If the Sun Belt needs to invite Idaho for football only, it should invite Montana as well; add Montana State and Portland State if the Sun Belt needs more than two or if the Montana schools have to move together.

SBC West - Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Portland State, Arkansas State, Texas State
SBC East - Georgia State, WKU, South Alabama, Troy, Louisiana, ULM

The benefits to the schools upgrading are obvious in that they no longer have to wait on the Mountain West. Idaho gets a conference for football and no longer has to withdraw from the WAC for other sports. The Sun Belt stays afloat in football and gets two schools who have defined the FCS brand over the past decade, an existing FBS member in Idaho, and a decent market in Portland State.

The WAC can then maintain its compliance with Division I membership requirements:

Seattle/Portland State
Idaho/Utah Valley
Montana/Montana State
CSU-Bakersfield/Grand Canyon
New Mexico State/UTPA
Chicago State

Even if the Sun Belt needs New Mexico State as a full member, the WAC still would have nine schools who are Division I members, and at least four would play men's soccer for the requisite third men's team sport. NMSU would also send Arkansas State to the East Division of the Sun Belt with Louisiana and ULM (assuming all of them stay). The Potato Bowl could sign a deal with the Sun Belt.

The Big Sky could also slim down to 10/12 or even 8/10.

(01-31-2013 10:38 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If the Sun Belt needs to invite Idaho for football only, it should invite Montana as well; add Montana State and Portland State if the Sun Belt needs more than two or if the Montana schools have to move together.

SBC West - Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Portland State, Arkansas State, Texas State
SBC East - Georgia State, WKU, South Alabama, Troy, Louisiana, ULM

The benefits to the schools upgrading are obvious in that they no longer have to wait on the Mountain West. Idaho gets a conference for football and no longer has to withdraw from the WAC for other sports. The Sun Belt stays afloat in football and gets two schools who have defined the FCS brand over the past decade, an existing FBS member in Idaho, and a decent market in Portland State.

The WAC can then maintain its compliance with Division I membership requirements:

Seattle/Portland State
Idaho/Utah Valley
Montana/Montana State
CSU-Bakersfield/Grand Canyon
New Mexico State/UTPA
Chicago State

Even if the Sun Belt needs New Mexico State as a full member, the WAC still would have nine schools who are Division I members, and at least four would play men's soccer for the requisite third men's team sport. NMSU would also send Arkansas State to the East Division of the Sun Belt with Louisiana and ULM (assuming all of them stay). The Potato Bowl could sign a deal with the Sun Belt.

The Big Sky could also slim down to 10/12 or even 8/10.

We tried having Idaho and NMSU in the conference before. We even invited Denver to come along to give them some regional partners. It was a disaster. We'd rather not go that route again.

or not?

Sun Belt supposedly inviting Appalachian St & Georgia Southern from FCS as full members and Idaho & New Mexico St as football only members. That will give them the 12 members they need for a championship game.

(03-26-2013 09:51 PM)RUfan03 Wrote:  Sun Belt supposedly inviting Appalachian St & Georgia Southern from FCS as full members and Idaho & New Mexico St as football only members. That will give them the 12 members they need for a championship game.

Even in Basketball, who's left?

When the WAC did the WAC-16 and then the Denver airport 5 moved to start the MWC that was the beginning of the end.

The WAC had such a great football history. Now they have no football and perhaps are even threatened in existence in other sports. So sad.

The WAC will live on as a non football conference.

Was wondering where this board was moved to. Just keeping tabs in case we get demoted again and rejoin in future.