NCAA Conference Musical Chairs

[SmoothPancakes]

And yeah, that was why I was saying the WAC was dead. Down to 5 teams, do you really think those teams are gonna want to sit there with an almost nothing league for the next 2-3 years and then have a league full of teams that just came up from the FCS? Also, are there even enough western teams in the FCS that are actually ready or willing to make the move up to the FBS level?

As soon as those C-USA moves happened, I figured would happen exactly what is happening now. The remaining teams in the WAC are going to say to hell with the conference and look out for themselves and start trying to move to the Mountain West.

Also, if San Jose State and Utah State are and do move to the Mountain West, unless New Mexico tries to block them, I imagine it's only a matter of time before New Mexico State follows.

[JeffHCross]

There must be a third team leaving, because I was seeing reports today that they're down to JUST Idaho and NMSU.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...f=twitter_feed

[souljahbill]

Adding NMSU and Idaho would give the MWC the 12 teams needed for a CCG, right?

[JeffHCross]

Yes

[souljahbill]

They outta just scoop 'em up then.

[SmoothPancakes]

There must be a third team leaving, because I was seeing reports today that they're down to JUST Idaho and NMSU.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...f=twitter_feed

Only team left outside of the teams leaving for the MWC and those two is Texas State, who Stewart has leaving, so someone else is picking them up (Sun Belt?) or they are going to stay in FCS.

Edit - Yep, he has Texas State being picked up by the Sun Belt this week (I guess I missed that), so yeah, that leaves just Idaho and NMSU. I just can't see those two dropping down to FCS, like Stewart Mandel thinks they will if the Sun Belt doesn't expand west. I think MWC picks them up by the end of May, if not by next week.

[JeffHCross]

like Stewart Mandel thinks they will

I don't know that he's saying he thinks that will happen. More that they may be left with no choice.

[SmoothPancakes]

I don't know that he's saying he thinks that will happen. More that they may be left with no choice.

Well, yeah, I guess I worded that wrong, I was just trying to say something along the lines of he sees that as an option of the route they'd potentially go/fall if the Sun Belt doesn't pick them up, or the Mountain West, which I consider the more likely option of the two conferences, between the New Mexico-NMSU ties, and that the Mountain West at least makes geographical sense for adding a team from New Mexico and Idaho.

[jaymo76]

Watching the demise of the WAC has been very sad. It was a conference with such charm that almost everybody at one time or another would admit to using on of the teams (aka Idaho) and turning them in National Champions. I kind of miss the tradition that is being thrown out in the rush for super conferences.

[SmoothPancakes]

Watching the demise of the WAC has been very sad. It was a conference with such charm that almost everybody at one time or another would admit to using on of the teams (aka Idaho) and turning them in National Champions. I kind of miss the tradition that is being thrown out in the rush for super conferences.

Yep, I'm in that boat. I know there was at least two or three times (possibly more) that I started a dynasty as Idaho, over the years, partly because it made recruiting, and lack of (good) pipelines, a bitch, thus an additional challenge.

Also in terms of real football, I miss those Saturday nights at midnight watching Hawaii at home playing Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada, SMU (going way back to 2004), etc. Those middle of the night games between Hawaii and the "powerhouses" of the WAC were always fun to watch, no matter whether it was close or a complete blowout. A great ending to a college football Saturday.

[JeffHCross]

Just because the WAC is going away doesn't mean the end of those games. Someone will have to fill those slots on ESPN. They just became the meat for the vultures. The Big East is next.

[SmoothPancakes]

Just because the WAC is going away doesn't mean the end of those games. Someone will have to fill those slots on ESPN. They just became the meat for the vultures. The Big East is next.

Well yeah, I know the time slot isn't going away, but I was speaking specifically in reference to the WAC (even more specifically, Hawaii at home vs. "team name here") during those classic after midnight WAC battles between insanely pass happy Hawaii, who would routinely rack up 70 points, and some of the top WAC teams in Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State, etc. Yeah, we're still gonna get those late nights games, as has been the case with a late night Pac-12 game or two each week last year, but it just hasn't been the same since those old days of watching late night WAC games while growing up.

Obviously the late night Hawaii games will continue but it won't be quite the same as the classic late night battles of the past. So for me, it's more nostalgic than anything.

[gschwendt]

App State University wants to move to FBS
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/...-strategy.html

[SmoothPancakes]

Unless the Sun Belt adds them (or the MAC if they're desperate to get to an even 14 after Temple screwed that all up), I think they might have missed the bus. I just don't see any other conference that they'd fit into, nor that would want them.

[gschwendt]

Unless the Sun Belt adds them (or the MAC if they're desperate to get to an even 14 after Temple screwed that all up), I think they might have missed the bus. I just don't see any other conference that they'd fit into, nor that would want them.

I could maybe see the SBC pick them up along with Georgia Southern to get to 12.
West
Texas State
Arkansas State
UL Lafayette
UL Monroe
Troy
South Alabama

East
App State
Florida Atlantic
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Georgia State
Georgia Southern


We would then need to add an eastern non-football team to balance against UALR.

[SmoothPancakes]

I could maybe see the SBC pick them up along with Georgia Southern to get to 12.
West
Texas State
Arkansas State
UL Lafayette
UL Monroe
Troy
South Alabama

East
App State
Florida Atlantic
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee
Georgia State
Georgia Southern


We would then need to add an eastern non-football team to balance against UALR.

That would be a fun conference with that setup. Damn, now that Florida International is leaving the Sun Belt, I was just starting to learn more in-depth about the conference (at least on the football side as I already followed to varying extents in lacrosse, baseball and basketball thanks to Denver) and really getting into the teams, the rivalries and watching the weekly SBC football games on TV. I can still do that, but it's not gonna be the same without having FIU in the conference to have a rooting interesting in it all. Now I gotta start all over from scratch learning about C-USA.

As for App State, yeah, as far as I can tell, the SBC is their only hope. With all the additions C-USA has made now, I can't see them considering App State a "necessary add", obviously none of the major conferences are gonna pick them up, the Mountain West could pull a Big East and take in an eastern cost team, but I don't see them actually doing that, nor even seriously considering it.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, if the MAC was really desperate to get to an even 14 (instead of remaining right back at 13 like they have been for years), they could possibly reach for App State, but I think if they wanted that 14, they would either look at a western Midwest team along the lines of something like an Indiana State (in-state rival for Ball State) or Illinois State (in-state rival for Northern Illinois), or go east and add some along the lines of a rival for UMass, and shift someone like Bowling Green over to the West Division.

[JeffHCross]

If the MAC added Appalachian State, that would be another MAC school that's defeated Michigan

Honestly, I get why they're exploring moving up, but Boone can't sustain an FBS program. No one would want to travel there (unless you can fly via puddle-jumper into nearby airports, there's no convenient travel), I don't see them recruiting at a higher level than they do now, and even the renovations that they've done to Kidd-Brewer aren't significant enough to bring in the necessary cash flow, IMO.

All that being said ... I'd root for them considerably if they moved up. But that's not saying much, since they're already my #2 school.

[cdj]

Idaho looking at possible return to Big Sky Conference

Athletic officials with the University of Idaho and Big Sky Conference are talking about the Vandals rejoining the league.

Idaho is looking for a new home for its football team and other sports programs amid the apparent collapse of the Western Athletic Conference.

The Idaho Statesman reported that Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton has keen interest in bringing the Vandals back to the regional conference. Fullerton said he’s had conversations with Idaho Athletic Director Rob Spear and expects the dialogue to continue this week.

Spear said he’s considering several options after failing to draw any interest from the Mountain West Conference.

Joining the Big Sky would drop Idaho from the highly competitive Football Championship Subdivision. But Fullerton says the Vandals could still play in a competitive league.

[souljahbill]

That's sad.

[SmoothPancakes]

No. Not Idaho. Damn you Mountain West.