(01-31-2017 11:29 PM)Hammersmith Wrote:  

(01-31-2017 11:08 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  It sounds like a group of six can move up together if:

They each play NMSU and Idaho, assuming Idaho were to reverse their plans to move down
They each play 5 other full FBS members
Each school can play the other 5 to fill the schedule

Finding a total of 30 OOC games for that group is the challenge. It would require not only P5 teams in the western US to ascent to accepting them into FBS but also the MWC and the Western members of C-USA and the Sunbelt agreeing to face them.

The problem isn't so much for the transitioning schools, it's for any existing FBS schools in their conference during year 1 of the transition(NMSU & Idaho in your example). They would be the ones with scheduling problems. It would actually be easier for the WAC to do it with 100% move-ups instead of a mix of move-ups and existing.

It depends which schools. Eastern Washington played 2 PAC 12 teams last year on the road. They could get MWC schools to play them. Same with Montana. I think Big 1o would be willing to play North Dakota State. James Madison and Jacksonville State seems to get P5 schools almost every year now. Youngstown State Vs Pittsburgh could be a great OOC rivalry games every year.