New Mexico State to the BSC?

[WAaggieFan]

Under current NCAA rules that is not possible. Back before the WAC imploded the NCAA tried to help the WAC by making it so only existing FBS conferences can invite FCS schools to reclassify them as FBS schools to prevent massive move ups. Unfortunate that rule didn't help and as a result the WAC is no more. Also the "grey period" was a 2 year window from the last WAC sponsored game which would have been at latest 2013 season...

True...under current NCAA rules....but a waiver is always possible. If the NCAA thinks it best then odds are it happens. No way Montana EVER gets invited to the MWC, despite what some people wish to believe. There are to many other options should the MWC ever expand. There has to be a "stepping stone" in the west. Currently there is not.

Name even one program who makes more sense to the MWC than does Montana.

Thats easy - UTEP....and Montana is no better than Idaho who was already FBS. Here's a 2nd...Rice. Wichita State also inquired a couple years ago. And don't forget BYU....who is always an option but probably more likely to go Big 12 when they are raided in a few years.

Doesn't sound like Thompson's on board with Wichita State joining the MWC.
http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaaf/wri...joining-mountain-west-may-bring-back-football
The article also points out the obvious that there's no intent to expand the MWC because there's no reason to expect more TV money. They don't want to dilute revenue by adding another school. However, once realignment starts up again and some MWC teams are poached by P5 conferences all bets are off. Realistically Montana's probably not the top of the list and the kitties coming along too by state mandate doesn't increase UM's odds. Bummer because It would be fantastic to have the Griz in the MWC.

 

[NavyBlue]

Survey asking if NMSU fans would prefer the Horizon or Big Sky.

http://www.scout.com/college/new-mexico-state/forums/2377-sports-trough/14726827-nmsu-survey-regarding-conference-alignment

 

[bgbigdog]

It kills me how many people think NDSU is on the brink of being a member of the Big XII......

Yup...

 

[kemajic]

Yes, having a team in Texas is great for recruiting, but please explain how Texas is in the MWC footprint, and please explain what rivalries UTEP has with any current MWC member.

Footprint? Footprint?? Please explain how UND is in the BSC footprint. Footprints seem to mean nothing anymore.

Yeah, they've only played UNM 79 times, CSU 35, Wyoming 33, Hawaii, 31, SDS 22, AF 15. Real strangers to the MWC. And of course, they have won an NCAA Bball NC.

 

[EverettGriz]

Yes, having a team in Texas is great for recruiting, but please explain how Texas is in the MWC footprint, and please explain what rivalries UTEP has with any current MWC member.

Footprint? Footprint?? Please explain how UND is in the BSC footprint. Footprints seem to mean nothing anymore.

Yeah, they've only played UNM 79 times, CSU 35, Wyoming 33, Hawaii, 31, SDS 22, AF 15. Real strangers to the MWC. And of course, they have won an NCAA Bball NC.

The explanation for UND in the bsc is this: Doug Foolerton.

Montana has likely played Washington that many times. Are we rivals? Are we attractive the P12?

 

[UTGrizFan]

Rice and UTEP both apparently were looked at by the Mountain West Conference and after nothing happened the Mountain West declared that they had no interest in expansion which tells me that they did not wish to leave C-USA. Also NMSU does not nearly bring enough to the table compared to us or even Montana State for that matter, the Aggies best bet is to get into C-USA. Our best bet is when the Big 12 expands it will probably force the Pac-12 to expand (article I linked in the Big 12 expansion thread touches on that) in the Pac-12 will most definitely post teams from the Mountain West Conference giving us a chance.

 

[Bertram]

New Mexico State sent out the following survey to Faculty and staff members:

You have probably followed the press and our NMSU activities reports to know that we are in a dialogue about athletic conference alignment. The argument has recently boiled down to FBS vs FCS football:
Both FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) and FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) are division 1 but FCS is considered a step down from FBS. FBS allows 85 scholarships and more coaches than FCS, which restricts scholarships to 63 and reduces the coaching staffs slightly. FCS Conferences also sponsor fewer sports so technically could be less expensive. NMSU has always been at the FBS level but we have not been to a bowl game in over 50 years.
All other sports are essentially treated the same, whether NMSU is in FBS or FCS football.
We are currently in an FBS football conference (Sun Belt Conference with the likes of Troy, Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana Lafayette, Arkansas State, and Coastal Carolina) but NMSU will not be renewed by that Conference after the 2017 season. We need a new conference home for football beginning in 2018 or will have to play independent FBS football.
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC including universities such as Grand Canyon, Seattle, Chicago State, California State Bakersfield, UT Rio Grande Valley), home of all of our other sports, is fragile and is having trouble maintaining membership but we do dominate the conference in some sports and we are getting better in others.
We have been in conversation with two other conferences; Horizon (which includes Illinois Chicago, Youngstown State, Oakland, Cleveland State and others) is like the WAC but all teams are located in the Midwest. We have some early conversations with an FCS conference (Big Sky) with most teams located in the western part of the country (such as Cal Poly, UC Davis, Montana, Montana State, Idaho, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado to name a few). The Big Sky would provide a home for football and most of our remaining sports.


IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THESE ISSUES, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS SURVEY, SO I CAN HAVE THE BENEFIT OF YOUR ADVICE.

NMSU should remain in the WAC for non-football sports and play independent FBS football after our agreement with the Sun Belt Conference expires in 2018.
NMSU should join the Horizon Conference for non-football sports and play independent FBS football after our agreement with the Sun Belt Conference expires in 2018.
NMSU should align with the Big Sky Conference, move all of our sports to this conference, and enjoy FCS football.
None of the above.

Feedback gained from that survey has NMSU in the Mindset that joining the Horizon Conference and doing Football as an FBS Independent is the route they are choosing to go with.

 

[dbackjon]

Why Horizon? Wouldn't it be just as good to be FBS indy and stay in the WAC?

 

[Bertram]

Horizon League seems a bit more stable with Conference members Vs. Affiliate Members than the WAC is (/ will be).

 

[billings_poke]

Why would UTEP or Rice leave Conference USA? And even assuming they would, what advantages do they have over Montana? They wouldn't be a geographic fit, and neither has natural rivalries already established with MWC schools like UM does. Montana also draws considerably better, and as an FBS team, as I noted with Idaho above, would be the top dog in the state. Rice is like the 11th dog in Texas.


Wichita State is NOT going to join the MWC. And I have to think you're either joking or REALLY stretching to support your position by suggesting BYU.

NDSU has the same issues as Rice and UTEP. Geographically very undesirable and no rivalries. Besides, they're not interested in joining the MWC when there are likely better opportunities coming soon right in their own backyard.

Uhh Wrong. UTEP has long rivalries with New Mexico, Wyoming, CSU ,and Air Force from when they were all in the WAC together as conference mates. Rice was also a WAC member for a short time. CUSA just took a big cut in their TV revenue in a new contract with ESPN. Thus making the MWC a much better TV payday for a Rice or UTEP

 

[SoldierGriz]

Rice and UTEP both apparently were looked at by the Mountain West Conference and after nothing happened the Mountain West declared that they had no interest in expansion which tells me that they did not wish to leave C-USA. Also NMSU does not nearly bring enough to the table compared to us or even Montana State for that matter, the Aggies best bet is to get into C-USA. Our best bet is when the Big 12 expands it will probably force the Pac-12 to expand (article I linked in the Big 12 expansion thread touches on that) in the Pac-12 will most definitely post teams from the Mountain West Conference giving us a chance.

Three days ago I was certain the Big 12 would expand. Now, I am not so sure. Right now, Texas will not alter its ESPN deal for the Longhorn Network. Many believe Texas is leaning on the other schools to ask for a divorce - one they will not contest.

Some think Texas will go independent.
Others think Texas is quietly moving to the PAC-12---in which case, they would alter their ESPN arrangement in theory.

The Big 8/SWC transition to the BIG 12 was a failed marriage long ago.

My guess is the FBS conference shake-up is far from complete. We are going to see several more years of transitions and realignments.

 

[Silvertip]

Wichita State's football program died October 2, 1970 when one of two charter planes carrying the team crashed just below the summit of the Continental Divide near I-70. I've hiked to the site. NTSB hauled away the engines, but lots of the wreckage is still there. Very sobering. It's hard to figure why they've waited almost 50 years to start up the program again?

 

[kemajic]

Yes, having a team in Texas is great for recruiting, but please explain how Texas is in the MWC footprint, and please explain what rivalries UTEP has with any current MWC member.

Footprint? Footprint?? Please explain how UND is in the BSC footprint. Footprints seem to mean nothing anymore.

Yeah, they've only played UNM 79 times, CSU 35, Wyoming 33, Hawaii, 31, SDS 22, AF 15. Real strangers to the MWC. And of course, they have won an NCAA Bball NC.

The explanation for UND in the bsc is this: Doug Foolerton.

Montana has likely played Washington that many times. Are we rivals? Are we attractive the P12?

Montana has not played Washington in the last 65 years.

 

[NavyBlue]

Wichita State's football program died October 2, 1970 when one of two charter planes carrying the team crashed just below the summit of the Continental Divide near I-70. I've hiked to the site. NTSB hauled away the engines, but lots of the wreckage is still there. Very sobering. It's hard to figure why they've waited almost 50 years to start up the program again?

They were on their way to a game at Utah State. A few years ago Wichita State came to USU for a basketball game and they had a memorial ceremony of some sort. I wasn't there but I remember reading about it. I think there may be a small memorial monument on the USU campus to the victims of that crash, but I am not real sure about that part.

 

[Caseyorourke]

If NMSU wants in, who do we drop to replace them? Northern Colorado?

My personal opinion would be no one. We go FBS with eight and FCS with seven.

Would this be your 8?

Montana
Montana State
Idaho
New Mexico State
EWU
Cal Poly
NAU
Weber(?)

Close. But swap NAU for PSU and Web for Sac ST.

Unless an alum with real deep pockets steps up and gives Portland State a humongous donation or some other similar extreme event occurs to make the school flush with cash, I really doubt PSU would want to move up.

Idaho's Operational Study gave a financial breakdown of what that schools in SB, CUSA, MWC and others had to spend to maintain an FBS team. As of right now, I can't see how PSU could justify the expenditures just to move up.

 

[Yukon]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ajmazzolini/status/728461926708051968[/tweet]

 

[ordigger]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ajmazzolini/status/728461926708051968[/tweet]

I posted 18 minutes before AJ tweeted last night. Looks like I scooped him!