(05-24-2016 03:13 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  They won't expand past 10. No worthy candidates;

1) CSU-Bako - rejected many times
2) Grand Canyon - no benefit in a long bus trip to a for-profit fake school
3) Sac State - they like the Big Sky, and don't want to be in an all CA league, and the agreement when UC-Davis and Cal Poly were added for Football was that the Big West would not take Sac State. If Sac State went to the Big Sky, leaving them with an unwieldy 11 members, the Big Sky will end affiliation for all CA schools.


ONLY way I could see ANY expansion is if a worthy DII school in CA also wanted to make a move.

I agree that the Big West presidents will almost certainly vote to add UCSD and then stop. Cost control and institutional fit appear to be their top priorities.

Having said that, I think jdgaucho is right that further expansion would benefit the conference if the additions brought strong athletic programs, and particularly strong basketball. GCU and NMSU are the logical choices if geography and basketball RPI are the only criteria. However GCU's for-profit status probably rules it out, and there's no other compelling candidate to pair with NMSU.

New Mexico State is worthy and they are seeking a new home. Now that UCSD's vote is clear I think NMSU will start looking at the Big West again.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser report on UCSD:

http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/spo...-big-west/

(05-24-2016 03:49 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  New Mexico State is worthy and they are seeking a new home. Now that UCSD's vote is clear I think NMSU will start looking at the Big West again.

I guess the idea the NMSU will restart the FBS WAC by inviting UCDAVIS and Cal Poly and Big Sky schools still isn't too popular then. You will get Bake in return, making the Big West even tighter in geography.

(05-24-2016 03:54 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 03:49 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  New Mexico State is worthy and they are seeking a new home. Now that UCSD's vote is clear I think NMSU will start looking at the Big West again.

I guess the idea the NMSU will restart the FBS WAC by inviting UCDAVIS and Cal Poly and Big Sky schools still isn't too popular then. You will get Bake in return, making the Big West even tighter in geography.

Taking back NMSU and adding Grand Canyon would all but kill off the WAC.

(05-24-2016 04:45 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 03:54 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 03:49 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  New Mexico State is worthy and they are seeking a new home. Now that UCSD's vote is clear I think NMSU will start looking at the Big West again.

I guess the idea the NMSU will restart the FBS WAC by inviting UCDAVIS and Cal Poly and Big Sky schools still isn't too popular then. You will get Bake in return, making the Big West even tighter in geography.

Taking back NMSU and adding Grand Canyon would all but kill off the WAC.

Funny how NMSU's President did not acknowledge a Big West, Southland, MVC or Summit option, but he did say the Horizon, Big Sky, or WAC were.

(05-24-2016 10:23 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 09:59 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 09:41 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  I think UCSD is a given. They would not make a move unless they were talking to the Big West before.

I think that non-football conferences are best at 10 members. UCSD will be the only expansion. What I'm kind surprised is how much of an outlier UC-Davis is. Was there some sort of a plan to have Sac. St added before?

I could eventually see UC-Davis going elsewhere and the Big West pulling another CSU or UC school from the D2 ranks in the So Cal area.

Humboldt State, Chico State, East Bay State or Sonoma State are some schools in the northern parts.

Cal. State-LA used to be D1 with Fullerton State and them. If they stayed at D1, and not dropped football? They would have played in the Big West, and then the WAC. They might have been invited to the MWC over San Jose State.

Humboldt St is way out of the way and not an option. Same for Chico St.

I am talking about that they are closer to Cal-Davis and would be better partners for them. Could see a formation of a new D1 conference in the future with the northern California schools, Sierra Nevada, Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech. Several schools will have stop by D2 for a bit before they can join D1 levels.

Chico State may be a reasonable drive from UC Davis, but Humboldt State is way out there. And neither Chico nor Humboldt are a convenient flight for anyone.

NM St has never been a member of the conference that currently calls itself the Big West. It used to be a part of a DI-A football conference, that called itself the Big West. There were many different members, at that time.

So the idea that NM St would be "returning" to the (current iteration of the) Big West is patently absurd.


As far as NM St not having a realistic travel partner -- because a fake, for-profit religious school like GCU has no place in a conference with UC schools -- what about NAU?

Laugh all you want. NAU never made sense in the Big Sky. And it's not like playing in the Big Sky has brought exposure or even respect within Arizona for NAU's brand.

(05-24-2016 06:11 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  NM St has never been a member of the conference that currently calls itself the Big West. It used to be a part of a DI-A football conference, that called itself the Big West. There were many different members, at that time.

So the idea that NM St would be "returning" to the (current iteration of the) Big West is patently absurd.


As far as NM St not having a realistic travel partner -- because a fake, for-profit religious school like GCU has no place in a conference with UC schools -- what about NAU?

Laugh all you want. NAU never made sense in the Big Sky. And it's not like playing in the Big Sky has brought exposure or even respect within Arizona for NAU's brand.

And what do you do with NAU's football?

NAU is a Rocky-Mountain school - culturally more in common with the interior schools than the coastal schools. It does draw some from SoCal for students looking to get out of SoCal.

NAU and NMSU are in each other's top 10 most played football schools, but that has been awhile since they shared a conference.

Not sure NMSU makes a travel partner for anyone other than UTEP.

NAU is actually close to Southern Utah. Unfortunately there aren't enough schools in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah to build a tight conference like the Big West. The only other suitable league from a geography standpoint for NAU is the Mountain West.


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(05-24-2016 06:32 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  NAU is actually close to Southern Utah. Unfortunately there aren't enough schools in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah to build a tight conference like the Big West. The only other suitable league from a geography standpoint for NAU is the Mountain West.


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Geography wise, MWC is actually the best, with one school 3 1/2 hours away, and another 4 hours away. Nice bridge between UNM and UNLV.

(05-24-2016 04:55 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 04:45 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 03:54 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-24-2016 03:49 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  New Mexico State is worthy and they are seeking a new home. Now that UCSD's vote is clear I think NMSU will start looking at the Big West again.

I guess the idea the NMSU will restart the FBS WAC by inviting UCDAVIS and Cal Poly and Big Sky schools still isn't too popular then. You will get Bake in return, making the Big West even tighter in geography.

Taking back NMSU and adding Grand Canyon would all but kill off the WAC.

Funny how NMSU's President did not acknowledge a Big West, Southland, MVC or Summit option, but he did say the Horizon, Big Sky, or WAC were.

Also funny how NMSU didn't commit to anything while UCSD was debating on D1. You'd think NMSU would take the first life raft out of the WAC. Yet here they are, still available.

NAU would do the same thing with its football that UC Davis and Cal Poly do. And that Sac State should also be doing.

The culture of the Big Sky is Idaho/Montana/northern Utah. NAU is not located in that region.

Before the Big Sky finally relented and allowed Southern Utah in the league, NAU's travel partner was ... who? Weber St -- 550 road mi away. NM St isn't close by any means, but certainly doable.

That is why I think Arizona Western in Yuma should go to a 4 year University and build their way up to the FCS level. Throw in Dixie State and also Sierra Nevada to the list, you get something like this.

Northern Arizona
Arizona Western
New Mexico State
Dixie State
Southern Utah
Sierra Nevada

Than:

Colorado State-Pueblo
New Mexico Highland
West Texas A&M
Grand Canyon U.

That could be close and tight you can get. Sierra Nevada might be the furthest out of the bunch. Sierra Nevada was recently accepted in NAIA recently.

Arizona Christian could be something to look at in the future as well.

(05-25-2016 02:50 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  That is why I think Arizona Western in Yuma should go to a 4 year University and build their way up to the FCS level. Throw in Dixie State and also Sierra Nevada to the list, you get something like this.

Northern Arizona
Arizona Western
New Mexico State
Dixie State
Southern Utah
Sierra Nevada

Than:

Colorado State-Pueblo
New Mexico Highland
West Texas A&M
Grand Canyon U.

That could be close and tight you can get. Sierra Nevada might be the furthest out of the bunch. Sierra Nevada was recently accepted in NAIA recently.

Arizona Christian could be something to look at in the future as well.

Leave NAU out of this steaming pile of ****, please.


And for the last ******* time, Arizona Western is not going to be a four year school - there is already a four-year school sharing the campus, NAU-Yuma, and like all other branch campuses in Arizona, will not have athletics.



Arizona Christian has less than 700 students.

(05-24-2016 06:11 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  NM St has never been a member of the conference that currently calls itself the Big West. It used to be a part of a DI-A football conference, that called itself the Big West. There were many different members, at that time.

So the idea that NM St would be "returning" to the (current iteration of the) Big West is patently absurd.


As far as NM St not having a realistic travel partner -- because a fake, for-profit religious school like GCU has no place in a conference with UC schools -- what about NAU?

Laugh all you want. NAU never made sense in the Big Sky. And it's not like playing in the Big Sky has brought exposure or even respect within Arizona for NAU's brand.

When NMSU joined in 1982 the conference was known as the PCAA. Then in 1988 it changed its name to the Big West. NMSU played all of their sports in the Big West so by definition, they were a member.

Some of NMSU's conference opponents during that time: Hawaii (for women's sports only), Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine and for a few years, Cal Poly. They're all still in the conference today. NMSU is a western school at heart. They'd fit right in.

NM St was a full member in the DI-A football conference known as the Big West.

From 1984 - 1992, they played conference football games against San Jose St, Fresno St, Pacific, Long Beach St, Fullerton St, Utah St and UNLV. Nevada replaced Fresno in 1992, with Long Beach and Fullerton dropping their programs, plus football affiliate members Northern Illinois, Arkansas St, Louisiana Tech and SE La. were added. That went until 1996.

In 1996, every football team except Utah St, NM St, and Nevada bailed, with Pacific dropping football. N Texas, Boise St and Idaho were brought in. This went through 2000, after which the Big West dropped football. (apparently Ark St came back for a couple season at the end, as a football affiliate)



As I said, NM St has never been a member of a non-football, California DI-AAA conference. Which is what the Big West currently is + Hawaii.

And Hawaii was only in the old DI-A Big West for women's sports.

(05-25-2016 07:56 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  NM St was a full member in the DI-A football conference known as the Big West.

From 1984 - 1992, they played conference football games against San Jose St, Fresno St, Pacific, Long Beach St, Fullerton St, Utah St and UNLV. Nevada replaced Fresno in 1992, with Long Beach and Fullerton dropping their programs, plus football affiliate members Northern Illinois, Arkansas St, Louisiana Tech and SE La. were added. That went until 1996.

In 1996, every football team except Utah St, NM St, and Nevada bailed, with Pacific dropping football. N Texas, Boise St and Idaho were brought in. This went through 2000, after which the Big West dropped football. (apparently Ark St came back for a couple season at the end, as a football affiliate)



As I said, NM St has never been a member of a non-football, California DI-AAA conference. Which is what the Big West currently is + Hawaii.

And Hawaii was only in the old DI-A Big West for women's sports.

MVC was 1A from 1977 to 1985 when MVC dropped sponsoring the sports. New Mexico State was part of MVC before going over to Big West.

Well heck, if NM St wants to give the Summit a call ... I'm sure they'd at least listen. Doubt that's going to happen.