By SuperWest Sports Staff
May 10, 2024
From 1999 to 2012, the champion of the Mountain West was determined by regular season record.
Following the expansion into twelve members and the conference splitting into two divisions in 2013, the Championship Game was held between the division winners.
The inaugural MW Championship Game was played on December 7 of that year at Fresno State’s Bulldog Stadium and was won by the home team.
However, the 2022 championship game was the last to feature division winners.
The MW eliminated its football divisions beginning with the 2023 season, opting instead to match the top two teams in the conference standings in the title game.
That 2023 contest featured Boise State and UNLV, with the visiting Broncos prevailing.
The Mountain West Conference champion customarily receives a berth to play in the Las Vegas Bowl.
If it finishes ranked ahead of the champions from the other “Group of Five” conferences it makes the College Football Playoff.
The table below shows winners by year with runner-up, scores, site, and offensive and defensive MVPs.
You’ll also find a breakdown by program with total title games played in, wins, losses, percentage, championship years, and runners-up years.
Boise State leads the Conference with seven Championship Game appearances, winning four, and Fresno State ranks second with five appearances and three titles.
Mountain West Championship Games
| Year | Champion | Pts | Runner-Up | Pts | Site | Off MVP | Def MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Boise State | 44 | UNLV | 20 | Las Vegas, NV | Taylen Green, BSU | Alexander Teubner, BSU |
| 2022 | Fresno state | 28 | Boise State | 16 | Boise, ID | Jake Haener, FSU | Cam Lockridge, FSU |
| 2021 | Utah State | 46 | San Diego State | 13 | Carson, CA | Logan Boner, USU | Byron Vaughns, USU |
| 2020 | San Jose State | 34 | Boise State | 20 | Las Vegas, NV | Nick Starkel, SJSU | Cade Hall, SJSU |
| 2019 | Boise State | 31 | Hawai'i | 10 | Boise, ID | Jaylen Henderson, BSU | Sonatane Lui, BSU |
| 2018 | Fresno State | 19 | Boise State | 16 | Boise, ID | Alexander Mattison, BSU | Mykal Walker, FSU |
| 2017 | Boise State | 17 | Fresno State | 14 | Boise, ID | Brett Rypien, BSU | Leighton Vander Esch, BSU |
| 2016 | San Diego State | 27 | Wyoming | 24 | Laramie, WY | Rashaad Penny, SDSU | Damontae Kazee, SDSU |
| 2015 | San Diego State | 27 | Air Force | 24 | San Diego, CA | Christian Chapman, SDSU | Na'im McGee, SDSU |
| 2014 | Boise State | 28 | Fresno State | 14 | Boise, ID | Grant Hedrick, BSU | Tanner Vallejo, BSU |
| 2013 | Fresno State | 24 | Utah State | 17 | Fresno, CA | Derek Carr, FSU | Derron Smith, FSU |
Breakdown by Program
| Games | Program | W | L | Pct. | Titles | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Boise State | 4 | 3 | .571 | 2023, 2019, 2017, 2014 | 2022, 2020, 2018 |
| 5 | Fresno State | 3 | 2 | .600 | 2022, 2018, 2013 | 2017, 2014 |
| 3 | San Diego State | 2 | 1 | .667 | 2016, 2015 | 2021 |
| 2 | Utah State | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2021 | 2013 |
| 1 | San Jose State | 1 | 0 | 1.00 | 2020 | — |
| 1 | UNLV | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2023 |
| 1 | Hawai'i | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2019 |
| 1 | Wyoming | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2016 |
| 1 | Air Force | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | 2015 |