We are nearly two months away from the official transition of five schools out of the Mountain West conference, with three more being welcomed in. Fans around the conference who have come to terms with the whole situation only have one question left, “Will the five departing schools continue to schedule Mountain West programs?”

It’s an important question, as it’s backed by decades of history of between some programs. Along with some newer rivalries that may not be as old, but pack just as much punch every year. One of those high powered matchups is New Mexico versus Utah State.

The Aggies joined the Mountain West back in 2013, after the WAC opted to no longer sponsor FBS Football. After some rough seasons in the first five years in the conference. Utah State has taken home six of the last possible sixteen conference trophies after winning their first back in 2018 under first year Head Coach Craig Smith.

And through the years, the annual series between the Aggies and Lobos is always a must watch and likely a nationally televised game. This year’s series was all Aggies. As they swept New Mexico in what appeared to be the last meeting between these two Mountain West powers.

Though, instead of the usual transfer portal content coming across our feed on a Thursday afternoon. Lobo fans were in for a mid-day scheduling treat.

With the scheduling of non-conference games at the mid-major level becoming increasingly more difficult given the extremely metric based selection system to receive at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament.

Programs outside of the high major hierarchy are often left to rely on old friendships in the business and often play programs simply in need of buy games to balance out their athletic department’s budgets.

While other soon to be former Mountain West coaches making it public they wouldn’t be playing their old conference foes away from home. New Utah State Head Coach Ben Jacobsen has decided to not try and avoid a potential metric boosting game on their schedule. One both fanbases can continue to get behind for the next few years.

Coming from a competitive mid-major at Northern Iowa, Jacobsen can understand the struggle there is trying to find quality non-conference opponents not to just play a game, but also agree to come play in your arena next time around.

It was announced by both schools Thursday that the Aggies and Lobos are locked in for a home-and-home series beginning this fall in the Pit with a return trip to Logan on the books for the 2027-2028 season.

Coach Jacobsen isn’t the only future PAC-12 coach trying to leave the door open to future games in Albuquerque. With Boise State’s Leon Rice and Colorado State’s Ali Farokhmanesh both speaking to Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal of their intentions back in October at Mountain West Media Days. With interest to return to one of college basketball’s most iconic venues a possibility as they make a transition to the Pac-12.

“Absolutely. I want to do that,” first-year Colorado State coach Ali Farokhmanesh said. “We’re gonna need 16 nonconference games, too. So, I hope Eric (Olen, UNM’s first-year head coach) wants to.”

“Yeah, it’s been a quality program year in and year out forever,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said. “The regional stuff is always the first thing you look for, with high-quality teams. And it’s been an amazing place to play at. I’d like to think of myself not going back there because it’s such a hard place to play. The fans are so great. There’s a reason why they win a lot of games there — No. 1 great teams, great coaches, but great fan base and tough place to play.”

With significantly fewer Division I programs in the West compared to the Eastern half of the United States. Let alone competitive ones that can truly boost your tournament metrics with a quad 1 or quad 2 win to take back home with you. This is a huge win for Eric Olen’s program and a huge win for Lobo nation.

The only thing to do now is defend the house, keep the Pit a fortress.

Larry Muniz is a Mountain West Basketball beat writer for Couch Potato Sports along with West Coast mid-major coverage at Mid-Major Madness.

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