2016 Mountain West Conference Football Championship Game

2016 Mountain West Conference Football Championship Game
Conference Championship
1234 Total
San Diego State 73143 27
Wyoming 100014 24
DateDecember 3, 2016
Season2016
StadiumWar Memorial Stadium
LocationLaramie, WY
MVPOffensive: Rashaad Penny (RB, SDSU)
Defensive: Damontae Kazee (S, SDSU)
FavoriteSan Diego State by 7
RefereeKevin Mar[1]
Attendance24,001[1]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersSteve Levy, Brian Griese, Todd McShay
Mountain West Conference Football Championship Game
 < 2015  2017
2016 Mountain West Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Mountain Division
Wyoming xy   6 2     8 6  
Boise State x   6 2     10 3  
New Mexico x   6 2     9 4  
Air Force   5 3     10 3  
Colorado State   5 3     7 6  
Utah State   1 7     3 9  
West Division
No. 25 San Diego State xy$   6 2     11 3  
Hawaii   4 4     7 7  
Nevada   3 5     5 7  
San Jose State   3 5     4 8  
UNLV   3 5     4 8  
Fresno State   0 8     1 11  
Championship: San Diego State 27, Wyoming 24
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2016 Mountain West Conference Championship Game was played on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming, and determined the 2016 football champion of the Mountain West Conference (MW). The game featured the MW West Division champion San Diego State Aztecs visiting the Mountain Division co-champion Wyoming Cowboys, with the Aztecs winning 27–24. It was broadcast nationally by ESPN for the second consecutive year.[2][3]

The championship game was hosted by the participant with the best record in MW play. If the teams have the same conference record, a tiebreaker system is used. Even though the two teams played a conference game on November 19, with Wyoming winning, the MW does not use head-to-head results as its first tiebreaker in such a situation.[4] The first tiebreaker of College Football Playoff ranking could not be used because neither team was ranked going into the final week of conference play. The second tiebreaker of a composite of computer rankings was used, with Wyoming receiving hosting rights.[5]

The 2016 championship game was the fourth edition of the event. In the 2015 championship game, San Diego State defeated Air Force 27–24.

The officials for the game were Kevin Mar (referee), Michael Henderson (umpire), Bill Scott (head linesman), Darren Deckard (lind judge), Dave Curschman (side judge), Robert "Scooter" Asel (field judge), Robert Lewis (back judge), and Darren Winkley (center judge).[6]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Stats was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "San Diego State To Play in 2016 Mountain West Football Championship Game". Mountain West Conference. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  3. ^ "2016 Mountain West Conference Football TV Schedule Announced". FBS Schedule.
  4. ^ "Mountain West Football Championship Host Site Determination". Mountain West Conference. November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Wyoming to Host San Diego State in Mountain West Football Championship Game" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. November 27, 2016. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  6. ^ Austro, Ben. "2016-17 bowl officiating assignments". Football Zebras. Retrieved December 2, 2022.