of consecutive seasons with losing record (school’s longest streak since 1967-74).
- 3 — Suffered losses after leading or tied with less than a minute left in three games in 2023.
Preseason MWC poll: 3
- 34 — Averaged 34.0 PPG during 8-1 start in 2023 (averaged 22.5 in going 1-3 over final four games).
- 4 — Seeking program record tying nine-plus wins in four consecutive seasons and first since 2001-04.
- 3 — Added EDGE Korey Foreman in transfer portal from USC (No. 3 overall ranked recruit in 2021, per 247Sports).
Preseason MWC poll: 9
- 332 — QB Brayden Schager completed 332 passes in 2023 (fourth-most in FBS).
- 76.1 — Averaged 76.1 rush yds per game in 2023 (second-worst in FBS, ahead of Colorado).
- 70.5 — Threw the ball more than any team in FBS last season (70.5% drop-back percentage).
Preseason MWC poll: 12
- 1,912 — Transfer portal RB Patrick Garwo III had 1,912 career rushing yards in five seasons at Boston College.
- 10 — Coming off 10-plus losses in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.
- 9 — Nine of 10 losses in 2023 were by double digits.
Preseason MWC poll: 11
- 6.7 — Defense allowed 6.7 yds per play in 2023 (3rd worst in FBS).
- 4 — 4-8 in 2023 (most wins since going 9-4 in 2016).
- 2 — Bronco Mendenhall arrives with only two losing seasons in 17 as head coach at BYU and Virginia.
Preseason MWC poll: 8
- 3,579 — Added RB Marquez Cooper from Ball State, whose 3,579 yards rushing since 2021 are second-most in FBS.
- 20.5 — Averaged 20.5 PPG in 2023 (fewest since 2008).
- 8 — Coming off most losses in a season since 2009 (4-8).
San Jose State Spartans
Preseason MWC poll: 10
- 109 — Ken Niumatalolo enters first season (won program record 109 games in 15 years at Navy).
- 6 — Won six conference games in 2023, tied for the most since joining MWC in 2013 (went 6-0 in 2020).
- 2 — Finished above .500 in back-to-back seasons for first time since 1989-92 (as member of Big West).
UNLV Rebels
Preseason MWC poll: 2
- 1,483 — WR Ricky White had 1,483 yards receiving in 2023 (third in FBS behind Rome Odunze & Malik Nabers).
- 34.4 — Averaged MWC-best 34.4 PPG in 2023 (second-most in program history; 34.9 PPG in 1980).
- 9 — Went 9-5 in first season under Barry Odom (most wins since 11-2 season in 1984).
Utah State Aggies
Preseason MWC poll: 7
- 25 — T-5th for turnovers in FBS in 2023 with 25.
- 15 — WR Jalen Royals had 15 touchdowns in 2023 (second-most in FBS behind LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr.).
- 4 — Seeking bowl game for fourth consecutive season (would be second-longest streak in school history).
Wyoming Cowboys
Preseason MWC poll: 6
- 11 — Turnover margin in 2023 (T-1st in MWC with San Jose State and T-4th in FBS).
- 9 — Wins in 2023 (most since going 10-2 in 1996).
- 7 — The Cowboys were 7-0 at home in 2023 (most home wins in a season in 74-year history of War Memorial Stadium).
