The Mountain West Conference said it will petition the Bowl Championship Series for automatic qualification status for the 2012 and ’13 football seasons.

The conference announced its intention Monday following the conclusion of two days of winter meetings in Las Vegas, where its board of directors took no action on expansion.

The conference said it met the BCS threshold to request an exemption by virtue of its "performance during the recently completed four-year (2008-2011) evaluation period."

The Big East, which was a founding BCS member, petitioned and retained automatic qualifying status three years ago. The BCS Presidential Oversight Committee makes the determination.

If granted, the MWC champion would receive a BCS bowl berth for its champion and the conference would receive a more lucrative share of the proceeds.

But the MWC lost Utah and Brigham Young as members after the 2010 season, and Texas Christian departs for the Big 12 in 2012. Western Athletic Conference members Fresno State, Nevada and Hawaii join the MWC in ’12; UH moves only its football team to the MWC while its other WAC sports move to the Big West.

No replacements have been named for Boise State and San Diego State, whose move to the Big East in 2013 would leave the MWC with eight football teams.

WAC members Utah State and San Jose State are possible MWC additions. A conference spokesman said expansion was "discussed but no decisions were made with regards to membership."