Montana AD: merge Great West into Big Sky

[star2city]

Great Falls: Expansion rumblings around the Big Sky

Montana's President Dennison, who has been stridently opposed to moving up to FBS, is retiring in August. If and until Montana has a President that is pro-FBS and pro-WAC, Montana to a Boise-less WAC is likely not happening.

Montana AD O'Day seems to believe that Portland State and Sacramento State would be the choices for a WAC bid, as both have FBS-ready facilities.

In the meantime, O'Day seems to be on record wanting an expanded Big Sky football conference. UC Davis and Cal Poly would gladly join the Big Sky in football only, but would leave the Big West (which doesn't have football).

"The Big Sky is in a good place right now," said O'Day. "It all depends on what happens around us. I think we should go after schools like UC Davis and Cal Poly, and maybe South Dakota and North Dakota from the Great West ... I could see a 14-team or 16-team Big Sky with two divisions."

[homer]

That to me would be an ideal situation for UND football. Right in our recruiting area, stick with the common opponents from the past few years.

[Bison Dan]

Great Falls: Expansion rumblings around the Big Sky

Montana's President Dennison, who has been stridently opposed to moving up to FBS, is retiring in August. If and until Montana has a President that is pro-FBS and pro-WAC, Montana to a Boise-less WAC is likely not happening.

Montana AD O'Day seems to believe that Portland State and Sacramento State would be the choices for a WAC bid, as both have FBS-ready facilities.

In the meantime, O'Day seems to be on record wanting an expanded Big Sky football conference. UC Davis and Cal Poly would gladly join the Big Sky in football only, but would leave the Big West (which doesn't have football).

Do you really think USD would go if asked? The buyout for the Summit is $500,000.00.

[MplsBison]

Sac and Portland don't have bball facilities. They play in high school gyms. And they can't afford to rent local NBA arenas for every home game, not happening.

Sac might have enough seats to meet FBS, but their stadium is not that great (it has a track around it). Portland plays in a minor league baseball stadium.

The markets would be right and both teams west coast, but I have trouble seeing the other presidents signing off on them.

UND and USD will be in the Summit League under lock and key before the Big Sky will have a chance to get at them.

[star2city]

Do you really think USD would go if asked? The buyout for the Summit is $500,000.00.

You're lacking in comprehension skills.

This issue is a Big Sky football-side conference: O'Day isn't suggesting all-sport membership for USD (or UND, Cal Poly, UC Davis). USD doesn't have MVFC membership and would likely take the bird in the hand rather than wait.

[The Sicatoka]

"The Big Sky is in a good place right now," said O'Day. "It all depends on what happens around us. I think we should go after schools like UC Davis and Cal Poly, and maybe South Dakota and North Dakota from the Great West ... I could see a 14-team or 16-team Big Sky with two divisions."

I'm more than a little surprised to see the Montana AD say something like that on the record.

[GeauxSioux]

I'm more than a little surprised to see the Montana AD say something like that on the record.

O'Day somewhat off the record here.

[The Sicatoka]

How is O'Day seeing a 16-team Big Sky? There aren't that many western FB schools (FBS or FCS). And there aren't that many "DU" (BB only) schools in the west either.

If Utah goes Pac-10 and LaTech goes for better geography I see 30 western FB schools in the equation he's talking about:

MWC: USAFA, BYU, CSU, UNM, SDSU, TCU, UNLV, Wyo

WAC: BSU, FSU, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, NMSU, SJSU, USU

BSC: Sac, EWU, Mont, MSU, Weber, NAZ, NoColo, ISU, PSU

Great West: Poly, Davis, SUU, UND, USD

If the MWC would decide to go for 14 to 16 teams there aren't that many left for O'Day's "14 to 16 team" BSC unless it were merged into a two-tiered (FBS/FCS) WAC.

[star2city]

How is O'Day seeing a 16-team Big Sky? There aren't that many western FB schools (FBS or FCS). And there aren't that many "DU" (BB only) schools in the west either.

If Utah goes Pac-10 and LaTech goes for better geography I see 30 western FB schools in the equation he's talking about:

MWC: USAFA, BYU, CSU, UNM, SDSU, TCU, UNLV, Wyo

WAC: BSU, FSU, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, NMSU, SJSU, USU

BSC: Sac, EWU, Mont, MSU, Weber, NAZ, NoColo, ISU, PSU

Great West: Poly, Davis, SUU, UND, USD

If the MWC would decide to go for 14 to 16 teams there aren't that many left for O'Day's "14 to 16 team" BSC unless it were merged into a two-tiered (FBS/FCS) WAC.

Not sure how O'Day sees 14 to 16 either.

BSC 9 + GW 5 = 14 but subtract Sac and Portland = 12

Maybe add USD (San Diego) + UCSD + UUSG (Utah-St George - formerly Dixie St) + CWU = 16, but those are all long shots.

[FSSD]

BSC: EWU, Mont, MSU, Weber, NAZ, NoColo, ISU

Great West: Poly, Davis, SUU, UND, USD

MVC: SDSU, NDSU

If BSC offered full membership to SUU, SDSU, NDSU, UND and USD you would have 12 and 14 with Poly and Davis football only. I am not sure if Poly and Davis would move to full membership with BSC if offered. I am not sure if xDSU would be interested either? But, something like this:

BSC

East

Mont

MSU

UND

NDSU

USD

SDSU

UNC

West

EWU

Weber

NAZ

ISU

Poly

Davis

SUU

[star2city]

BSC: EWU, Mont, MSU, Weber, NAZ, NoColo, ISU

Great West: Poly, Davis, SUU, UND, USD

MVC: SDSU, NDSU

If BSC offered full membership to SUU, SDSU, NDSU, UND and USD you would have 12 and 14 with Poly and Davis football only. I am not sure if Poly and Davis would move to full membership with BSC if offered. I am not sure if xDSU would be interested either? But, something like this:

BSC

East

Mont

MSU

UND

NDSU

USD

SDSU

UNC

West

EWU

Weber

NAZ

ISU

Poly

Davis

SUU

There is practically no way that SDSU or NDSU will move to the Big Sky in any capacity. (with one exception: if NDSU somehow thinks that would be the stepping stone to get in the WAC.)

The Big Sky rejected those two time and again, and since then, NDSU and SDSU are so "very thankful" that they were rejected, as the Summit is the greatest thing ever. They were jilted lovers of the Big Sky, and twice scorned, they have way too much ego to look in that direction. Besides, both believe that they are insiders into full MVC membership.

USD wouldn't want much to do with the Big Sky either, unless a MVFC slot seemed impossible.

If somehow it happened, a football Big Sky might look like this:

North: Montana, MSU, UND, USD, UNC, EWash

South: ISU, WSU, SUU, NAU, UCDavis, Poly

The regular (non-football) Big Sky would possibly look like: Montana, MSU, EWash, Idaho St, Weber, Utah Valley, SUU, NAU, UNC + Grand Canyon U in Phoenix

[MplsBison]

Assuming that the Big Sky presidents would allow football-only membership.

There is nothing out there even suggesting they would.

[82SiouxGuy]

Assuming that the Big Sky presidents would allow football-only membership.

There is nothing out there even suggesting they would.

There are only so many FCS schools in the West. Depending on how the conference scene changes over the next couple of years, they may have to rethink how they operate and do some things that they haven't done before. Having football only affiliates could be one of those things. The Athletic Director at Montana recognizes and acknowledges that possibility, why can't you?

[MplsBison]

There are only so many FCS schools in the West. Depending on how the conference scene changes over the next couple of years, they may have to rethink how they operate and do some things that they haven't done before. Having football only affiliates could be one of those things. The Athletic Director at Montana recognizes and acknowledges that possibility, why can't you?

Because the AD don't make those decisions, the presidents do.

[darell1976]

I think this would be a no brainer (talking for only football) for UND and USD since the GWFC has no auto bid. If it came to basketball I think this would be great for UND since Douple has it out to kill the Sioux name. If UND had the choice BSC or Summit...easy take the BSC!!

[bincitysioux]

Because the AD don't make those decisions, the presidents do.

And in most cases, University Presidents aren't glued to what is going on in the realm of college athletics...........they rely on their A.D.'s to supply them with information needed to make the best decision for the University as a whole. It's called delegating..............Now, what has Montana's A.D. been telling his president?............what has North Dakota's A.D. been telling his president (regarding the nickname)? I see a pattern..............

[star2city]

Because Sac State has an FBS-ready stadium, I still view them, as well as Portland State, as the favorite to move to the WAC. If both are gone from the Big Sky, the Big Sky would almost have to go to an expanded football conference.

Sac State and Wanless want move to WAC

Cal Poly has interest in FBS, but has no concrete financial plans for a stadium expansion

Opportunity for Cal Poly into FBS?

[MplsBison]

Because Sac State has an FBS-ready stadium, I still view them, as well as Portland State, as the favorite to move to the WAC. If both are gone from the Big Sky, the Big Sky would almost have to go to an expanded football conference.

Sac State and Wanless want move to WAC

Cal Poly has interest in FBS, but has no concrete financial plans for a stadium expansion

Opportunity for Cal Poly into FBS?

Correction: Sac State has an FBS-ready track stadium. The stadium is set up to host premiere track events, not football games. Yes you can play football in the in-field, but it's not the optimal set-up.

Portland St will have the best stadium of Sac, PSU, Davis and Poly in the short term. Long term, both Davis and Poly could have the best football stadiums of the bunch (Davis expandable to 30k, Poly expansion plans to 25k).

But then you start throwing in other factors: of the four, only Davis has a legitimate DI bball facility, Poly doesn't bring a significant market (probably not as huge of a concern for a conf. like WAC, but still something worth noting) and then Davis has the best academics/research of the four.

That tells me that Davis has the highest potential for the WAC with Poly being a solid runner-up if they could fully expand their stadium and build a DI bball facility.

[dakotadan]

Montana schools contemplate transition to Football Bowl Subdivision

This is a pretty good article that looks at UM and MSU and a possible move to FBS.