Should Boise State Football Leave The Reduced Mountain West?

It won't be long before fall practices replace the endless off-season speculation over the future of college football. Next, we will see fourteen schools preparing to move conferences before the 2023 college football season starts. 

Unlike previous seasons, the Mountain West Conference looks to lose at least one of its premiere programs as San Diego State looks to head off to the greener pastures of the Pac-12 of the Big 12. One team that isn't rumored to be going anywhere is Idaho's favorite college football team, the Boise State Broncos. 

At one time, the Broncos were the hottest team that wasn't tied to a significant conference; now, with the loss of San Diego State, does the Mountain West deserve to keep Boise State? Today's college football world is not about geography but how many viewers will tune in to watch your favorite team's games. 

As we've covered here and in several other articles, Boise State Football is unique enough to overcome the two major obstacles, location and population, barring it from joining a major conference. 

The Broncos has the best deal of any Group of Five schools in America. However, what is the Mountain West Conference without San Diego State? The Idaho Statesman suggested the Mountain West should add North Dakota State. While successful at a much smaller level, the Bison being added to the conference would be a move in the wrong direction. 

Remember, Boise State had to sue the Mountain West to keep its exclusive media deal. The conference has always been a reluctant partner with the Broncos. Imagine if the Mountain West had recruited Boise State when it had teams that mattered like Utah and BYU?

Boise State must determine whether staying put in the reduced Mountain West is better than making a football-only run to a more extensive conference. The clock is ticking Bronco Nation.