The 2016 Mountain West Conference football season was the 18th season of college football for the Mountain West Conference (MW). In the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season, the MW had 12 football members: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, and Wyoming.
Pre-season
Mountain West Media
2016 Mountain West Football Media Days were held on July 26 & 27 at the Cosmopolitan on the Las Vegas Strip.
Preseason polls
Reference:
First place votes in parentheses
Preseason All-Mountain West Teams
Reference:
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Donnel Pumphrey, SR., RB, San Diego State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Damontae Kazee, SR., DB, San Diego State
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year:
Rashaad Penny, JR., KR, San Diego State
(* - member of the 2015 All-Mountain West first team)
(** - member of the 2015 All-Mountain West second team)
Award watch lists
The following Mountain West players were named to preseason award watch lists.
Coaches
NOTE: Stats shown are before the beginning of the season
Rankings
Championship game
The Championship Game was played between the San Diego State Aztecs, champions of the West Division, and the Wyoming Cowboys, champions of the Mountain Division, on December 3, 2016, at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming. The Aztecs won 27–24, repeating as champions. Running back Rashaad Penny of San Diego State was the offensive MVP, and defensive back Damontae Kazee of San Diego State was the defensive MVP.
Bowl games
Mountain West vs Power Conference matchups
Records against other conferences
2016 records against non-conference foes:
Awards and honors
All Conference teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Donnel Pumphrey, SR., RB, San Diego State
Defensive Player of the Year: Damontae Kazee, SR., DB, San Diego State
Special Teams Player of the Year: Rashaad Penny, JR., KR, San Diego State