All but one conference profitable after CFP playoff

[NavyBlue]

True, AZ but if Montana starts going 6-6 or 5-7 how long will that attendance stay? Missoula does not support the UofM, most of it comes from outside and will those people still travel to support those teams once the novelty of the FBS wears off?

To see BSU, USU, Wyoming, CSU, UNR, UNM instead of No. Co, So Utah, N. Dak, Port. St, Sac. St? That's not even a tough question; my round trip is 650 mi. And we could and would get to more road games.

I have a serious question, this is not intended as smack, but why do some of you believe that UM couldn't compete? Let's compare my school Utah State and what they have done since being in the MWC, and UM. If USU as bad as they were a few years ago can become better and compete why couldn't UM with a much longer and more recent winning tradition, albeit at the FCS level?
What advantages does USU have over UM? I honestly can't think of many. I can think of several advantages that UM has over USU, which lead me to believe that if USU can do it UM certainly can.

 

[Spanky]

We are a peer in the MWC. Certainly not in the Big Sky.

 

[AZGrizFan]

True, AZ but if Montana starts going 6-6 or 5-7 how long will that attendance stay? Missoula does not support the UofM, most of it comes from outside and will those people still travel to support those teams once the novelty of the FBS wears off?

To see BSU, USU, Wyoming, CSU, UNR, UNM instead of No. Co, So Utah, N. Dak, Port. St, Sac. St? That's not even a tough question; my round trip is 650 mi. And we could and would get to more road games.

I have a serious question, this is not intended as smack, but why do some of you believe that UM couldn't compete? Let's compare my school Utah State and what they have done since being in the MWC, and UM. If USU as bad as they were a few years ago can become better and compete why couldn't UM with a much longer and more recent winning tradition, albeit at the FCS level?
What advantages does USU have over UM? I honestly can't think of many. I can think of several advantages that UM has over USU, which lead me to believe that if USU can do it UM certainly can.

Because honestly, Blue, it's all they've got. Fear of failure. This irrational fear that (oh, the horror!!) we might actually have to suffer through a few mediocre seasons....Better to be a big fish in a small (and shrinking) pond, than to take the chance to compete in a slightly bigger pond. Better to die a slow death surrounded by blood-sucking leeches, I guess...

 

[AZGrizFan]

Putter....why do you think we would be 6-6 or 5-6? The answer is yes. People would come to see the Griz play schools that someone has heard of for a change. Not to mention, see better competition than Northern Colorado.

Spanky, I agree about wanting to see better competition. The biggest question I have with AZ's post was...by moving up Montana will play better competition week in and week out. What happens, after a move up, and IF Montana goes 6-6 or 5-7 for a couple of years with Washington State, Utah or Utah St etc. on the schedule----playing them on the road will people continue to drive the 650 miles. The Missoula area is not a huge supporter of Griz athletics and the numbers come from people like yourself who are willing to drive and spend the money. Some will always come but some will not....we can't automatically count on 26k at every football game if there was a move up

So you only come to the football games because you expect us to win every weekend?

 

[Htowngriz]

Are you folks in the move up crowd content with the fact that UM would never, ever compete for a national championship again once the move was made?

 

[MrTitleist]

That's pretty funny. No Big 5 conference would want Boise. It's the 63d ranked Regional University in the West. 78% acceptance rate. 11% graduation rate in 4 years. The most popular major is nursing, which is 9% of the majors. Speech communication is 2d, with 7% of majors. Just ahead of Eastern Washington at 66th and Weber at 68th. That's impressive. Ha. Behind Sac St, Southern Utah and Walla Walla U, tied at 58th. Also behind La Sierra and Woodbury, tied at 56th. Central Washington is 51st. Stanford, UCLA and USC are probably pushing for Boise to come to the Pac-12. Ha.

Boise prints money. That's all conferences care about.

If that was the case they'd have been gone from the MW a long time ago. Conferences like the B1G or Pac12 won't just take any swinging dick who's good at football. Boise is literally one of the worst academic institutions in the country.

Certainly there's some truth there.

But If academics really matter, why isn't Cal Tech in the Pac12?

Trust me: If a conference needs a team, their ability to add to the bottom line will be the first criteria.

Cal Tech doesn't offer sports. Sorry.

Bottom line isn't always first criteria with academic conferences. If you're the AAC, MW, sure.. take anyone.

 

[kemajic]

Are you folks in the move up crowd content with the fact that UM would never, ever compete for a national championship again once the move was made?

While I don't consider myself "in the move up crowd" anymore; (our opportunities have passed), I will nonetheless respond. Yes. Are you content that the NC we are competing for means so little and that we play conference games in front of 4000?

 

[kemajic]

True, AZ but if Montana starts going 6-6 or 5-7 how long will that attendance stay? Missoula does not support the UofM, most of it comes from outside and will those people still travel to support those teams once the novelty of the FBS wears off?

To see BSU, USU, Wyoming, CSU, UNR, UNM instead of No. Co, So Utah, N. Dak, Port. St, Sac. St? That's not even a tough question; my round trip is 650 mi. And we could and would get to more road games.

I have a serious question, this is not intended as smack, but why do some of you believe that UM couldn't compete? Let's compare my school Utah State and what they have done since being in the MWC, and UM. If USU as bad as they were a few years ago can become better and compete why couldn't UM with a much longer and more recent winning tradition, albeit at the FCS level?
What advantages does USU have over UM? I honestly can't think of many. I can think of several advantages that UM has over USU, which lead me to believe that if USU can do it UM certainly can.

You are consistently one of the best posters on eGriz; thanks for caring.

 

[KoolMoeDee]

There is only one option in the MWC and there is no reason for them to expand. All the reasons for the money conferences to separate from the NCAA are slowly getting passed. The conference championship title game restrictions will be relaxed by 2016, so conferences without 12 members will have a championship game and have no need for adding anyone.

 

[Htowngriz]

Are you folks in the move up crowd content with the fact that UM would never, ever compete for a national championship again once the move was made?

While I don't consider myself "in the move up crowd anymore;" (our opportunities have passed), I will nonetheless respond. Yes. Are you content that the NC we are competing for means so little and that we play conference games in front of 4000?

I'm not of the opinion that we should never make the move, but one of the reasons I'm not in a huge hurry for it to happen is I'd like for us to make our mark at this level a couple more times before we start playing for participation ribbons.

 

[Spanky]

Htown.....we have already made our mark at this level. We are you so convinced that we can't do well at the next level?

 

[AZGrizFan]

Are you folks in the move up crowd content with the fact that UM would never, ever compete for a national championship again once the move was made?

While I don't consider myself "in the move up crowd anymore;" (our opportunities have passed), I will nonetheless respond. Yes. Are you content that the NC we are competing for means so little and that we play conference games in front of 4000?

I'm not of the opinion that we should never make the move, but one of the reasons I'm not in a huge hurry for it to happen is I'd like for us to make our mark at this level a couple more times before we start playing for participation ribbons.

Big 5 has a playoff. FCS has a playoff. D-II has a playoff. D-III has a playoff. To say we'd "never ever compete for a national championship again" is just not a factual statement. Sure, in the CURRENT makeup we wouldn't be able to compete....but I just can't envision a scenario where the Little 5 are the ONLY level that doesn't participate in some form of a playoff--at some point.

 

[get'em_griz]

Are you folks in the move up crowd content with the fact that UM would never, ever compete for a national championship again once the move was made?

While I don't consider myself "in the move up crowd anymore;" (our opportunities have passed), I will nonetheless respond. Yes. Are you content that the NC we are competing for means so little and that we play conference games in front of 4000?

I'm not of the opinion that we should never make the move, but one of the reasons I'm not in a huge hurry for it to happen is I'd like for us to make our mark at this level a couple more times before we start playing for participation ribbons.

Big 5 has a playoff. FCS has a playoff. D-II has a playoff. D-III has a playoff. To say we'd "never ever compete for a national championship again" is just not a factual statement. Sure, in the CURRENT makeup we wouldn't be able to compete....but I just can't envision a scenario where the Little 5 are the ONLY level that doesn't participate in some form of a playoff--at some point.

The little 5 will eventually have their own playoff system when they realize they will most likely never get a taste of the playoffs with the Power 5.

 

[brewskis]

We've gotta right the ship before we start considering how the next level would treat us.

 

[KoolMoeDee]

The little 5 will eventually have their own playoff system when they realize they will most likely never get a taste of the playoffs with the Power 5.

Would the money be better than what they receive now?

 

[Zootown Rox]

True, AZ but if Montana starts going 6-6 or 5-7 how long will that attendance stay? Missoula does not support the UofM, most of it comes from outside and will those people still travel to support those teams once the novelty of the FBS wears off?

That really isn't a hypothetical anymore - the first year of Mick Delaney we went what 5-6? And the sky didn't fall, attendance was fine.

 

[Zootown Rox]

Are you folks in the move up crowd content with the fact that UM would never, ever compete for a national championship again once the move was made?

They have playoffs now, and are expected to expand. So if UM won it's games then they would compete for a national championship. No different than what we have now.

 

[KoolMoeDee]

They have playoffs now, and are expected to expand.

In about 11 years when the contract runs out.

 

[Htowngriz]

Are you folks in the move up crowd content with the fact that UM would never, ever compete for a national championship again once the move was made?

They have playoffs now, and are expected to expand. So if UM won it's games then they would compete for a national championship. No different than what we have now.

What do you think is the realistic limit for expansion of the CFP? I can pretty much guarantee it won't become large enough for UM to ever get a bid out of the MW or whatever conference they landed in.

 

[EverettGriz]

Let's be honest, HTown. We don't have the opportunity to play for a "national" championship now. We get a chance to play a title game held at a soccer field with kickoff at 10:00 am on ESPNU. 95% of sports fans don't even know the game occurred.

And a move to a better conference is more than about just football. It would give all of UM's sports more opportunities, particularly in basketball, where they DO have a chance to play for a true national championship. Does that mean they'll win it? Of course not. But that's true of the vast, vast majority of DI teams. I just want Montana playing where Montana belongs, and I think we can ALL agree that ain't the bsc.