Can the Big Sky Compete as a Split Conference or Conferences?

This is another in the continuing series to determine the viability of Idaho continuing in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

I just read about this plan in the Las Cruces Sun-News

I am not talking about dividing the Big Sky Conference into geographical divisions, but breaking the conference into 1 division for FBS teams and 1 division for FCS teams.  In all other sports, the BSC competes as once conference.

This plan is taking it a step further than is mentioned in the Las Cruces Sun-News...


FBS Division (8 members)

Eastern Washington (Only needs to add 2 sports.  Could remain in the FCS)
UC Davis (Needs to expand stadium, but can use the Sac State Stadium temporarily.  Could remain in the FCS.)
Cal Poly (Needs to expand stadium.  Could remain in the FCS.)
Idaho
Montana (Needs to add 2 sports.  Could remain in the FCS.)
New Mexico State
Portland State (Needs to add 2 sports.  Could remain in the FCS.)
Sacramento State

Plays to be invited to the Famous Potato Bowl and a couple of other bowl arrangements.

FCS Division (7 members)

Idaho State
Montana State (Could move to the FBS, needs to add 1 sports program.)
North Dakota
Northern Arizona (Could move to the FBS, needs to add 1 sports program.)
Northern Colorado
Southern Utah
Weber State (Could move to the FBS.)

Plays for an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

In order for this plan to work, the NCAA would need to grant an emergency waiver for at least 6 current Big Sky members to transition to the Football Championship Subdivision, as the June 1 deadline has passed.

Note: BSC commissioner Doug Fullerton has admired that the 13-team football conference is a little odd for scheduling.   He wants an even number team.  Perhaps there will be North Dakota State, South Dakota and/or South Dakota State worked into the plan.  But for football, this works well.  The NCAA does allow an FBS program to count 1 game against an FCS school for bowl eligibility.  This can be a conference game.  Montana can still play at Montana State every season, for example. 

But for basketball and all other non-football sports, the divisions can be divided geographically.  I suppose that the plan assumes that Denver and Seattle will not be part of the plan; that they will get invited to the WCC.  This can work even if they remain. You have a 16-member conference (sans Cal Poly and UC Davis, plus Boise State, Denver and Seattle)

North Division (Big Sky)

Boise State
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Idaho State
Montana
Montana State
Portland State
Seattle

South Division (WAC)

Denver
New Mexico State
North Dakota
Northern Colorado
Northern Arizona
Sacramento State
Southern Utah
Weber State

Now, who is behind this, you ask?  Boise State.  They need a place for their non-football programs.  They also need a fall-back in case the Big East goes belly-up.  Also, this conference will see it's membership picked-off by the MWC or other conferences as the conference realignment madness continues, which is why the Big Sky expanded to 13/11 in the first place.  The conference realignment dust is far from settled.  Over-expanding like this is a defense.

According to the report, this will not be a merger, but a merger/split in order to maintain two automatic bids to the NCAA.  The North Division would be one conference, presumably the Big Sky and the South Division would be the other conference, or WAC.

According to the report, for football the Big Sky will remain in tact as it is, with Idaho and New Mexico State competing in other conferences or as FBS independents.