UC Davis sports make a bold move to join Mountain West conference in 2026

In December 2024, UC Davis announced that almost all of its sports teams will transition to the Mountain West Conference, effective in 2026. The decision aims to expand the visibility of the Aggie community to a wider audience through enhanced media coverage and opportunities in major metropolitan areas. This move comes at a time when the Mountain West Conference is undergoing changes, with five schools—Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Utah State—preparing to leave the conference in the same year. Alongside UC Davis, three other institutions, including Grand Canyon University, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the University of Texas at El Paso, will be joining the Mountain West by 2026. However, the announcement notably excludes the football program, which will remain in the Big Sky Conference. UC Davis officials cited their desire to build on the momentum of a successful football season as the rationale for this decision. At present, the UC Davis football team is competing in the NCAA Division I Football Championship and is scheduled to face South Dakota in the quarterfinals. The distinction between the conferences is also significant: the Mountain West is classified as an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) league, whereas the Big Sky belongs to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). This pivotal decision positions UC Davis in a different competitive landscape for most of its sports while maintaining its football program's current trajectory. The implications of this move are far-reaching as the school seeks to enhance its athletic profile and capitalize on the benefits of joining a high-profile conference while navigating the complexities of its existing arrangements for football.