The Northern Illinois Huskies set to join the Mountain West Conference (MWC) as a football-only member. The school has formally accepted an invitation from the conference, with its board of trustees scheduled to vote on the decision on Tuesday.

If approved, NIU will become part of the MWC starting July 1, 2026. The university will remain a full member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for all other sports. The MAC will field 13 football teams in 2025 following UMass’ arrival as a football-only member, dropping back to 12 members when NIU leaves in 2026.

This season, NIU posted an 8-5 overall record, including a 4-4 finish in MAC play tied for 6th overall in the conference. The team’s most notable victory came in Week 2 against Notre Dame, which has since gone undefeated and will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl with a spot in the national championship game on the line.

The MWC is bolstering its football lineup as several of its members transition to the restructured Pac-12. By 2026, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State will join Oregon State and Washington State in the revamped Pac-12, and Gonzaga will also join the Pac-12 but in all sports except football. The Pac-12 is still seeking an eighth football member.

With NIU’s addition, the Mountain West will have nine football teams in 2026, enabling the conference to implement a round-robin eight-game schedule.