Colorado Springs, Colo.----- With 15 returning starters from a year ago, San Jose State University was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West's six-team West Division at the end of the 2020 football regular season.
Twenty-one media members that cover and report on the Mountain West football voted in the preseason poll. Defending conference champion Boise State was picked to win the Mountain Division and received 20 out of 21 first place votes. Wyoming received the other first-place Mountain Division vote.
With 19 of 21 first-place votes, San Diego State was picked to finish first in the West Division. Nevada received the remaining first-place votes in the West Division. San Jose State, 5-7 in 2019, received 43 points in the voting tally.
The Mountain West's preseason all-conference team will be announced on Wednesday, July 22.
Mountain West Preseason Football Poll
| Mountain Division | Points |
| 1. Boise State (20) | 125 |
| 2. Wyoming (1) | 90 |
| 3. Air Force | 86 |
| 4. Utah State | 60 |
| 5. Colorado State | 59 |
| 6. New Mexico | 21 |
| West Division | Points |
| 1. San Diego State (19) | 122 |
| 2. Nevada (2) | 100 |
| 3. Hawaii | 74 |
| 4. Fresno State | 73 |
| 5. San Jose State | 43 |
| 6. UNLV | 29 |
| Numbers in parentheses are first-place votes |