Air Force is being projected as a middle-to-upper-tier Mountain West team in 2026, with several preseason previews expecting a bounce-back from the Falcons after two losing seasons. One preview says they should “get back to winning,” and another early team ranking placed them around No. 85 nationally, which points to a team that could finish in the conference’s upper half rather than near the bottom.

What that likely means

Air Force’s outlook is stronger than its recent record suggests because previews point to an improved defense and a still-productive offense. In practical terms, that usually translates to a projected finish around the top half of the Mountain West , with some analysts thinking they could contend for one of the better conference spots if things break right.

Context

The Mountain West is also changing a lot in 2026, which makes exact projections less stable than usual. That uncertainty gives teams like Air Force a better chance to move up if they stay healthy and settle in quickly.

TL;DR

The best current read is that Air Force is projected to finish in the upper half of the Mountain West in 2026 , with some preseason views leaning toward a noticeable rebound season.