(01-25-2022 03:24 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  

(01-25-2022 01:36 PM)dawgonit Wrote:  

(01-25-2022 01:09 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  The Mountain West doesn't seem to have a ton of options left in terms of expansion:

- They seem uninterested in NMSU and UTEP since NMSU doesn't bring a new state and UTEP might as well be in New Mexico as far as new markets/recruiting hotbeds go.

They don't only seem uninterested, they've already stated it. There is not interest and they've been passed over twice. I like geographic compact conferences with similar institutions and I think NMSU and UTEP would be perfect fits in the MWC but unfortunately that's not how the CFB world works.

(01-25-2022 01:09 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  - Texas State would be a project since it doesn't have a huge tradition of FBS success or as big of a market to draw from unlike UTSA, plus they would be on an Island since all other FBS Texas schools are in conferences at least as strong as the MWC (if not stronger) so the MWC would have to find a nearby travel partner for them from FCS ranks in Texas.

Well Sam Houston is now officially moving to FBS so there is that option. It would be a horrible pair though if the MWC is looking to get into Texas. Those two programs do have history together so there is that.

As for it's market, it's not technically in a huge market but it is located in commuting distance between two huge markets of Texas and in a big recruiting area so it does have that going for it.

(01-25-2022 01:09 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  - Given the recent success of FCS->FBS transitions for Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, and Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt, the taboo of adding historically strong FCS programs is somewhat broken, so I think the MWC (if they HAD to backfill for some members) would be more open to offering invitations to both Montana and Montana State as a package deal to ensure a stronger quality of football product overall (Montana may be small, population wise, but it has also been one of the fastest growing states in the US in recent years as well thanks in part to wealthier West Coast/Colorado residents moving in and the rise in popularity of remote working since COVID).

While Montana and Montana St fit in the geographic area, why would they take those two over UTEP and MTSU? If going for "football product overall" from FCS why not offer football only membership to NDSU and SDSU then? I don't see the population of Montana booming enough to really make it attractive based on that criteria.

No argument for points 1 and 2.

For point 3: at least the Montana schools have some football "clout" and some brand recognition beyond their home state as FCS powers (ala App State, JMU, Ga Sou, SHSU, etc.) and have better football cultures/traditions than UTEP and NMSU do ("Brawl of the Wild" would be a hell of a conference rivalry for the MWC to market to audiences), especially relevant considering that football usually drives the bus in realignment.

They would still fit the Geographic profile of the conference (compared to the Dakota Schools anyway) with Wyoming and Utah State relatively close by as division rivals even if Boise State/Colorado State were gone too. Montana is also slightly less then double Wyoming's population as a point of comparison as well, so I don't think Montana's population would be a deal breaker if maintains even above US-average growth rates, and both programs maintain their prominence.

Unless left with no option, the MWC is not expanding from the FCS. By no option, I mean more than 2 schools leave and overtures to current AAC, CUSA, and SBC schools are unsuccessful. In this scenario, New Mexico St and UTEP would be considered.

As I've stated many times here, the preference would be to keep the gang together and add from the AAC (assuming no power schools were coming - e.g. PAC gets picked apart by the B1G and XII leaving Oregon St and Washington). I would add the following from the AAC: Rice, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa, and Wichita St. That would be a solid 16-school conference differing in many ways from the failed WAC-16.

If, however, expanding from the FCS were seen as unavoidable, the schools that would garner the most interest from the MWC would likely be: Idaho, Montana, Montana St, UC Davis, and Weber St.