A Split Big Sky Conference?

[WILDCATFAN]

Split the 14 teams up into two different conferences. Football only, Big Sky Basketball remains one 12 team conference.

Big Sky Conference
Idaho
Idaho State
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota
Northern Colorado
Weber State


Pacific Coast Conference
Cal Poly
Eastern Washington
Northern Arizona
Portland State
Sacramento State
Southern Utah
UC Davis


Six Conference games
3 games vs Money game or drop down game or 2 or 3 FCS teams
2 games against sister conference teams 1 home and 1 away

I know this isn't the most popular, but IMO it is the most geographically logical, plus it keeps the founding members together. I know Griz fans wont be too happy about losing EWU as a conference member, but there is nothing against EWU/UM continuing their rivalry by playing an annual yearly rivalry, just like Weber and SUU could do as well, besides, Weber/ISU and SUU/NAU are bigger rivalries than Weber/SUU. Plus I think the power of both conferences would be pretty balanced.

 

[UTGrizFan]

I would. If SUU football was a stock, i'd be selling right now. In my opinion their football success has peaked and isn't sustainable. Losing Ed Lamb hurts them an awful lot and they lose an awful lot of talent. Really isn't about any of that though. The primary thing for me is their longer term contribution to the conference and I just don't see it. It is in the lower end of the conference in academic standing, attendance, and facilities. Utah is a relatively small state and SUU would be 5th at best in the state's hierarchy of college athletic programs. Utah Valley might even have a stronger athletic program with more potential and resources. Cedar City is going to be a tough place to recruit to and the university does not have the resources or alumni base to elevate the program.

I really think you're selling SUU short in a couple regards and you are forgetting one big thing especially when it comes to recruiting. Southern Utah is quickly getting a reputation out here as being BYU Mini, meaning kids that won't be playing for BYU will come to SUU and some of our best players have been transfers from the cougars like Brad Sorensen. Also football has become a focal point at the University over the last several years and we do have them to thank for that however I don't see that changing anytime soon especially with appointing their DC as head coach.

Split the 14 teams up into two different conferences. Football only, Big Sky Basketball remains one 12 team conference.

Big Sky Conference
Idaho
Idaho State
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota
Northern Colorado
Weber State


Pacific Coast Conference
Cal Poly
Eastern Washington
Northern Arizona
Portland State
Sacramento State
Southern Utah
UC Davis


Six Conference games
3 games vs Money game or drop down game or 2 or 3 FCS teams
2 games against sister conference teams 1 home and 1 away

I actually really like the look of this conference especially as mentioned it wouldn't be too hard for certain teams like Eastern Washington or Southern Utah to schedule games every year with the rivals in their sister conference.

 

[ISUguy]

Fullerton was quoted in the Pocatello paper today about the possibility of splitting into two separate leagues for football in order to maximize playoff bids. There was also a mention that New Mexico State has been invited to join and they are waiting for a response. That begs the question then if NMSU does join will they try to add a 16th team or just go with leagues of 7 and 8 teams each?

 

[Grisly Fan]

Split the 14 teams up into two different conferences. Football only, Big Sky Basketball remains one 12 team conference.

Big Sky Conference
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Idaho State
Montana
Montana State
North Dakota
Northern Colorado


Pacific Coast Conference
Cal Poly
Northern Arizona
Portland State
Sacramento State
Southern Utah
UC Davis
Weber State

Swap EWU and Weber and I think you have a winner. EWU and UM being 200 miles apart have a growing rivalry so need to play every year. Weber and SUU could work to build their in-state rivalry.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Fullerton was quoted in the Pocatello paper today about the possibility of splitting into two separate leagues for football in order to maximize playoff bids. There was also a mention that New Mexico State has been invited to join and they are waiting for a response. That begs the question then if NMSU does join will they try to add a 16th team or just go with leagues of 7 and 8 teams each?

Well if NMSU DOES join, either they add a 16th or drop UND. Those are really the only two plausible alternatives.

 

[Griz1]

Well if NMSU DOES join, either they add a 16th or drop UND. Those are really the only two plausible alternatives.

I'm curious as to why would you ever drop UND? People at least know who they are. They are not financially stricken and are very competitive in all sports and I realize travel would be an issue as would the lack of a travel partner. That makes no sense to me.

If I were forced to drop a non-contributor it would be Northern Colorado as I have never seen what they have added to the conference.

In addition to those comments I would definitely keep EWU as a travel partner with Idaho. Besides that making territorial sense, and create a good rivalry, if there was a split it would make a lot stronger conference than the Pacific Coast teams combined with the southern state teams IMO.

 

[Grizbeer]

I would split it into Flagship/Research Universities and regional/Community Schools:

FRU:
UM
MSU
UI
ISU
UND
Cal Poly
UCD
(NMSU)

RCS:
EWU
PSU
UNC
WSU
SUU
NAU
Sac State
(Central Washington)

 

[ewueagle2010]

On the EWU boards, it has been mentioned splitting the conference into "Coastal" and "Mountain" and each team would play in the respective time zone they are in.

Coastal:
EWU
Idaho
Portland State
Cal Poly
UC Davis
Sac St
Southern Utah

Mountain:
Montana
Montana State
Weber State
Idaho State
Northern Arizona
Northern Colorado
North Dakota

I believe Southern Utah would be the only exception to playing in coastal while having Mountain time zone.

 

[grizindabox]

I don't see 2 conferences....I see 2 divisions....I also don't see an additional AQ for the BSC....first, they are not going to exceed a 24 team playoff and I don't see other conference agreeing if it means losing out on potential at-large opportunities for their members.....and even if they do split into 2 conferences...it does not guarantee an AQ right off the bat or ever.....

 

[GrizPDX]

So what we're looking at here is a larger conference with the same number of AQ playoff spots. So you're splitting TV revenue 14, 15, or 16 ways instead of 8 if there were to be a FBS Big Sky Conference. As Andrew Schmidt pointed out on Twitter earlier today, would Montana fans show up to watch an 8-4 FBS team that plays in a Bowl Game, or would they prefer to watch an 8-4 FCS team that fails to make the playoffs because of the size of the conference?

You're going to end up with teams that play a completely different schedule than others, much like what we saw with SUU last season. You may have a very good team go 8-4 with losses to the Montana Schools, Eastern, Idaho lose out on a playoff bid to a mediocre team that went 9-3 losing to Northern Colorado, Weber and NAU.

What would you rather see, fans? I, for one, would much rather welcome MWC teams to town for a home and home series on real television than search for an awful internet stream of UM playing at Sac St in front of 4,000 fans.

 

[grizindabox]

I just don't currently see a path to the MWC or FBS for UM.....the best option I see is UM getting the 6-7 strongest BSC schools together and leaving to form a new FCS conference....

 

[GrizPDX]

I just don't currently see a path to the MWC or FBS for UM.....the best option I see is UM getting the 6-7 strongest BSC schools together and leaving to form a new FCS conference....

And making a run at NDSU.

 

[grizindabox]

I just don't currently see a path to the MWC or FBS for UM.....the best option I see is UM getting the 6-7 strongest BSC schools together and leaving to form a new FCS conference....

And making a run at NDSU.

I just don't see the motivation for NDSU to make that move....lateral at best.....the MVC is just as strong or stronger....

 

[GrizPDX]

I just don't currently see a path to the MWC or FBS for UM.....the best option I see is UM getting the 6-7 strongest BSC schools together and leaving to form a new FCS conference....

And making a run at NDSU.

I just don't see the motivation for NDSU to make that move....lateral at best.....the MVC is just as strong or stronger....

You don't see the motivation to move up to FBS football for them? They've won the last 5 National Championships. They ride their momentum into the FBS, make a huge improvement in financials with a new TV deal and get paid much more for OOC guarantee games and home and homes.

 

[grizindabox]

I just don't currently see a path to the MWC or FBS for UM.....the best option I see is UM getting the 6-7 strongest BSC schools together and leaving to form a new FCS conference....

And making a run at NDSU.

I just don't see the motivation for NDSU to make that move....lateral at best.....the MVC is just as strong or stronger....

You don't see the motivation to move up to FBS football for them? They've won the last 5 National Championships. They ride their momentum into the FBS, make a huge improvement in financials with a new TV deal and get paid much more for OOC guarantee games and home and homes.

Are you suggesting that NDSU hooking it's wagon to UM is a step towards FBS...... :roll:

 

[onrasekt]

I think the best geographical split is North and South but like it was mentioned before the competitive balance would be very uneven.

Any thoughts to an East/West Split?

WEST Division
EWU
PSU
Idaho
Sac St
Cal Davis
Cal Poly
NAU

EAST Division
MONTANA
MSU
ISU
Weber
SUU
UND
UNC

 

[grizindabox]

why do people think it must be a geographical split to form divisions......

 

[GrizPDX]

And making a run at NDSU.

I just don't see the motivation for NDSU to make that move....lateral at best.....the MVC is just as strong or stronger....

You don't see the motivation to move up to FBS football for them? They've won the last 5 National Championships. They ride their momentum into the FBS, make a huge improvement in financials with a new TV deal and get paid much more for OOC guarantee games and home and homes.

Are you suggesting that NDSU hooking it's wagon to UM is a step towards FBS...... :roll:

I'm saying that it's an option for them moving forward. FCS money is finite, it's limited, and they can only grow so much by staying in FCS. There are pieces of a move to FBS that they would enjoy and pieces that make sense for them to stay in FCS. Money will always be a driver behind these types of situations, and I don't know enough about NDSU to say whether a move to FBS would pencil out to them or not, but a move would include:

-Increased TV revenue
-Bowl money
-Guarantee games are worth more
-Increased scholarships and Title IX requirements are additional cost

If the BSC is going to have an 8 team group moving up to FBS, NDSU needs to be the top target for a new conference.

 

[EverettGriz]

why do people think it must be a geographical split to form divisions......

For the same reason we have a BB tournament in Reno no one attends: because it saves the broke athletic departments in this conference a few bucks.

 

[grizindabox]

I just don't see the motivation for NDSU to make that move....lateral at best.....the MVC is just as strong or stronger....

You don't see the motivation to move up to FBS football for them? They've won the last 5 National Championships. They ride their momentum into the FBS, make a huge improvement in financials with a new TV deal and get paid much more for OOC guarantee games and home and homes.

Are you suggesting that NDSU hooking it's wagon to UM is a step towards FBS...... :roll:

I'm saying that it's an option for them moving forward. FCS money is finite, it's limited, and they can only grow so much by staying in FCS. There are pieces of a move to FBS that they would enjoy and pieces that make sense for them to stay in FCS. Money will always be a driver behind these types of situations, and I don't know enough about NDSU to say whether a move to FBS would pencil out to them or not, but a move would include:

-Increased TV revenue
-Bowl money
-Guarantee games are worth more
-Increased scholarships and Title IX requirements are additional cost

If the BSC is going to have an 8 team group moving up to FBS, NDSU needs to be the top target for a new conference.

That is where your entire arguments fails....that ain't going to happen....