If the new WAC addition really is SUU -- and that's still little more than a rumor -- the conference should follow up by taking a run at Cal Poly and UCD for football and Sac State for all sports. There's your six-member FCS conference and (assuming Chicago State leaves) a nice round ten all-sports members.

Not saying it would be successful but there's a certain logic to all four jumping together given their long shared history (all four were charter members of the old America West Conference when they moved up from Division II to I-AA back in 1993, and SUU, Cal Poly and UCD were Great West conference-mates from 2004 to 2012), and that SUU, UCD and Sac State have all been to the FCS playoffs over the past three seasons. Also as a group they may prefer substituting football road trips to Texas for their current jaunts to Idaho, Montana and Colorado. There are lots more football recruits in Texas.

If it really is SUU, then it becomes a toss-up whether WT moves up or NAU moves over next. But both eventually coming on board would seem inevitable. It just makes too much sense geographically.

(10-02-2020 05:10 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  If it really is SUU, then it becomes a toss-up whether WT moves up or NAU moves over next. But both eventually coming on board would seem inevitable. It just makes too much sense geographically.

We're good, thanks.

(10-02-2020 06:06 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 05:10 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  If it really is SUU, then it becomes a toss-up whether WT moves up or NAU moves over next. But both eventually coming on board would seem inevitable. It just makes too much sense geographically.

We're good, thanks.

I could see why you would be against leaving Montana, etc for Dixie and Tarleton, but if it were a real pathway to FBS, would you be onboard with NAU going to the WAC?

(10-02-2020 06:31 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 06:06 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 05:10 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  If it really is SUU, then it becomes a toss-up whether WT moves up or NAU moves over next. But both eventually coming on board would seem inevitable. It just makes too much sense geographically.

We're good, thanks.

I could see why you would be against leaving Montana, etc for Dixie and Tarleton, but if it were a real pathway to FBS, would you be onboard with NAU going to the WAC?

Right now NAU can't afford FBS. SUU, Dixie, etc can't either.

If a well-funded program like Montana couldn't afford to make the jump, we don't stand a chance.

And if they were getting Big Sky teams with the thought of going FBS, Idaho, Montana, Montana State would be the logical choices to add.

(10-02-2020 06:51 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 06:31 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 06:06 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 05:10 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  If it really is SUU, then it becomes a toss-up whether WT moves up or NAU moves over next. But both eventually coming on board would seem inevitable. It just makes too much sense geographically.

We're good, thanks.

I could see why you would be against leaving Montana, etc for Dixie and Tarleton, but if it were a real pathway to FBS, would you be onboard with NAU going to the WAC?

Right now NAU can't afford FBS. SUU, Dixie, etc can't either.

If a well-funded program like Montana couldn't afford to make the jump, we don't stand a chance.

And if they were getting Big Sky teams with the thought of going FBS, Idaho, Montana, Montana State would be the logical choices to add.

The only WAC program known to have FBS aspirations is Tarleton. Maybe SUU does as well, which could embolden Dixie to try to punch above its weight. The way I see it, if half the schools in the Sun Belt can afford FBS, maybe your school can, too. Especially in a close-knit regional conference. Keep your chin up.

(10-02-2020 06:51 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 06:31 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 06:06 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 05:10 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  If it really is SUU, then it becomes a toss-up whether WT moves up or NAU moves over next. But both eventually coming on board would seem inevitable. It just makes too much sense geographically.

We're good, thanks.

I could see why you would be against leaving Montana, etc for Dixie and Tarleton, but if it were a real pathway to FBS, would you be onboard with NAU going to the WAC?

Right now NAU can't afford FBS. SUU, Dixie, etc can't either.

If a well-funded program like Montana couldn't afford to make the jump, we don't stand a chance.

And if they were getting Big Sky teams with the thought of going FBS, Idaho, Montana, Montana State would be the logical choices to add.

Right, but I am not suggesting that a FBS move is imminent, just maybe there is a plan at some point.

(10-02-2020 01:43 PM)edinburger Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 06:14 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  If true then it’s time to say aloha to Chicago State.

HM, I respectfully disagree. Chicago State is struggling but they have a long tradition as a university and as a basketball team. The only reason NMSU and the rest of the WAC had a legit conference and a chance to go to the NCAA tournaments in 13-14 is because CSU agreed to join. For UTRGV it goes back further to 2008-2013; we only had a stable backetball schedule because CSU supported keeping the Great West "Conference" alive.

And aside from that mushy sentimental stuff, as a practical matter even 10 members isn't safe, we have too many schools that think they're too good for the WAC.

In my opinion they should have the option to stay as long as they can get the minimum number of NCAA-legal uniformed bodies onto an away court.

Ding ding ding!! I wish I could give you more than 2 reputation points. We need bodies. Teams keep leaving. Even 10 schools is not enough. Plus no one is going to boot a school. I doubt the WAC bylaws even allow that. The MWC board says they need to boot SJSU all the time. But they can’t. The WAC is very unstable. We need to keep adding schools, try to get to a good point and stabilize. .

Hmmm-k, so I guess we can rule out SUU!

SUU: T-Birds have 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports...595209001/

...and so the plot thickens...

Could be like coaches. When they say something to that effect, the move is imminent.

(10-02-2020 09:04 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  Hmmm-k, so I guess we can rule out SUU!

SUU: T-Birds have 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports...595209001/

...and so the plot thickens...

I’m in the ‘moving from an FCS league to the WAC is a non-starter’ camp, but “not received an official offer” sounds a lot like “official offer and announcement next week”.

(10-02-2020 09:19 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 09:04 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  Hmmm-k, so I guess we can rule out SUU!

SUU: T-Birds have 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports...595209001/

...and so the plot thickens...

I’m in the ‘moving from an FCS league to the WAC is a non-starter’ camp, but “not received an official offer” sounds a lot like “official offer and announcement next week”.

Would the Big sky say good riddance or would they try to strike back and poach from the WAC?

Remembering back to "the plan" and Fresno State/MWC

(10-02-2020 09:19 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 09:04 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  Hmmm-k, so I guess we can rule out SUU!

SUU: T-Birds have 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports...595209001/

...and so the plot thickens...

I’m in the ‘moving from an FCS league to the WAC is a non-starter’ camp, but “not received an official offer” sounds a lot like “official offer and announcement next week”.

The reporter should have asked, does SUU have an interest in joining the WAC?

Also, 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC, could be very true. TSU President said they voted on a new member on Wed or Thrs. So, if the WAC hasn't given SUU an official offer, he is telling the truth.

(10-02-2020 10:02 PM)chrisattsu Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 09:19 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 09:04 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  Hmmm-k, so I guess we can rule out SUU!

SUU: T-Birds have 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports...595209001/

...and so the plot thickens...

I’m in the ‘moving from an FCS league to the WAC is a non-starter’ camp, but “not received an official offer” sounds a lot like “official offer and announcement next week”.

Would the Big sky say good riddance or would they try to strike back and poach from the WAC?

Remembering back to "the plan" and Fresno State/MWC

Who would the Big Sky go after? Dixie State for SUU feels like a wash, Seattle doesn't have football, Cal Baptist isn't jumping ship for anyone besides the WCC. There's not much to poach.

(10-02-2020 10:02 PM)Hilldog Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 09:19 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 09:04 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  Hmmm-k, so I guess we can rule out SUU!

SUU: T-Birds have 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports...595209001/

...and so the plot thickens...

I’m in the ‘moving from an FCS league to the WAC is a non-starter’ camp, but “not received an official offer” sounds a lot like “official offer and announcement next week”.

The reporter should have asked, does SUU have an interest in joining the WAC?

Also, 'not received an official offer' to leave the Big Sky for the WAC, could be very true. TSU President said they voted on a new member on Wed or Thrs. So, if the WAC hasn't given SUU an official offer, he is telling the truth.

That’s not how things work. The WAC wouldn’t vote on members that are not coming or at least a president of one school wouldn’t flat out lie about it. He would have said “might have something coming up” or “looking at a few schools” if they didn’t have anyone. Do you think the WAC votes on membership for UCLA?

Maybe it’s SUU, maybe it’s someone else, but someone is coming.

Bravo to the WAC leadership for having vision and taking concrete steps to implement it. Whatever school it ends up being, there may be even more coming right on their heels for all we know.

Its true what some have said, it doesn't make sense to leave a stable conference for one that doesn't even offer FCS football, but a few strokes of the pen on a deal that has already been all worked out behind the scenes (like it essentially always is) and all of sudden the vision may seem a lot more clear.

In the meantime, this is certainly a fun week to be a WAC follower!

Couple of quick thoughts-- When is the "official" offer received? To me, that could be when the paper is passed to you during a ceremony when you actually sign it. As "official" as the talks may be, it may not technically count as THE official offer, ie, the physical paper. The wording in that article makes me want to get that nitpicky because it sounded like a non denial to me.

The other thought- I hadn't really considered those BSC football only members in any equations before as we were always talking full members, but they are floating out there still.

Speaking of the Big Sky football affiliates, there are also 4 Dakota schools playing football outside their main conference. Its not as though Grand Forks ND and Youngstown Ohio on the Pennsylvania border are exactly near each other anyway. They move as a group historically, so if you just happen to be short FCS members, they don't necessarily have to only trickle in one by one.

(10-02-2020 11:38 AM)chrisattsu Wrote:  A poster on the Reddit thread claims that someone from the Big Sky joining the WAC.

Leading me to think Northern Colorado, Southern Utah or one of the football-only schools (cal poly / ucdavis)

It is not any FCS schools nor a Big Sky school. Southern Utah shot down that rumor since they are happy where they are at. The WAC really offers them nothing. The Big Sky Commish already talking about inviting Dixie State in the future. SUU, Weber State, the California schools and NAU will sit still until the time is right to add Dixie State.

(10-03-2020 06:35 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 11:38 AM)chrisattsu Wrote:  A poster on the Reddit thread claims that someone from the Big Sky joining the WAC.

Leading me to think Northern Colorado, Southern Utah or one of the football-only schools (cal poly / ucdavis)

It is not any FCS schools nor a Big Sky school. Southern Utah shot down that rumor since they are happy where they are at. The WAC really offers them nothing. The Big Sky Commish already talking about inviting Dixie State in the future. SUU, Weber State, the California schools and NAU will sit still until the time is right to add Dixie State.

Thanks for setting us all straight. As usual, you have all the answers. We are talking about adding a new school and you come to tell us Dixie is leaving. They haven’t even played one WAC game and you are telling us they are out the door.

(10-03-2020 06:55 AM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  

(10-03-2020 06:35 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-02-2020 11:38 AM)chrisattsu Wrote:  A poster on the Reddit thread claims that someone from the Big Sky joining the WAC.

Leading me to think Northern Colorado, Southern Utah or one of the football-only schools (cal poly / ucdavis)

It is not any FCS schools nor a Big Sky school. Southern Utah shot down that rumor since they are happy where they are at. The WAC really offers them nothing. The Big Sky Commish already talking about inviting Dixie State in the future. SUU, Weber State, the California schools and NAU will sit still until the time is right to add Dixie State.

Thanks for setting us all straight. As usual, you have all the answers. We are talking about adding a new school and you come to tell us Dixie is leaving. They haven’t even played one WAC game and you are telling us they are out the door.

Dixie State To Big Sky Possible Thread

This is what I am talking about from another news article. With that comment from the Big Sky Commish? There is no way Southern Utah leaving for the WAC. It could be a shot in the bow as not to touch any of their members or they will take Dixie State away, and you have nothing.