Saving the WAC...It Will Not Die

Thought that I would simplify what I said the other day.  In the end, the WAC will not die.  That was the logic of inviting Seattle, Denver and UT Arlington.  It was all about survival as basketball conference.  Benson is not so crazy nor stupid as he has been reported.  Again, this is how things appear to be going down.

There are 7 football members of the WAC, here is where they will end up.

Idaho--Will most likely return to the Football Championship Subdivision and the Big Sky Conference.  It is possible that the MWC will expand to 12 and invite the Vandals, but probably not without a commitment for a larger football facility.  That is the main hurdle.  The Kibble Dome is a nice indoor practice facility, but will not work in the MWC.

Louisiana Tech--Wants an invite to Conference-USA.  But they will settle for the Sun Belt.  If UTEP ends up in a 12-member MWC, then La Tech's chances at a C-USA invite improve.

New Mexico State--Has very little to offer anyone in the way of athletics or academics or market.  If they remain in the FBS, they will return to the Sun Belt Conference, possibly for football only.  They could end up in the Southland Conference (FCS).  It is a longshot possibility for them to end up in the MWC with New Mexico.  If they join the Sun Belt only in Football, then the rest of their sports can remain in the WAC.

San Jose State--Will likely end up in the MWC as a replacement for Boise State/Air Force.

Texas State--Will likely end up joining the Sun Belt Conference but have a long-shot chance that C-USA will invite them.

Texas San Antonio--Their first year of football...not so good.  But they have the Alamo City and the Alamodome and could get a C-USA invite, but will most likely end up as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

Utah State--Most likely will join the Mountain West.

So what happens to the WAC?

Currently, they have 3 non-football schools

Denver
Texas Arlington
Seattle

And they will be joined by

Cal-State Bakersfield
Utah Valley

And they could also invite

Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Who is a non-football member of the Southland Conference.

And, they can get the Olympic Sports of Big East Invitees

Air Force
Boise State

Making the non-football WAC look like...

Air Force
Boise State
Cal State Bakersfield
Denver
Seattle
Texas Arlington
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Utah Valley
Possibly New Mexico State joins Sun Belt as football only and remains in the WAC for other sports.

What will the Sun Belt look like?

My guess is that the Sun Belt will lose North Texas and Middle Tennessee to C-USA.  They could lose one more, but the third C-USA replacement will likely come from elsewhere (Appalachian State).  But they gain 4.

East Division

Florida AtlanticFlorida International
Louisiana Lafayette
Louisiana Monroe
Louisiana Tech
Western Kentucky

West Division

Arkansas Little Rock (Non Football)
Arkansas State
New Mexico State (Football only) 
Texas State
Texas San Antonio
South Alabama
Troy