MplsBison

Yes, it needs more members if they ever want an autobid. However, I think the 08 date is independant of that.

This won't be just great for football, but bball as well. And when NDSU gets a hockey team, it will be great for that too.

Not only possible, but plausible with the caveat that an already established DI-AA program joins the Great West. Then you're looking at 2010 as being the year when the GW can be considered for an autobid. If NDSU were to go to the Gateway, that would probably ruin the possibility. But I don't see why the Gateway would expand if only WKU left. If YSU and Mo State also leave, well then you got problems.

Not that I don't think Minot and USF would be fine in DII, but I think the NCC, being the better of the 2 conferences, would go after the top teams in the NSIC and the NSIC would get the move ups. IE, switch Minot and USF with Bemidji and Concordia.

I don't see much choice for Agui, St Cloud, Mankato, Duluth if UND and USD move to DI and UNO moves to MIAA other than to merge with the NSIC. Agui would have a nice DII rivalry with Northern State. Unless, of course, the NCC is going to try and pull something like taking Winona, Concordia, Bemidji, and Northern to the NCC.

What about Penn State? Or would that be more of a CCHA or even HE deal?

Thanks for the info. Curious, what will the CHA do if: Huntsville drops or Bemidji moves their men's team to the WCHA where their women's team is? I could even see Wayne State in the CCHA and both Robert Morris and Niagra in either the ECACHL, HE, or the AH. Seems like a league of teams waiting to be accepted to other conferences.

I honestly didn't think UND would win. I did think they'd play them tough, and obviously you did. Well done. Man, I can't wait for DI Bison-Sioux. 2009, our place. Be there.

Assuming U of BC goes DII with DI hockey, would the WCHA or even the CCHA accept them right away? Or would they be forced to go to a lower league like the CHA? (*EDIT Aparantly the CHA is going to disband? Not sure but http://www.hockeyrefs.com/intheheadlines/04122006.htm claims that one of the coaches says the conference is disbanding.)

What about Western and Central Wash? They're really going to be out there on an island now. RMAC maybe?

Why would UBC getting into the BSC affect UND in any way?

I'm not sure if there is a singular resource for that. I do know that there was a pre season article on SUU's athletic director and his 2 main goals are to get the football team to DI-A counter status (IE, averaging 57 scholarships over the last 2 seasons) and bringing back the volleyball program.

The BSC isn't going to add UND alone. I think you can at least agree to that much. UBC is going DII to start out if they get into the NCAA. Denver isn't interested in the Big Sky. I don't see many options for them now other than UVSC for a bball member or SUU for a fball/bball member. Or they don't expand and go through 2 more seasons of 9 member scheduling problems.

I think it does show a commitment to the football team, though. They want to be competitive. They want to win.

Any addition member added to the BSC will split the conference revenue up just the same as any other member. SUU is in their footprint and gives them a 10th football member if that's what they're looking for. They have 57 scholarships so they are a good football team. They're committed to athletics.

I know that the Big Sky wants to expand for the 2007 season. They don't want 9 basketball members after this season. They want 10 or 12. So, assuming Denver is not likely, you're looking at adding SUU or UVSC depending on if they want 10 football members or not. U of BC I think is going to look at DII except for hockey to start out with. They may say "thanks but no thanks for now" to the BSC.

6 conference games is probably not ideal, but I don't think having 8 conference games just to have 8 conference games is worth the extra travel and what the conference members will see as "downgraded" members. I think they'll wait for something like Grand Valley St if they're looking for a move up. Yes, it would be very expensive for Drake to add 63 scholarships and all the extra money needed to compete in the Gateway. They'd have to add all the extra women's scholarships etc. But it isn't impossible. Not with their rich alumni base.

Not only will they get rid of Tech (CUSA or Sun Belt), but I think Hawaii will leave the WAC. You would also be looking at a MWC raid of Boise, Nevada, and Fresno. But assuming the WAC loses Tech and Hawaii and adds Sac State and UC Davis, here would be the new WAC: Fresno State San Jose State Sac State UC Davis Boise State Idaho Utah State New Mexico State Nevada Definately worth the extra travel.

Davis very well could go I-A. Same with Sac State. Poly will probably stay I-AA for a bit longer, though.

It depends if the Big Sky is looking for a football member or a non football member. If 9 football and 10 bball is the perfect combination for the Big Sky, then I think Denver is their 1st choice. But I also think UVSC would fit easily into that catogory and that might be a more realistic choice. If they want a football member then SUU is the only option for now (how pissed would they be if UVSC got into the Big Sky and they didn't!). I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Actually, I don't see the Gateway adding anyone right away if only WKY leaves. Perhaps they try to get Drake to upgrade their football or wait for Witchia St to add football.

Well, I suppose the definition of "flagship" is subjctive. I would say ISU is probably at best the 4th most popular school in Idaho after Boise, U of ID, and Wash. State.

USD is going DI. It's basically a fact. They're just going to wait until Nov. to announce it. Idaho State is not a flagship school, either. They are not a land grant school. The state of Idaho gave the U of Idaho the state's Morrill money to start ag and engineering colleges at the U rather than starting a new school like the state of ND did. ISU used to be a junior college, just like Boise State used to be. The U of Idaho used to be the only major university in the state. Then with growth both Boise and and ISU became 4 year schools and so on. You might be suprised to know that Arizona State and Florida State are also not land grant schools. There are several other "[] State" schools that are also not land grants.

Shoot, who needs the Mid Con, then? You'll always have the WCHA for hockey and the Great West will get you games against NDSU, SDSU, and USD every season (as well as Davis and Poly). Might as well just be independant in the rest of the sports.

I also don't see how SUU would destabilize the BSC. SUU is on the same academic level as Weber State, UNC, and EWU. They obviously don't have the markets that those 3 have. But they're reasonably close to Las Vegas and NAU. SUU seems like the perfect 10th basketball member for the Big Sky and I honestly think that they will add the Tbirds this fall. The fact that SUU has upped football scholarships to 57 and will be a DIA counter in 2008 as well as the fact that they are planning to bring volleyball back only strengthens this argument. I know that U Montana fans are continually displeased with the "dumbing down" of the big sky, going from schools like Nevada, Boise State, and Idaho, to Sac State, Northern Col., and now possibly Southern Utah. And, of course, Montana State fans will push for their school to stay with Montana, where ever they go. Realistically, I don't see Montana in any DI-A conference right now. Their basketball program is improving, though. But still, if they were in the WAC right now, football and bball would be middle to bottom of the pack. And they don't have baseball/softball due to the goofy sport set that the Big Sky requires, something that most WAC schools would probably require. And if Montana State were able to follow Montana, they'd be at the bottom in almost all WAC sports.