Conference Realignments - Take 2

[bincitysioux]

So if Douple gets fired, you're ok with the Summit doing well?

Yes. I don't care how successful or unsuccessful any conference that North Dakota is not a member of is. Except for maybe the BTHC. I hope they fail.

I don't have a problem with any Summit member. I don't care of any of them excel or struggle. Well, actually, a small part of me hopes that USD flounders for the near term. They are the ones that really screwed up the football divisions and basketball travel partners for the Big Sky. I bet you thought I'd say I hope that NDSU struggles. Honestly, they rarely come to mind for me..........................

Douple has proven to be very arrogant and dishonest. I would love nothing more than to see the two highest profile programs bolt from his league.

[bincitysioux]

That should take a bit of pressure off of Montana and/or Montana St. moving to FBS in the near term.

Idaho would be left on an island.........................

Interesting, thanks. Though I don't know if I trust CSinfo as a source - but at least his thoughts seem reasonable.

Gee, is it OK with you if we speculate at all what the future may hold?

The point is that if Utah St. and San Jose St. go to the MWC, it leaves Idaho as the only even remotely attractive opponent for the Montana schools if they made a WAC bid. Utah St. is fairly regional to them, and San Jose would still provide access to California's fertile recruiting grounds. With no USU and SJSU, the WAC becomes even less desirable to any Big Sky team.

Theoretically, USU and SJSU's departure from the WAC could force Idaho to realistically look at returning to the Big Sky, which would stabilize the conference far more than the addition of any MVFC team.................

[dakotadan]

Um, I've seen someone on here with their signature showing UND's record in sports against the other Dakota schools. So isn't that one of your people comparing themselves to the the other schools, none of whom are in a conference with you?

So you like my signature? I think it is extremely impressive, too. Not comparing UND to the other schools as much as pointing out the humor in NDSU fans referring to NDSU, SDSU and USD as the Dakota Big 3.

And I can't wait for UND to establish itself in the Big Sky with similar winning records over Big Sky schools. And with what has happened with other conferences, the Big Sky looks to be one of the most stable conferences in DI right now.

[Bison Dan]

So you like my signature? I think it is extremely impressive, too. Not comparing UND to the other schools as much as pointing out the humor in NDSU fans referring to NDSU, SDSU and USD as the Dakota Big 3.

And I can't wait for UND to establish itself in the Big Sky with similar winning records over Big Sky schools. And with what has happened with other conferences, the Big Sky looks to be one of the most stable conferences in DI right now.

I hope you can live that long! :)

[Siouxperfan7]

I hope you can live that long! :)

I always find it humurous when Bison fans were always mad at Sioux fans for saying that NDSU would never be able to succeed in D1, and that they would never make the playoffs, and there was no chance that they would ever make the NCAA tournament. Now Bison fans are doing the exact same thing they were mad at Sioux fans for doing. I do realize that you are putting some sarcasm in you comment, but there are still those people out there that are being totally hypocritical.

[darell1976]

I always find it humurous when Bison fans were always mad at Sioux fans for saying that NDSU would never be able to succeed in D1, and that they would never make the playoffs, and there was no chance that they would ever make the NCAA tournament. Now Bison fans are doing the exact same thing they were mad at Sioux fans for doing. I do realize that you are putting some sarcasm in you comment, but there are still those people out there that are being totally hypocritical.

Kinda like they were fine when trying to get into the Big Sky but when we got in the excuses not to join are a mile long.

[dakotadan]

Pacific to join WCC

That will give the WCC ten members and the Big West ten members.

[UNDColorado]

Interesting article regarding the possibility of splitting up FBS football: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1128319-college-football-2012-splitting-the-divisions-needs-to-happen-sooner-not-later

*it is from bleacher report so not sure how accurate this could be, but rather good food for thought.

[SIOUXFAN97]

i know its old news that air force will probably join the other military schools in the big east but now rumors of UNLV to the big east also....would MWC push for Montana if that were to happen?

[82SiouxGuy]

i know its old news that air force will probably join the other military schools in the big east but now rumors of UNLV to the big east also....would MWC push for Montana if that were to happen?

Montana probably doesn't go anywhere without Montana State. But more importantly, I can't see Montana making any kind of big move right now after firing the AD and Head Football Coach. They need to get their program in order before they make any other changes.

[Hawkster]

Montana probably doesn't go anywhere without Montana State. But more importantly, I can't see Montana making any kind of big move right now after firing the AD and Head Football Coach. They need to get their program in order before they make any other changes.

When schools make major changes like what is taking place in Montana, you frequently have a situation where the new personnel want to make their mark on the program. In this instance, I can see a new AD and head coach wanting to move up to FBS

[MplsBison]

When schools make major changes like what is taking place in Montana, you frequently have a situation where the new personnel want to make their mark on the program. In this instance, I can see a new AD and head coach wanting to move up to FBS

Leaving the Big Sky conf and moving to FBS would be the school president's call to make along with whatever "board of regents" or state board of higher education type of authority exists for the Univ of Montana system.

At this point, with major changes coming as soon as 2014, they might be better off just waiting for a couple years before pulling the trigger on anything serious.

I'm sure whatever head coach they hire will have had experience coaching at FBS schools.

[MplsBison]

Gee, is it OK with you if we speculate at all what the future may hold?

The point is that if Utah St. and San Jose St. go to the MWC, it leaves Idaho as the only even remotely attractive opponent for the Montana schools if they made a WAC bid. Utah St. is fairly regional to them, and San Jose would still provide access to California's fertile recruiting grounds. With no USU and SJSU, the WAC becomes even less desirable to any Big Sky team.

Theoretically, USU and SJSU's departure from the WAC could force Idaho to realistically look at returning to the Big Sky, which would stabilize the conference far more than the addition of any MVFC team.................

The only way Idaho joins the Big Sky as an all sports member is if that conference gets folded into a new sub-division for the upper FCS schools and lower FBS schools - which is entirely possible and sooner rather than later.

As is, Idaho will not abandon its investment in FBS level football. Certainly, playing non-football sports in the Big Sky makes sense for them and could be in the cards if the Big Sky will allow it.

[SIOUXFAN97]

Wikipedia has us adding equestrian in 2012? error?

[82SiouxGuy]

When schools make major changes like what is taking place in Montana, you frequently have a situation where the new personnel want to make their mark on the program. In this instance, I can see a new AD and head coach wanting to move up to FBS

As MplsBison said, going to FBS would be up to the President and the Board of Regents. They are the ones that made the decision to stay in FCS in the last couple of years. Plus it will take a while for a new AD to be hired. So, with all of the upheaval going on around college sports it wouldn't make sense for them to even look at moving until at least 2014, and probably some time after that.

[jodcon]

Montana is going nowhere in the near future.

They had no interest in moving before, and they certainly will have no interest now with their football program in disarray. If anything this has solidified them in the Big Sky for the next few years at least.

And if/when they do decide to make a move, the Board of Regents will make them take MSU in tow, guaranteed, which will slow the process down because they're even further away from FBS than UM is.

[MplsBison]

This doesn't directly affect FCS schools, but I have to think there will be an indirect effect - especially for those seeking to move up to the FBS subdivision.

http://www.usatoday....enario_st_u.htm

One thing that's cemented, in my mind: there will no longer be automatic qualififiers for the champions of the six "BCS conferences". Those days are done. The only automatic tie-ins will be via contract.

For example, I can't see any scenario in which the Rose Bowl will not be a game between a Pac-12 team and a Big Ten team. The BCS has mucked that up five times in recent history. It's going back to the way it should be.

This also means in my mind that Boise and San Diego playing in the Big East for football is pure bunk. That deal will and should fall through. Same with the supposed CUSA & Mountain West merger.

[dakotadan]

The WAC is on life support more than it has ever been, even as a non-football league.The WAC may be forced to pick up the remaining Great West schools just to stay alive a few more weeks.

It'll be interesting to see if the Sun Belt picks up a few of the remaining WAC teams to finally finish it off. I could see them going after Texas State and NM State. It is looking more and more like Idaho may be up !@$! creek.

C-USA adding UTSA in 2013; North Texas, FIU, Louisiana Tech also likely

The Roadrunners are one of four teams that C-USA will add for the 2013 season.

Conference USA also is looking to add North Texas and Florida International from the Sun Belt and Louisiana Tech from the WAC, sources told CBSSports.com from last week's BCS meetings in Hollywood, Fla.

The Mountain West also is expected to add Utah State and San Jose State in 2013, sources said. The league, without the C-USA/MWC merger, are required to add at least one school to meet the NCAA's FBS requirements for maintaining eight women's sports and six men's sports, with at least six member schools competing in each sport.

[SIOUXFAN97]

I think the WAC will survive as a non-fb conference. Big Sky needs to add either one school or three schools for balance. The one for sure (when they realize that indy in moscow is impossible) is Idaho...then the fun part. If NDAC wise up and join us and NMSU chooses to keep football instead of dropping fb for the non-fb WAC that would be a fun conference. I don't see the Sun Belt going that far west (texas state should be lock for the sun belt especially if the SBC loses NTU to Conf-USA) and unless the MWC loses a couple more teams to the Big East, I don't see any other option for NMSU?

You could split the BSC into two

North

UND

NDSU

UM

MSU

Idaho

Idaho State

Weber State

Eastern Washington

South

NMSU

NAU

Cal-Poly

Cal-Davis

SUU

Portland

Sacramento

UNC

[The Sicatoka]

It is looking more and more like Idaho may be up !@$! creek.

Did someone say Idaho?

http://idaho.scout.com/2/1182373.html

[SIOUXFAN97]

that 25k kibbie dome is gonna be fun to watch sioux games in on a yearly basis....

how quickly would geno taylor pull out his checkbook if/when uipui and oakland leave the ncc2.0 and are replaced by grand valley state and southern indiana?

big sky is where it at geno (especially if NMSU joins)!!

[bincitysioux]

Idaho dropping to FCS and returning to the Big Sky would be great. It would balance things out for all sports, and stabilize the conference for the long term.

[dakotadan]

I just don't see UI and especially NMSU coming back to FCS for football. I think their egos will get in the way and they will go through the torture of independence for a looong time before swallowing that pill.

So the WAC is now a non-football league that includes NMSU, Idaho, Boise St., Denver and Seattle. That is only 5 schools with not many options out there. The question is will these schools be desperate enough to save the WAC and add Utah Valley, CSU Bakersfield and UTPA. Or will they start stabbing each other in the backs trying to sneak into the Big West, WCC, Big Sky or even Summit?

Man, Boise State's athletic department has gone for a whirl. Football playing on the east coast and now the rest of their sports are going to likely be playing in the new version of the Great West Conference.

[nodakvindy]

The WAC should make a play for the flagship MonDak schools and Nebraska-Omaha.

You would end up with this for football

Idaho

New Mexico St.

Montana

Montana St

North Dakota

North Dakota St

South Dakota

South Dakota St.

And this for all sports

Mountain Division

Idaho

New Mexico St.

Montana

Montana St

Seattle

Boise St.,

Central Division

North Dakota

North Dakota St

South Dakota

South Dakota St.

Nebraska Omaha

Denver

You would have a league with affordable travel and keep/reinstate many rivalries. Could be a decent basketball league, I'd probably put the tourney at the Pepsi Center in Denver. South Dakota would probably need to play football games in Sioux Falls and we would have to sell lot of standing room to get to 15K, but it would be doable. The one odd team out would be New Mexico St., but I doubt their travel would be a lot worse than it is now, and they don't have a lot of other options anyway. This could be the one chance to move to FBS if that is indeed a goal for the these teams.

[Siouxperfan7]

The WAC should make a play for the flagship MonDak schools and Nebraska-Omaha.

You would end up with this for football

Idaho

New Mexico St.

Montana

Montana St

North Dakota

North Dakota St

South Dakota

South Dakota St.

And this for all sports

Mountain Division

Idaho

New Mexico St.

Montana

Montana St

Seattle

Boise St.,

Central Division

North Dakota

North Dakota St

South Dakota

South Dakota St.

Nebraska Omaha

Denver

You would have a league with affordable travel and keep/reinstate many rivalries. Could be a decent basketball league, I'd probably put the tourney at the Pepsi Center in Denver. South Dakota would probably need to play football games in Sioux Falls and we would have to sell lot of standing room to get to 15K, but it would be doable. The one odd team out would be New Mexico St., but I doubt their travel would be a lot worse than it is now, and they don't have a lot of other options anyway. This could be the one chance to move to FBS if that is indeed a goal for the these teams.

Wait...are you saying all these schools are going to move up to FBS??? And they are to pay for that how?? Even NDSU which probably has one of the largest FCS football fan bases would not be able to afford that, let alone these South Dakota schools!! And Neb Omaha is dropping football, so not sure why you put them in there.