As I mentioned in my last blog, the WAC may be preparing to add six schools in 2012. Four of those schools coming from the Big Sky Conference. That could be devastating for one of the better FCS conferences in the country. The four schools that could be lost are: Montana, Montana State, Portland State and Sacramento State. This represents two of the Big Sky's three major metro areas and one of the two most successful school in conference athletics in the past 15 years.
I have mentioned at least two other times good schools that the Big Sky can add. But the conference has added two of them as football-only programs. There are only two other FCS programs west of the Rocky Mountains. San Diego and Southern Utah. Of course SUU would come at the drop of a hat. San Diego is a possibility as another football-only program. It is doubtful that they will leave the WCC, especially now that the WCC is improving it's national profile. In football, USD plays in the Pioneer Conference, with their closest competition in Des Moines, Iowa. The Big Sky is a better place for their football program.
That leave the conference to consider inviting Division II schools or expanding east of the Rockies...or both.
Again, if the Big Sky needs to consider a D-II school, why not Dixie State? Without Portland and Sacramento, St George would be the second largest metro in the Big Sky, and would likely pass Ogden in the next 15 years. Why not bring Dixie State in with Southern Utah?
Central Washington is another quality D-II school that comes to mind. They have played well against Big Sky competition, lately. They lost a nail biter to Eastern Washington last weekend. Last year, they went to Pocatello and defeated Idaho State.
The other football members of the Great Northwest conference are Humboldt State, Western Oregon and Simon Fraser. Humboldt and Western Oregon are frequent visitors to Big Sky venues. Simon Fraser is the only Canadian School in the NCAA. They are located in a Vancouver Suburb.
East of the Rockies, the Big Sky can invite the remaining GWC members, North Dakota and South Dakota. They can also invite North Dakota State and South Dakota State, who are affiliated with other conferences.
At the DII level, the Rocky Mountain Conference can be raided. Mesa State in Grand Junction is a school that I have mentioned before. It fits well into the footprint of the Big Sky Conference. None of the big Denver-metro schools, like Metro State, play football.
Speaking of programs that do not currently play football, perhaps someone like Fullerton or Long Beach could begin to play football again. Someone like Bakersfield or Utah Valley could start a football program.
It is not the end of Big Sky Conference, unless they decide to change the name.
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