(03-28-2017 04:34 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(03-28-2017 11:30 AM)jdgaucho Wrote:  The BW doesn't like 11. IF Bakersfield and UCSD were added, someone else outside California would have to come along as #12. That narrows it down to New Mexico State, GCU or Seattle.

What makes you say they are against 11? To my knowledge, the only real guiding principle behind current Big West membership is that a balance is maintained between the Cal St and UC schools.

12 gives you an extra mouth to feed. 11 gives you balance and you can do a 20 game conference schedule with double round robin play.

Looks like we're both right. The BW was willing to stay at 11 when SDSU joined. Then Boise changed things up in 2012.

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/story...all-sports


Farrell said the Big West was willing to stay at 11 when it added SDSU but that was because the Aztecs were within the state. When Pacific left for the WCC, the league was content to be at 10 members. Farrell said if Boise State were added the league would probably go to 12.

Denver, Seattle and Cal-State Bakersfield would be interested, although sources said Seattle and Denver as private schools would rather be in the WCC but may not have a choice right now. NMSU and Idaho would have issues with what to do with their football programs.

In its nearly 50 year history, the BW has never operated with 11 full members. If Cal State Bakersfield and UC San Diego both joined together, I believe the BW would go to 12 with one more member outside California.