ESPN blog
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation

Boise State, Mountain West on the clock
May, 17, 2010 May 1711:25AM ETComment Email Print Share By Graham WatsonMountain West school presidents don’t engage in their annual spring meeting for another 20 days, but already speculation about the hottest non-AQ topic has run rampant.

Boise State, the crown jewel of the Western Athletic Conference and the apple of the Mountain West’s eye, is caught in a love triangle between the two conferences and the most attractive one will ultimately win.

According to rumors here and here, the Mountain West will issue a formal invitation to the Broncos, something that has been heavily speculated for the past couple of years. Boise State has until July 1 to declare its football future for the 2011-12 season.

If Boise State decides to join the Mountain West it would forfeit its revenue for the 2010-11 season (about $1.5 million), but would keep $3 million if it went to a BCS bowl.

Now, there are a ton of reasons Boise State should go, including better competition and a possible BCS automatic berth, but the reasons to stay might weigh as much.

Big Ten spring meetings begin today and the hot topic -- as it’s been for weeks -- is conference expansion. The Big Ten appears to be the catalyst in expansion and the rest of football’s 109 schools are dominoes waiting to fall. Included in those pieces could be several of the Mountain West’s top schools.

The Mountain West happens to reside in some prime poaching areas between the Big 12 and the Pac-10. The Big 12 member institutions have been the subject of Big Ten expansion rumors for months and speculation has grown from the Big Ten adding just two teams to possibly five. If the Big 12 loses any teams, the most logical fit would be a pair of the Mountain West’s upper-tier teams to keep the strength of the conference and open some new television markets.

But the Pac-10 plays a role in this, too. Unlike the Big 12, the Pac-10 doesn’t fear losing membership because it’s isolated on the West Coast. However, that isolation also means that only a limited amount of teams are available that meet the Pac-10 criteria both athletically and academically. According to Fanhouse.com, Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott says he was given a mandate to bring a "fresh set of eyes to the league" and Scott told the Boulder Daily Camera that he was not waiting for the Big Ten to make the first move. Scott also said that academics would be “of paramount importance to our presidents.”

So if the Mountain West loses teams -- and some expansion models call for almost the entire conference to be dissolved -- Boise State would find itself still without an automatic BCS bid, only slightly better competition than it had in the WAC and no ESPN TV deal.

Even though no formal announcement has been made, if the Mountain West wants Boise State, it’s probably already made an overture. It seems implausible that the conference would give the Broncos less than a month to decide.

And Boise State will have to determine whether it wants to take a leap of faith on the Mountain West or hold on for the roller coaster that will be conference expansion.

Boise St. is sleeping outside the MWC office right now. If the MWC gets raped then they'll just bring in WAC members. Making it better than the current WAC. Boise St. leaving is a win for them no matter what.

Smart move by the MWC, they can see the loss of teams coming up and are being proactive. Maybe... just maybe, with the addition of Boise, they don't lose a team. BUt even if they do, the conference can claim that they "chose" Boise State rather than having to say that they added them to plug a hole left by a departing school. Brilliant move. This will leave the the Big Wac with 8 teams. La Tech is stubborn enough to stick around in the WAC. They would be like Idaho was to the Belt, the team that the Big Wac needs to stay at 8 (and compliant with NCAA rules) so everyone just puts up with them. Man, the Big Wac has really followed the steps of the Big West. Almost exactly. The Big Wac would also lose the Boise Bowl leaving their bowl options in Hawaii and New Mexico. What a weird conference shift. As far as Tech goes - If for some reason they have to leave the Big West, I really don't think we take them back.. and for that matter - any combination of the Belt/CUSA/WAC will probably leave both Tech and ULM out (just my opinion). The two of them just cause problems for one another. It is laughable for the Techsters to think that the MAC would want them. I see Indy land ahead for Rust-on.

(05-17-2010 11:50 PM)stebo Wrote:  I see Indy land ahead for Rust-on.

I agree.
Their pride and 'burnt bridges' will prevent them from landing softly. I can't wait to see it happen.

(05-17-2010 04:32 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Boise St. is sleeping outside the MWC office right now. If the MWC gets raped then they'll just bring in WAC members. Making it better than the current WAC. Boise St. leaving is a win for them no matter what.

So, not to thread jack here, but what's the Fresno State's impression of La. Tech as a conference mate?

Not pot stirring, I'm legitimately curious because we all know how historically uncooperative Tech has been with us even when they were with us.

(05-18-2010 09:13 AM)AstroCajun Wrote:  

(05-17-2010 04:32 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Boise St. is sleeping outside the MWC office right now. If the MWC gets raped then they'll just bring in WAC members. Making it better than the current WAC. Boise St. leaving is a win for them no matter what.

So, not to thread jack here, but what's the Fresno State's impression of La. Tech as a conference mate?

Not pot stirring, I'm legitimately curious because we all know how historically uncooperative Tech has been with us even when they were with us.

To the casual Fresno fan, they say how is Louisiana Tech western? I can see from reading this board you guys don't want them just like the true Fresno fans don't. I thought you guys would be happy to have them back. Well if the WAC gets too pricey for them then they'll have to suck it up and go to the SBelt if you guys vote them in.

But really if/when Boise St. goes to the MWC and say at least Utah/BYU and maybe Colorado St. go to the Pac 10 and B12 and the MWC adds maybe Houston, Fresno St. and or Nevada, what would be the point of La Tech being in the WAC. WAC would probably add Montana, Texas St., UC Davis if they are ready to go FBS. WAC would be the worst FBS conf.

Ark St., I read today on the bleacher report, so I don't know if he's right. He said if the MWC votes to add Boise St. it would have to reconfigure the price to leave the MWC(they raise it when a new member is added). So he said why would Utah, BYU, maybe TCU, I'll add Colorado St., New Mexico vote them in? They don't want to pay more when they leave in a couple of years. I know it would give them an AQ in 2012 but those schools could be gone by 2012 or 2013. If its just Utah and BYU thinking they will leave the vote would still pass 7/2.

(05-19-2010 02:01 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(05-18-2010 09:13 AM)AstroCajun Wrote:  

(05-17-2010 04:32 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Boise St. is sleeping outside the MWC office right now. If the MWC gets raped then they'll just bring in WAC members. Making it better than the current WAC. Boise St. leaving is a win for them no matter what.

So, not to thread jack here, but what's the Fresno State's impression of La. Tech as a conference mate?

Not pot stirring, I'm legitimately curious because we all know how historically uncooperative Tech has been with us even when they were with us.

To the casual Fresno fan, they say how is Louisiana Tech western? I can see from reading this board you guys don't want them just like the true Fresno fans don't. I thought you guys would be happy to have them back. Well if the WAC gets too pricey for them then they'll have to suck it up and go to the SBelt if you guys vote them in.

But really if/when Boise St. goes to the MWC and say at least Utah/BYU and maybe Colorado St. go to the Pac 10 and B12 and the MWC adds maybe Houston, Fresno St. and or Nevada, what would be the point of La Tech being in the WAC. WAC would probably add Montana, Texas St., UC Davis if they are ready to go FBS. WAC would be the worst FBS conf.

Nope, WAC is where they belong . . . please keep them FOREVER !!!

Go Pack !!!

If you ask the average Tech fan, they will let you know the SunBelt is beneath them, period, end of conversation. They are too good for us.
Some of the "newer" SunBelt teams may not have a strong opinion one way or the other regarding Tech; but some of us (Cajuns and Ark St for example) that have been associated with them longer certainly do. We had a great opportunity to get SB football off to a good start in what would have included Tech, and possibly UCF; but Tech bolted, which significantly influenced UCF's decision not to come. Still makes a lot of folks mad. My school (Cajuns) has been a Tech rival for eons (I think we've played over 90 times), so I have mixed feelings. Bottom line for me though; if they want to keep their "separation", OK with me.

Loser Tech?
Let 'em rot.