by The guys from the Mountain West Connection (who are the Mack 10, WC, Ice Cube and then some of the MWC) dropped this bomb via San Diego radio host Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton.
These rumors are everywhere out of the nations capital. There are negotiations between the people for the BCS as well as the Mountain West Conference. If the Mountain West wants to get a guaranteed spot in the BCS they must expand. The expansion would include Boise State, Nevada-Reno and Fresno State. Make it a power twelve team conference.
It’s a rumor at best, but where there’s smoke there’s fire. I don’t know anything about any non Jim Duggan Hacksaw, but I can’t see him gaining much by just blatantly making this up.
Initial Reactions
- Why not go after Houston instead of Nevada?
- If it goes down like that the WAC is fucked. Perfect timing to return to the mainland by June Jones.
- It wouldn’t be a power conference, but it would be a BCS credible one. Having one quarter of your conference as perennial teams in the top 25 guarantees that. And Fresno State and Air Force aren’t pushovers.
- The MWC will get a better television contract.
- It’ll be a bitch for the remaining non-BCS schools to automatically qualify now.
- To make the BCSCG a team will still need to go undefeated and have at least one marquee win over one of the original six BCS schools.
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1beercontrol on Nov 12, 2009 at 6:40 am:
i’ve been saying this for months. to be honest with you, if they did that, they’d be superior to the big east, acc and b1+10 alot of years and better than the pac10 some years.
“It’ll be a bitch for the remaining non-BCS schools to automatically qualify now.” got that right. hell, every year under the current format one of bsu, utah, byu or tcu is gonna get in anyway. might as well make it official and make em do it under the bcs 6’s … errr … 7’s turn.
will it suddenly force ND’s hand. will it make the big east go from 8 to at least 10 or 12 (as it should.) this only gets things started, impact and waves after are only starting, if this happens.
2Magglio Merkin on Nov 12, 2009 at 10:12 am:
Sounds made up…
3David on Nov 12, 2009 at 11:24 am:
The idea of the MWC expansion to get a guaranteed BCS slot is great. But, it needs to include a team from Texas, not Nevada-Reno. The logical choice would be to invite either Tulsa or Houston to join with TCU in the eastern/southern division of the conference to give TCU a basketball travel partner and a natural football rival. Doing so would probably look like this:
West
——-
Boise State
BYU
Fresno State
San Diego State
UNLV
Utah
East
——-
Air Force
Colorado State
Houston/Tulsa
New Mexico
TCU
Wyoming
While This puts three power teams in the West, but it also includes football dogs San Diego and UNLV, while the East is not as strong, but is more balanced.
4cgb on Nov 12, 2009 at 11:29 am:
What’s the point of making it up though? If it were after the season I would say OK he wants to temporarily spike his ratings. But in season he already has a ton of shit to talk about, so I don’t know…
5Bird on Nov 13, 2009 at 11:08 am:
I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a lot of people in the expansion talks that don’t want a BC-type exile to happen to Boise or whoever for their last season in the WAC. Expansion makes sense for the MWC probably not for the rest of us as we’ll have to actually cut up the pie even more.
All conferences should have a 12-team-conf title game type setup to further move cfb towards the playoff system of the future.
6MrEdLXIV on Nov 22, 2009 at 2:52 pm:
Boise State going to the Mountain West is probably a done deal. If they only add Boise, then the MWC would go to 9 conference games. For the MWC to expand and cut up the pie, they need a stronger TV contract and Boise can only help it with ESPN or certain marquee games. For the MWC to really make itself an automatic BCS conference, the other conferences are going to want to it to poach any teams in the Western part of the country that could concievably go undefeated and use up a automatic BCS slot. If both Boise and TCU go undefeated and the fact that both are ranked in the top 6 makes them almost a shoe-in that there will be 2 BCS busters this year. One auto (TCU) and one at large (Boise) because of their superior records and there isn’t a bunch of great at large teams this year. So this action should definitely spur the BCS to limit this from happening in future years by have these teams beat each other up for 1 automatic BCS slot. Based on the MWC’s actions last time they expanded with TCU, they are looking for eyeballs for a richer TV contract. So if that is the case, Boise St., Fresno St and Houston are the most likely candidates for expansion. Boise give it the name program to attract the national TV contract, Fresno St gives it another California school that can appeal to Central and Northern California casual TV watchers and Houston gives it another huge TV market in Texas to complement Dallas/Ft.Worth. I personally think Air Force (too small) and Hawaii (too far) should be independents.
7cgb on Nov 22, 2009 at 3:38 pm:
WAC commissioner Karl Benson was in the booth for a little during Boise State and Utah State Friday night. They asked him point blank about the MWC and WAC holding a championship game and he didn’t deny anything. While it would be smart for the leagues to team up, I think MWC consuming the WAC is within their reach.
8Jeremy on Nov 23, 2009 at 12:06 am:
Houston instead of Fresno State. Nevada is good for a rival for UNLV and they would immediately be mid level MWC. Fresno has dropped off because of the rule changes regarding grayshirting which is how Fresno was so good. They would get players from the Pac-10 who did not qualify.
9Topher on Nov 27, 2009 at 2:58 am:
Scew Nevada, Jump on Houstan. If we pulled Houstan into the MWC, its very plausable that the MWC could have 5 teams ranked in the preseaon top 25.
Looking forward to the bowl games: BYU will likely play USC pr Arizona in the poinsettia bownl in san diego. If their defence shows up… they’ll take it. Utah will possibly face Oregon State of Arizona in the Vegas bowl(the way Utah has been playing, this will be a good game against oregon state; Arizona would be a blowout ) If all goes well… TCU could play Alabama in a BCS bowl and though I’m not particularly a fan of TCU, from what I’ve seen from the frogs this season, they can play with anyone. A TCU win would put us on the map big time.
For our freinds and hopeful new neighbors… Boise state may end up in a BCS game. It’s speculated that they would play Iowa or Penn State, both of which games they can win. Houstan looks, for now, like they will be playing Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl; should be a good game, Houstan is favored.
I predict our sweathearts will go 4-2 in their bowl game but the chance of running the table is a definate possibility.
More arguments for Houtans instead of Nevada: Texas recruiting would take off. All of those outstanding high school prospects that get lost second or third string on the benches of UT, and Texas Tech, would be able to sign with teams like TCU and Houstan and would be able get playing time in front of scouts and on national TV audiences in a new BCS conference.
So bottom line: screw Nevada!!!
10Topher on Nov 27, 2009 at 3:15 am:
Oh, and I forget to mention Baseball: TCU was ranked 10 in the country, SDSU was incredible as well. Adding Fresno State (2009 national champs) to the mix, would make us a pretty tough conference for baseball as well.
Many of you could care less about baseball… but having another sport along with football reconized nationally would definately be another positive step in establishing well respected conference.
11PlayoffOrBust on Dec 3, 2009 at 4:54 pm:
I think Boise State (in national light with recent success and logical “Mountain West” location), Fresno State (Central California market for TV and recruiting), and Houston (#4 market in the nation! Texas recruiting) are the logical choices.
However, may be the “Mountain” and “West” football divisions could be split up by something other than geography (a la the ACC). It would be more fair to place Utah and BYU (rivalry) in the same division, and put TCU and Boise State together. Just a thought. And for basketball and other “travel-partner” sports, it would look wonderfully as follows:
Colorado State-Wyoming
BYU-Utah
San Diego State-UNLV
Air Force-New Mexico
TCU-Houston
Boise State-Fresno State
The championship game/tournament for football, basketball, etc. should then rotate among Las Vegas, Denver, and Dallas. (NFL stadiums and NBA arenas in Denver and Dallas)
I also think the BCS would eventually add the Cotton Bowl to the lineup. The Big XII champ would go to the Cotton Bowl and the MWC champ would go to the Fiesta Bowl……
12Bolder-Boulder on Dec 8, 2009 at 5:11 pm:
Houston should be a lock!!! Wow! Not only would the Texas recruits be attracted to TCU & Houston, but the rest of the MWC could also pluck a couple of cherries! After all, there are many Texans with roots out West whose kids grew up fans of the likes of Utah, BYU, etc…rich recruiting grounds down there in Texas!
1312-Team Conferences Only on Dec 10, 2009 at 12:39 pm:
I think all FBS conferences need 12 teams and/or a championship game.
In a way it would at least provide somewhat of a playoff format (at least within conferences)
MWC: add Boise State, Fresno State, and Nevada/Houston
BIG EAST: add East Carolina, Central Florida, Marshall, Memphis
C-USA: add Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, Troy, Arkansas State
WAC and SUN BELT will have to expand with FCS (1-AA) schools eventually go get up to 12.
14Jimbo on Dec 10, 2009 at 5:28 pm:
What about the PAC 10? Do they get a pass on expanding to 12 schools?
15Wyman13 on Jan 6, 2010 at 12:03 am:
I am all for an expansion of the Conference as long as they don’t go over board like the WAC did in the late 09’s expanding to a 16 team league. Ten teams seemed to be good prior to that move, except for teams like UTEP in football weakened the conference. I guess that happens to all teams from time to time especially when other bigger conference come in and draft away any winning coaches for a higher salary. That is usually what kills a wining university in the old WAC or MWC. A stronger conference may resolve that for all the schools, as you do have a good coach who wants to stay in a competitive conference. I like the format of a 12 team conference better as it keeps together a lot of the old rivals and provide3s a conference playoff.
Fresno State held it’s own in the old WAC when they had Trent Dilfer playing. Pat Hill seams to have a good proven track record there as a head coach. Nevada has also held its own against UNLV and other Mountain west teams. There is no question that Boise State can hold it’s own in all sports. ESPN is talking that Texas may belooking at Houston’s coach, but they have done good the past few years abd were good back in the ols South West Conferece.
How about adding Boise State and attracting Arizona, and Arizona State back. Neither school has done well since they left the old WAC for the PAC. Maybe we don’t want them back though.
Yes I think all conferences need to go 12 teams as all the schools are developing better teams with all the athletes out there today. A 12 Team conference seams to create more completion within and seams to produce from 5 to 10 teams making bowls games. Producing a consistent 6 teams from a 12 team conferences would be great for the MWC. This should help developed a better shot for a team or two making it to a BCS bowl game every year and maybe to the National title game now and then. Plus you get to play the conference Championship game which hopefully is the better of the 2 top teams for a National championship game.
I know that the main purpose of a University is the education our kids needs to live a better life and that is the main purpose for attending, but I’m fed up too with all this bigger schools telling us that we can’t play with them because they play better schools from week to week. We beat the SEC twice last year (08) on their own turf, both Tennessee and Bama, and they hoot and holler saying it was once in a life time deal and holds no count because we play weaker teams all year and can get up for one game, but when you beat their team head on it’s a different story.
Yet you don’t see the SEC coming out here to play us on our home court or field. I have to give it to Ole Miss, Virginia, Ohio, and Texas though who came to Wyoming. Wyoming went 3-1 over those teams from the so call bigger school conference. Will we ever see Florida, Tennessee, or schools other’s come west. So if it take a good 12 team conference to get there, I say, “Ger Done”. The sooner the better, but lets do it with a good study on the 12 teams that can be satisfied sticking it out. I like the answer in 13, that all conferences should go 12 teams. Maybe when all conferences put up a team that finished unbeaten in the future, maybe there will be respect and consideration by all!!!
16cgb on Jan 6, 2010 at 3:06 pm:
@Jimbo I give the Pac-10 a pass because they play a round-robin conference schedule and 99% of the teams play three meaningful non-conference games.
17Boise State 78 on Mar 11, 2010 at 5:54 pm:
Don t discount Hawaii instead of Houston or Nevada, They add a bowl game that can attract a power conference opponent if they were in the mountain west.