The dominoes of conference realignment appear to be falling again. Right now it appears that Boise State is preparing to leave the Big East at the altar and return to the MWC. And the Big 12 appears to poised to raid the ACC to get some southern cooking in the conference. If this happens, the ACC will likely raid the Big East again, causing that conference to fall apart. That would leave Houston, SMU and Memphis without a conference. Who knows if the MWC is safe from further expansion from other conferences. The MWC seems vulnerable to lose some schools from the east.
Without the WAC to raid, where will the MWC go for new members. Here is a capsule of who is available and what it will take to get them into the MWC.
Idaho and New Mexico Sate
Idaho has two problems that will keep them forever from the MWC. The first is their market, which is something they can do little about. The second are their facilities. They need a comitment to improve their facilities to really get a good look from the MWC. Idaho will need to find a way to get a new bigger stadium to get a serious look from the MWC.
New Mexico State came close to getting into the MWC last time, and their sister campus in Albuquerque fought long and hard for the Aggies. There are two main problems that NMSU has that make the MWC shudder. One is their market and the other is their lack of academic standing. For years, NMSU has not made the USNWR rankings. This has to change. NMSU needs to make a commitment to improving academic programs.
Montana and Montana State
Montana and Montana State have the facilities, but they do not sponsor enough sports to move to the FBS. This will take a financial commitment. But otherwise, these schools are a good fit for the MWC.
Portland State
Portland State needs to reinstate sports programs they have canceled over the years. They have a nice stadium for their football programs to call home. If Stott Center is too small for the MWC, PSU could lease the old Veterans Memorial Colosseum for men's basketball. PSU is up to 14 sports programs and could add baseball, swimming and/or gymnastics to compete in the MWC. They are in a city that is 81 miles from the nearest FBS school and should have no trouble competing for fans.
Sacramento State/UC Davis
Sacramento State has the facilities to compete in the MWC and enough sports, where UC Davis only lacks a football stadium. The Kings are about to abandon their arena for the greener (money-wise) pastures of Anaheim. The Aggies and the Hornets men's programs could even lease the arena together. Both have enough sports programs and UC Davis is one of the best academic programs in the west outside of the PAC-12.
How would sharing the old Arco work for UC Davis and Sac Sate? UC Davis would get the arena on Thursday and Saturday Afternoon. Sac State would get the arena on Saturday night and Monday. One team comes to town and plays UCD on Thrusday and Sac State on Saturday. The other team would play UCD on Saturday and Sac State on Monday.
About the Sacramento Kings moving...there was a deal for a new arena in Sacramento, but the owners rejected it. There is a real nice documentary about it here. Watch it until the end.
Cal Poly
San Louis Obisbo would be a nice place for an annual bowl game. And all that this school needs to do for FBS inclusion is to expand their football stadium.
2 comments:
Sounds like Boise State is parking their olympic sports in the Big West with SDSU so I doubt they are staying in the MWC. That is according to the Idaho Statesman article today. I believe the next two teams in the MWC is Montana and Montana State. I think they knew all of this was coming down the line, hence not jumping on the sinking WAC. Too much money being pumped into UM and MSU athletics facilities to think nothing is going on behind the scenes.
CPSLO has half a stadium and is in a small town. Not an ideal site for a bowl game.
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