The 2012 Mountain West Conference football season was the 14th season of college football for the Mountain West Conference (MW). In the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the MW had 10 football members: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaiûi, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, and Wyoming.
This was the second consecutive year in which the Mountain West saw changes in membership. After losing two of its charter members in 2011âÂÂBYU (WCC and football independent) and Utah (Pac-12)âÂÂthe MW lost TCU, members since 2005, to the Big 12 in 2012. The conference reloaded with three new membersâÂÂfull conference members Fresno State and Nevada, and football-only Hawaiûi.
This was originally intended to be the last season for Boise State and San Diego State in the MW. After the 2012âÂÂ13 school year, both schools' football programs planned to join the Big East. Both schools also planned to join the Big West, a former conference home of both, for non-football sports. San Diego State, a charter member of the Big West, was set to return to that conference after a 35-year absence; Boise State was set to return after a 12-year absence. However, due to major instability in the Big East, culminating in the mass exodus of the conference's seven basketball-first schools in December 2012, Boise State chose to remain in the MW for 2013 and beyond. San Diego State has since sought to remain in the MW, and as a part of Boise State's agreement to remain in the MW, the conference must offer an invitation to San Diego State to remain in the MW before it can invite any other school.
In addition, San Jose State and Utah State will join the MW in 2013.
The following Mountain West players were named to preseason award watch lists.
NOTE: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season
<nowiki/>*first year as conference member, ^achieved as head coach of New Mexico from 99âÂÂ08
The Mountain West Conference will have agreements with the following bowls for 2012âÂÂ13:
If HawaiâÂÂi is bowl eligible and not MW champions or selected for a BCS bowl, they will receive a berth in the HawaiâÂÂi Bowl.
All dates, times, and TV are tentative and subject to change.
The Mountain West has teams in 3 different time zones. Times reflect start time in respective time zone of each team (MountainâÂÂAir Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Wyoming; PacificâÂÂFresno State, Nevada, San Diego State, UNLV; Hawaii-AleutianâÂÂHawaiûi). Conference games start times are that of the home team.
Offense:
Defense: