On Tuesday afternoon, the Mountain West announced the schedule for the 2025 Football season, finalizing Boise State’s full schedule and its last as a member of the Mountain West Conference. Boise State’s full schedule, as well as some takeaways, are as follows:
HOME: Eastern Washington, App State, Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, UNLV
AWAY: South Florida, Notre Dame, Air Force, Nevada, San Diego State, Utah State
The Broncos toughest games are likely at home
With the addition of the transfer portal it’s impossible to project what teams will like in 2025 while in 2024, but I’m optimistic about the Home/Road splits of next year’s schedule. This year’s top-4 Mountain West teams in SP+ were Boise State, UNLV, Fresno State and Colorado State. I anticipate Fresno State, Colorado State and UNLV, despite losing head coach Barry Odom, will be in the top-half of the Mountain West again next season and all three have to come to Boise. The Broncos will likely compete for a conference championship and College Football Playoff bid again in 2025, and getting their best conference opponents at home will be a big boost in accomplishing those goals.
Farewell to Wyoming, San Jose State and Hawai’i
As you all know, Boise State is moving to the PAC-12 in 2026 and with next year’s schedule set, the Broncos have seen the last of Wyoming, San Jose State and Hawai’I (barring a matchup in the Mountain West Title). All three schools will remain in the Mountain West when Boise State moves to the PAC-12, so the lasting memory of those programs will be road wins in Boise State’s 2024 College Football Playoff campaign. Boise State went 3-0 this year against those three programs this season, but each matchup was closer than Broncos fans would’ve liked (Hawai’I 28-7, San Jose State 42-21 and Wyoming 17-13). Meanwhile, the Broncos get one last conference matchup with Air Force, UNLV, Nevada and New Mexico next season, including final trips to Reno and Colorado Springs. It’s possible the Broncos decide to add future non-conference games with Mountain West schools, but the next matchup likely wouldn’t be until 2028 at the earliest. The Broncos leave the Mountain West 18-1 against Wyoming, 16-1 against San Jose State and 16-3 against Hawai’i.
About the road games
Boise State will take on Nevada, San Diego State, Utah State and Air Force on the road next season. It’s a forgiven slate of opponents both in terms of projected quality and road environment. None of those four teams made a Bowl game in 2024 and three of them debuted new Head Coaches. There’s a good chance that all four show some improvement next year being one year further into their respective rebuilds, but I don’t anticipate any of the four to be preseason top-3 teams in the Mountain West. Regardless of the quality of those teams, Bronco fans should be pleased with the locations themselves as well. San Diego State and Air Force aren’t stadiums historically known for the raucous home environments and Nevada struggles with attendance when the team is down (And with star quarterback Brendon Lewis and Left Tackle Isaiah World announcing they’re entering the portal, I don’t anticipate a second year leap under Jeff Choate next year). Logan, UT can be a tricky place to play if weather is inclement and the crowd is engaged; however, you would take a trip to Logan over a trip to Laramie or Fresno. All-in-all, it’s a forgiving road-slate for the Broncos.
The Mountain West leaving the PAC-12 defectors with a parting gift?
There’s no doubt that Boise State is the class of the Mountain West and the one time opposing fans would like to avoid to maximize their pursuit of a Conference Championship. The Broncos have won back-to-back Mountain West Championships, are coming off their best season in a decade and will likely return 12 or more starters from a team that went undefeated in Mountain West play this season. Coincidentally, all four other schools that agreed to join the PAC-12 in 2026, Utah State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State, will take on the Broncos in 2025.
Maybe it’s no coincidence? Would the Mountain West leave the four other defectors with one last matchup against Boise State to maximize future Mountain West schools’ chance at a conference championship? Who knows. We’ll never know for certain, but it is notable that the four other PAC-12 schools all take on the Broncos next season.
A lot to take care of before then with the transfer portal, spring ball, coaching turnover and of course a shot at the National Championship beginning with the Fiesta Bowl, but the 2025 schedule being finalized gives Bronco fans one more thing to look forward to as we eagerly await the next time the Broncos play.
