The Mountain West Conference reportedly is in the final stages of adding UTEP as its seventh full-time member.
ESPN reported Monday night that the deal has yet to be finalized but that an announcement “is expected soon.”
The Miners of El Paso, Texas, have been members of Conference USA since 2005.
The Mountain West is rebuilding following the recent departures of five schools to the Pac-12: Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Utah State.
That left the MWC with six full-time members — Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV and Wyoming — with Hawaii as a partial (non-football) member. To be recognized as a conference under NCAA rules, the league will have to add two more schools by 2028.
Bringing aboard UTEP would still leave the Mountain West one member short. Earlier reports said the league has made a verbal offer to Texas State, which reportedly also has drawn interest from the Pac-12.
The Miners’ football program (0-4, 0-1 CUSA) has been to 15 bowl games, most recently the New Mexico Bowl in 2021. The men’s basketball program has been to the NCAA Tournament 17 times, including a national championship in 1966.
