Mountain West announces new football championship host determination procedure

FILE - Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (38), with quarterback Brett Rypien, left, and offensive linesman Mason Hampton (59), holds up the trophy after the team's 17-14 win over Fresno State in an NCAA college football game for the Mountain West Conference championship in Boise, Idaho, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017.p (AP Photo/Otto Kitsinger)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – During the offseason, the Mountain West member institutions conducted a thorough review of the Conference’s football operation. As part of the evaluation the membership agreed adjustments should be made to the football championship host determination procedure.

 

The host of the MW Football Championship Game will now be the team with the highest winning percentage in Conference games only, with head-to-head competition serving as the first tiebreaker.

 

“We had a very unique set of circumstances last December with the two divisional champions playing on the final weekend of the regular season,” said Deputy Commissioner Bret Gilliland. “That prompted a review of the formula and a shift to place a priority on head-to-head competition, while maintaining strategic positioning for the Mountain West champion to serve as the Group of Five representative to the College Football Playoff structure.”

 

The updated structure that will be used to determine the championship game host beginning with the 2018 football season can be found below:

 

 

NEW HOST PROCEDURE

 

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:

 

  1. Head-to-head result between the tied divisional champions.

 

  1. If still tied:

 

  1. 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;

 

OR

 

  1. 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;

 

OR

 

  1. 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;

 

OR

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. If still tied, the best record against common Conference opponents.

 

  1. If still tied, the team with the highest overall winning percentage (Conference and non-conference excluding exempt games).

 

  1. If still tied, a coin toss will be conducted by the Commissioner.

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