Mountain West Changes Rules For Hosting Football Title Game

Best league record will now host the championship game.

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The championship game will be hosted by the best league record.

The Mountain West has decided to change its determination as for who will host the football conference title game. Last year, there was some controversy since Fresno State defeated Boise State in the season finale and ended up ranked after that game.

However, the Broncos hosted the game instead since Boise State was in the College Football Playoff poll the week prior to that final game.

The main deciding factor since the conference title was implemented was being ranked in the College Football Playoff poll or the highest rated team among the old BCS computer rankings.

That is all changing as the Mountain West has announced a new policy which is making things much more simple with the team with the best overall league record will host the title game.

This makes picking a champion much easier and causes less stress and bickering, and should have been done years ago.

Some may argue that this hurts the tougher division which has been the Mountain pretty much ever since the league went to a two-division format. However, things are changing with Fresno State back as a really good team and then there is UNLV and Nevada who are getting better, so these things are cyclical.

Also, what might be overlooked is the new scheduling format for league games which pits divisional games the final two weeks of the year, and that can create a potentially de-facto divisional title game while creating some excitement within the conference.

Below are the new tie-breaker rules, and hosting determination.

Host Determination. The Mountain West Football Championship Game shall be played at the site of the divisional champion with the highest winning percentage in Conference games only. The host site will be determined no later than the Sunday following the conclusion of the regular season.

Host Tie Breaker. In the event of a tie, the following procedure shall be used to determine the host location for the Championship Game:

Head-to-head result between the tied divisional champions.
If still tied:
If one team was ranked in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking and wins in the final weekend of the regular season, they will be declared the host. If in that same scenario, the team that was the highest-ranked team in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking loses in the final weekend of the regular season, a composite average of selected computer rankings will be used;

If both teams are ranked in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking, the highest-ranked team that wins in the final weekend of the regular season;

If neither of the ranked teams win in the final weekend of the regular season, a composite average of selected computer rankings after all games conclude the final weekend of the regular season will be used;

If neither team is ranked in the latest available CFP Selection Committee ranking going into the final weekend of the regular season, a composite average of selected computer rankings after all games conclude the final weekend of the regular season will be used.
If still tied, the best record against common Conference opponents.
If still tied, the team with the highest overall winning percentage (Conference and non-conference excluding exempt games).
If still tied, a coin toss will be conducted by the Commissioner.