How about a crazy idea...the WAC rebirth...or a new football only FBS conference?
I'm fully aware that this is going to seem insane, but at least stick with me here...
I keep reading all of these different ideas about teams for the Sunbelt, including call ups that have hit a wall. There are also some other teams like BYU that are running into some issues themselves. Sometimes there can needs to be an out of the box idea to solve the problems...
How about a rebirth of WAC football? Now hear out the plan...
The WAC itself is struggling as is and needs to find ways to keep itself alive. That obviously includes needing to find motivation to keep a school like NMSU around, for one, and motivating other schools to stay or even join.
How about they try and get a seat at the table and make the G5 into the G6. There have to be some people on their side. The WAC name still means SOMETHING and it would seem to benefit the MWC and the PAC12 to have another FBS conference in the neighborhood, but it doesn't stop there.
What if they do two things at once, become a safe haven for orphans or potential call ups AND build the conference at the same time?
Let's look at potential members:
NMSU football- wouldn't they like housing everything together again? It's not like they WANTED to be in the position they are in.
Idaho football- I'm sure they'd like a more long term home for football...and maybe get them back for everything.
Current WAC schools...maybe the rebranded UT-RGV wants football? What about Grand Canyon?
Lamar/SHSU/Montana/Montana St/any other school in the footprint- what if these school were given an easy route to get a seat at the table. Especially Lamar or SHSU who have seemed interested already.
Then...how about adding football only members for a while? Maybe these aren't long term relationships, but when it's only for football, there are ways this could work. Especially for those who can't find anywhere else to go...
Liberty/EKU/Missouri State- they wanted to move up anyway, here is their chance. Maybe Missouri State wants in for everything, as it would give UMKC a travel friend for other sports. I would think EKU and Liberty might jump at getting their foot in the door.
UMass- how about a home for football for as long as they want?
BYU/Army- no joke here. Maybe it's more of a scheduling alliance for them...but they at LEAST get the G5(6) access everyone else has and would have a chance to win games here.
Youngstown State- they just got a new president. They wanted in the MAC in the past, maybe this is their chance to move up.
Any of the Dakota schools- there has been talk of them wanting to move up in the past, maybe this would present and interesting scenario for that to happen.
Jacksonville State/any other school that has been talked about as a potential call up- this would give them somewhere to get moving, even if it was only for now.
Villanova- they wanted to move up in the past, maybe a package of them and UMass makes it interesting.
Yes, I know, screw geography here, but there are some motivated schools for different reasons.
Let's say you get the following just for football-
West-
NMSU
Idaho
Lamar
SHSU
East-
UMass
Liberty
EKU
Missouri St
Now you've got 8...and a conference. Maybe entice a couple of the others and you get somewhere. It gets the WAC exposure. Maybe they team up with one of the newer sports stations who need content like Fox Sports 1.
Then if you could get any of those schools to join as all sports members, you start to solidify the actual WAC itself or get someone like UTPA(RGV) to start football and keep them in as well.
Is this crazy? Sure it is. But who blinks here? NMSU, Idaho and UMass need real homes. Most of those other schools are dying for a chance to move up and this would allow them to do that, en masse. Sure there is a massive chance of turnover for a while, but maybe that's not all bad at first. Just gain enough schools to stay safely over 8 and then start focusing on moving schools into the WAC itself as all sports, to save and regrow the conference, and slowly move away from having too much hybrid.
I'm not saying this WILL happen, but it seemed an interesting talking point and at least something a little different.
This might not be more crazy than some of the other ideas I'm reading the last couple days either. :)
I know that was amazingly long-winded, but the idea kept expanding in my head.
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