AAC Targeting MWC Teams, Move Up?

I know it's yet another move up thread however with the news that came out today figured I would throw my two cents in. Looks like the AAC wants to make a true western division with the following teams: Boise State, SDSU, AF, CSU.

Now I have to say I think it's stupid for any MWC team to make the move considering the American lossed a lot of bargaining power with three of its best teams leaving. But if this does happen I could see this as a unique opportunity for the Griz to move up to the FBS and join the MWC especially if we add the Dakota State schools as well:

Mountain Division:

Montana, Montana State, Wyoming, Utah State, NDSU, SDSU

(States: MT, WY, UT, ND, SD)

West Division:

SJSU, Hawaii, UNLV, UNR, UNM, FSU

(States: CA, NV, NM, HI)

A solid relatively geographical sound conference that keeps the MWC at 12 members and room for expansion into NM/Texas if need be (NMSU, UTEP, Texas State and UTSA). At that point survival is the biggest thing hence the addition of New Mexico state.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-powers-among-handful-of-expansion-candidates

I like the match ups, from a regional perspective. That said, with the lack of strength, I doubt we make the Dunkin Donuts bowl or even get sniff at a playoffs.

Always good discussion but the Griz aim has always been conference championship's and national title opportunities. I only see one of those scenarios here.
In theory, even if you could schedule the top tier OOC 2-3 teams each year, it would do nothing for us, even if we won..we would be a watered down Boise St. Speaking of, where have they been, lately?

As Alan Jackson perfectly says;" Well, it's alright to be little bitty
A little hometown or a big old city"
I'll stay hometown, as long as WE can.

UTGrizFan said:

I know it's yet another move up thread however with the news that came out today figured I would throw my two cents in. Looks like the AAC wants to make a true western division with the following teams: Boise State, SDSU, AF, CSU.

Now I have to say I think it's stupid for any MWC team to make the move considering the American lossed a lot of bargaining power with three of its best teams leaving. But if this does happen I could see this as a unique opportunity for the Griz to move up to the FBS and join the MWC especially if we add the Dakota State schools as well:

Mountain Division:

Montana, Montana State, Wyoming, Utah State, NDSU, SDSU

(States: MT, WY, UT, ND, SD)

West Division:

SJSU, Hawaii, UNLV, UNR, UNM, FSU

(States: CA, NV, NM, HI)

A solid relatively geographical sound conference that keeps the MWC at 12 members and room for expansion into NM/Texas if need be (NMSU, UTEP, Texas State and UTSA). At that point survival is the biggest thing hence the addition of New Mexico state.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-powers-among-handful-of-expansion-candidates

Click to expand...

I think people are looking at this backwards. Seems “moving down” is really what is happening for Boise, Wyoming, UNLV, etc. College football is a mess and the bottom tier of teams are in a tough spot. Will be interesting to see how this whole thing develops.

Bodnar and Haslam, hopefully, are being proactive in the conversations. We don’t want to wind up in a conference with Northern Colorado, Dixie State and Rocky Mountain College.

UTGrizFan said:

I know it's yet another move up thread however with the news that came out today figured I would throw my two cents in. Looks like the AAC wants to make a true western division with the following teams: Boise State, SDSU, AF, CSU.

Now I have to say I think it's stupid for any MWC team to make the move considering the American lossed a lot of bargaining power with three of its best teams leaving. But if this does happen I could see this as a unique opportunity for the Griz to move up to the FBS and join the MWC especially if we add the Dakota State schools as well:

Mountain Division:

Montana, Montana State, Wyoming, Utah State, NDSU, SDSU

(States: MT, WY, UT, ND, SD)

West Division:

SJSU, Hawaii, UNLV, UNR, UNM, FSU

(States: CA, NV, NM, HI)

A solid relatively geographical sound conference that keeps the MWC at 12 members and room for expansion into NM/Texas if need be (NMSU, UTEP, Texas State and UTSA). At that point survival is the biggest thing hence the addition of New Mexico state.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-powers-among-handful-of-expansion-candidates

Click to expand...

If the "lower" FBS Schools join
&
You call this FBS-2 and tag it with a 24 team playoff.... IM IN!

Eventually after the dust settles in all of this there will be 2 divisions of football. Whatever the power 5 conferences end up calling their group. That will consist of 40-50 teams. Then you will have the rest. I assume there will be some form of relegation process and invitation process for schools. I could see the P5 doing a 8-10 playoff.

The rest of the fbs and fcs will probably combine and make a new group. Some might fall to d-2. Maybe still affiliated with the ncaa but maybe not. So many of these schools grasp for the bowl game money though that idk what post season would even look like. Some sort of playoff would be assumed but also bowl games would probably exist for the sure marketing and budget reasons. Maybe they ditch them and go to 24 team playoff but I somehow doubt it. This group would level the playing field. If NDSU and Montana had conference money and support for the added scholarships, they would be very competitive vs the bottom half of FBS in a season setting.

Fact of the matter is…in 5 years college football is not going to be what it was. It’s going to be a giant money tree (even more so than now) hopefully we can enjoy the fcs the way it is for another few years before all hell breaks loose

I don’t think UM has the money at this juncture to move up. We are broke, and until enrollment data is released next week we won’t know if the UM has stopped the bleeding yet. I’m just not sure that UM is in a position financially for a move up even if an opportunity presented itself is all.

Paytonlives said:

UTGrizFan said:

I know it's yet another move up thread however with the news that came out today figured I would throw my two cents in. Looks like the AAC wants to make a true western division with the following teams: Boise State, SDSU, AF, CSU.

Now I have to say I think it's stupid for any MWC team to make the move considering the American lossed a lot of bargaining power with three of its best teams leaving. But if this does happen I could see this as a unique opportunity for the Griz to move up to the FBS and join the MWC especially if we add the Dakota State schools as well:

Mountain Division:

Montana, Montana State, Wyoming, Utah State, NDSU, SDSU

(States: MT, WY, UT, ND, SD)

West Division:

SJSU, Hawaii, UNLV, UNR, UNM, FSU

(States: CA, NV, NM, HI)

A solid relatively geographical sound conference that keeps the MWC at 12 members and room for expansion into NM/Texas if need be (NMSU, UTEP, Texas State and UTSA). At that point survival is the biggest thing hence the addition of New Mexico state.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...-powers-among-handful-of-expansion-candidates

Click to expand...

If the "lower" FBS Schools join
&
You call this FBS-2 and tag it with a 24 team playoff.... IM IN!

Click to expand...

:thumb:

First of all, that article has been taken down so maybe his report was not true, and even if it is true the American is going to span all the way from San Diego, CA to Philadelphia, PA. I know the American is a (slight) step up from the Mountain West, but that sounds like an absolute nightmare from a travel perspective. The conference realignment will sort itself out within the next year. Right now, I think we need to stay patient and see what happens. Rumors from earlier this week were indicating that the Sun Belt and Mountain West were going to raid Conference USA schools, and the MWC was targeting a couple of the Texas schools.

I disagree with KB. I think financially we could move up. We generate more ticket revenue then any other FCS team in the country, wouldn't be hard to use those dollars to fund a move up. Plus once we're in, the MWC has TV contracts with CBS and FOX that are much more lucrative than the current Big Sky deal even though the new deal with ESPN is way better then Pluto, and I've actually heard this ESPN deal pays the conference kind of well. I agree with Payton, once the G5 has a reasonable playoff system, let's go. Hell, it doesn't even have to be a 24 team playoff, a 16 team playoff would be enough to entice me.

I'm gonna make one more point here that I also think could be a possibility that no one else has thought of. If the Power 5 fractures away from the G5 and the G5 creates it's own playoff system, what are the odds that the Big 3 FCS conferences consider a move up? Now of course, I don't think every team in each of those conferences (Big Sky, CAA, MVFC) could afford or be willing to do it, but I wouldn't be surprised if those 3 leagues say "we're moving up. If you can do this then let's go, and if you can't do this then find a new conference". Of the Big Sky teams, I think the ones that could do it are: Griz, cats, NAU (their massive enrollment and student fees could totally make it possible), Weber, and the California schools. I'd like to think that Idaho could do it too, but with the continued turmoil in their athletic department, I'm just not sure they could.

Again, let's be patient and wait and see what happens with the rest of the G5 leagues. This will sort itself out. For now, let's enjoy the FCS because I have always been a fan of the FCS level and we have a very good team this year. Go Griz!

hm.grwn.grizfan said:

I don’t think UM has the money at this juncture to move up. We are broke, and until enrollment data is released next week we won’t know if the UM has stopped the bleeding yet. I’m just not sure that UM is in a position financially for a move up even if an opportunity presented itself is all.

Click to expand...

I’m all for getting out of the trailer park but there would have to be a lot of hoops to jump thru in Helena.

If an opportunity came forward and UM wanted to pursue it, how would the process even begin? Getting support from the Board of Regents? Clay Christian? You would have to find support from the executive branch to shepherd it thru the process.

I imagine there were be huge costs involved. These appropriations would have to be approved by the Montana Legislature? The frugal Montana Legislature??

If anyone knows how that process would work, please let us know. I see many more hurdles within the State of Montana. Finding a conference invitation might be the easy part.

Spanky2 said:

Bodnar and Haslam, hopefully, are being proactive in the conversations. We don’t want to wind up in a conference with Northern Colorado, Dixie State and Rocky Mountain College.

Click to expand...

Hey now, leave my alma mater out of it, Rocky is happy being NAIA and giving a lot of MT kids a chance to continue on. Also might run into another person like Chris Horn, pride of the Battlin' Bears. Only person to make it to the NFL from Rocky and play.

RockyGriz8844 said:

Spanky2 said:

Bodnar and Haslam, hopefully, are being proactive in the conversations. We don’t want to wind up in a conference with Northern Colorado, Dixie State and Rocky Mountain College.

Click to expand...

Hey now, leave my alma mater out of it, Rocky is happy being NAIA and giving a lot of MT kids a chance to continue on. Also might run into another person like Chris Horn, pride of the Battlin' Bears. Only person to make it to the NFL from Rocky and play.

Click to expand...

Hello 8844,
Rocky is an excellent school!