AAC concentrating on Air Power for growth as Mountain West reels from membership exodus to Pac-12

Information of the AAC’s curiosity in Air Power comes per week after the Pac-12 formally introduced that it’s going to add Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State to incumbent members Oregon State and Washington State on July 1, 2026. The Pac-12 remains to be actively looking to increase its ranks to eight groups. 

Conversely, dropping Air Power would put the Mountain West beneath the eight-team threshold required to be acknowledged as a convention on the FBS degree. The Mountain West would have two years from Air Power’s exit to bolster its ranks and get above the minimal requirement. 

If Air Power flees the MWC for the AAC, it might unite all three service academies in the identical convention for the primary time ever. Navy shirked its independence and joined the American in 2015; Military is presently in its first season within the AAC. Air Power has performed as an unbiased for a majority of its early historical past, although it was a member of the Western Athletic Convention from 1980-98 previous to turning into a constitution member of the Mountain West in 1999.