Northern Illinois has an offer on the table from the Mountain West to leave the Mid-American Conference for its league as a football-only school beginning with the 2026 season, per Brett McMurphy of Action Network, who cited industry sources.
That decision on whether to stay or go is "imminent." If NIU does leave, then it's unclear which league the non-football teams will play in moving forward, sources noted to McMurphy.
On September 26, McMurphy reported on the Mountain West's interest in adding Northern Illinois and Toledo as football-only members before 2026.
NIU released a statement on the matter one day later, per the Associated Press.