When I hear news like Moccia's comments, I wonder, "Why now?" NMSU wants a home for FBS football. That's not new. We've known that. So what's new? Dixie State. I wonder if their addition adds impetus to NMSU wanting off the WAC island? Does the chancellor of NMSU (a land grant university) want his university to be perceived as on the same level as Dixie State? Does that add drive to find a group of schools more similar to NMSU's institutional aspirations?

And I am not knocking Dixie State. It provides a great service to its 10,000 students and community. But perception matters in the higher ed business. If I had to rank the public universities of Utah based on prestige, I'm guessing DSU would come last. Does the addition of DSU become a tipping point for NMSU & the WAC? And with other schools (like Metro-Denver, Colo-Mesa) turning down the WAC, is the future for the WAC more DSU-type schools?