The Mountain West Conference is among the toughest conferences to predict. A different team has won the conference in each of the last four seasons. The conference itself tends to be fairly transient in the transfer portal era, and that adds to the unpredictability. Guys are either moving on, moving in, or aging out. Very few teams in the Mountain West can keep key players in the program for multiple years. San Diego State is a true outlier, but that reflects their culture and the types of players they target.
The Aztecs are the odds-on favorite to win the conference because they return a lot to a really good team. However, a lot of other teams in the conference have improved. Grand Canyon also moves into the Mountain West. Could the Lopes make a splash in the MWC? Boise State lost a lot from last year, but they also brought in a lot of new talent. Are the Broncos the best bet on the board? We’ve gone through the teams and have a play that you’ll want to lock up before the season tips off.
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2025-26 Mountain West Conference Champion Best Bet
Utah State to win the Mountain West Conference: +400
Utah State at 4-to-1 odds is a ticket that you’ll want in your betting portfolio. The Aggies return a MWC Player of the Year candidate in Mason Falslev. He’s also the only starter that Utah State returns this year, but they added and developed a few key pieces that look great around Falslev.
MJ Collins from Vanderbilt and Kolby King from Butler will be in the mix in the Aggies’ backcourt. They also return underclassmen Drake Allen and Jordy Barnes, who should both be a part of the Utah State rotation.
When it comes to the front court, Utah State added three players through the portal who should contribute. Garry Clark performed well at Texas A&M-CC, but will make a big jump in competition to the Mountain West this year. Zach Keller is a beefy power forward from Utah who should find success in the MWC. Finally, Luke Kearney from Air Force made the move from Colorado Springs to Logan, UT this year. All three have experience and should be involved in the rotation.
When it comes to returning players in the front court, more is expected of forward Tucker Anderson. Anderson was a part of the rotation last year, but more is expected. He should find more minutes in his second year with the Aggies. Karson Templin started in the NCAA tournament against UCLA and should be a part of the starting five this year.
The Aggies are one of the few teams that have a legitimate star in Falslev, can match San Diego State’s depth, and have a lot of experience, even if it’s from the portal and not returning. Utah State may need some time to figure out its rotation in the non-conference schedule, but when it’s time for conference season to start, watch out.
The Aggies will be in the mix to win the conference, and you’ll want to have the ticket at +400 now instead of +100 or worse in a few months.
The College Basketball Experience
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