It's Official...Hawaii will be in the MWC for football only

It has been made official by the Mountain West Conference, Hawaii will be a football-only member of the conference beginning in 2012.  It is expected that the Big West will get Hawaii's other sports.  Unclear if Utah State will be invited as well, but that appears to be coming later...as soon as January.  But the Aggies are in the mix should the MWC go to 12.  The Big West is also set to invite Seattle and CS Bakersfield.  The WAC will then lose a golden opportunity to solidify their basketball program.

Meanwhile, it appears that the WAC IS close to adding someone.  If Cal Poly can get the approval for a stadium expansion, which is all they need for the FBS jump, they will be invited to the WAC.  This was apparently in the works before this conference realignment craziness.  (Look at this search.  Notice the dates are late 2009 and early 2010.)  Cal Poly administration wants to make the move, the fans want it, but they have to figure out how to pay for it.  The stadium recently underwent some renovation.  (Note, here is one fan's vision for an expanded Alex G. Spanos Stadium, but it is not official.)

Sacramento State may be considering WAC membership as well, but the latest rumor is that they are seeking a similar arrangement with the Big Sky that Cal Poly and UC Davis have...football in the Big Sky and other sports in the Big West.  That would also terminate their current awkward relationship with the WAC, where their baseball programs reside.  If this is true, then it seems unlikely you will see Sac State in the WAC.

In the meantime, two schools with fans who want to see them add football would be a natural for the Big Sky Conference.  They are Utah Valley and Santa Clara.  UVU could be an all-sports participant in the BSC while SCU could be a football-only school and likely keep the rest of their sports in the WCC.  However, UVU may be a candidate for WAC expansion should they add football.  Here is a blog I wrote about UVU football in the spring.  The biggest problem for the Orem campus is there is no place to play right now.  But they could make it work with alterations to the baseball stadium.  There are some other stadium options as well.

BTW...Currently the San Jose Earthquakes (Major League Soccer) are using the Santa Clara football Stadium.

So, to keep you up to date on the latest rumors...

Hawaii...MWC in football, Big West in other sports (Official)
Seattle, CS Bakersfield...Big West (Appears likely)
Sacramento State...Big West (In negotiations with the Big Sky to keep football in the BSC and join their other sports to the Big West like Cal Poly and UC Davis)
Utah State, UTEP...MWC (Strong Rumor)
Cal Poly...WAC if they can find funds to expand stadium (Strong Rumor)
UVU...Looking to add football and join the WAC. (Rumor)
Santa Clara...Fans want to add football (Fact...but can it happen?)

Finally, the MVFC added South Dakota and is looking to keep things even.  They are considering my Alma Mater, Nebraska-Omaha, currently a DII school.

Check out the conference re-alignment matrix here.  It is regularly updated.