According to Brett McMurphy of the Action Network, Northern Illinois will leave the Mid-American Conference and join the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member for the

Northern Illinois appears headed to the Mountain West as a football-only member. The school has officially accepted an invite from the conference and its board of trustees is set to vote on the move on Jan. 7.

Northern Illinois’ board of trustees will meet Tuesday to discuss and vote on the acceptance of an invitation to join the Mountain West as a football-only member in 2026. People familiar with the situation told The Athletic that while they expect the vote approving the $2 million membership fee to go through,

The university has accepted a formal offer to join the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member, effective July 1, 2026, subject to a vote.