Utah Valley State Football???

[89rabbit]

I came across this and thought it was interesting; it looks like there is a possibility of Utah Valley State adding football. This would help them get into the Mid-Con given their location (travel partner for Southern Utah) and Commissioner Tom Douple wish to strengthen the Mid-Con/Great West bond.



http://www.uvsc.edu/alumni/sequel/2006_spring/ghana2.htm

" . . . approximately 45 percent of those surveyed felt that UVSC basketball was the “Best Sport” on campus. Ranking second was Wolverine Women’s Volleyball – the 2005 Division I Independent Champions. And holding steady in third place was a sport not currently offered at UVSC … football. When asked for the College’s position on the issue, UVSC Spokesman Derek Hall said, “The priority for the administration is to complete the transition to NCAA Division I status and to gain membership into a conference. Football is a topic the students have brought up and have been pushing and it will likely be a conversation topic in the near future.” . . . (read more)


Football at Utah Valley State would be good news for the Great West! :nod: :cool: :nod:

[Go Poly]

I came across this and thought it was interesting; it looks like there is a possibility of Utah Valley State adding football. This would help them get into the Mid-Con given their location (travel partner for Southern Utah) and Commissioner Tom Douple wish to strengthen the Mid-Con/Great West bond.



http://www.uvsc.edu/alumni/sequel/2006_spring/ghana2.htm

" . . . approximately 45 percent of those surveyed felt that UVSC basketball was the “Best Sport” on campus. Ranking second was Wolverine Women’s Volleyball – the 2005 Division I Independent Champions. And holding steady in third place was a sport not currently offered at UVSC … football. When asked for the College’s position on the issue, UVSC Spokesman Derek Hall said, “The priority for the administration is to complete the transition to NCAA Division I status and to gain membership into a conference. Football is a topic the students have brought up and have been pushing and it will likely be a conversation topic in the near future.” . . . (read more)


Football at Utah Valley State would be good news for the Great West! :nod: :cool: :nod:


I totally disagree! UVSU is a recently converted community college with a large student body, that's it. They have not yet developed a academic program on par or even similar to the current members of the Great West football conference. I see no benefit of including UTVS in our conference if they add football.

:twocents:

[89rabbit]

I totally disagree! UVSU is a recently converted community college with a large student body, that's it. They have not yet developed a academic program on par or even similar to the current members of the Great West football conference. I see no benefit of including UTVS in our conference if they add football.

:twocents:

Two words - Auto Bid

[TexasTerror]

Two words - Auto Bid

Agreed...

These GWFC schools need some help from other schools to join the conference or there could be some major problems for the schools within the GWFC, especially if say NDSU and SDSU were able to find another home...

[MplsBison]

I don't want UTVC (or SUU, for that matter) in the GW unless they can fund 60 scholarships.

Adding schools just to add schools does nothing.

[89rabbit]

I don't want UTVC (or SUU, for that matter) in the GW unless they can fund 60 scholarships.

Adding schools just to add schools does nothing.

I guess I will say it again. :bang: :bang: :bang:



Two words - Auto Bid

[aggie6thman]

I don't want UTVC (or SUU, for that matter) in the GW unless they can fund 60 scholarships.

Adding schools just to add schools does nothing.


Bunny you have the right idea. I would love for the GWFC to add another team. Look at the make-up of the conference right now, 3 of the 5 teams are moving up and are not playoff eligible. Why not give Utah Valley State a chance to come up and play?

[ucdtim17]

beggars can't be choosers - bring em on

[greenG]

Two words - Auto Bid

One word - Survival

Right now it would only take a bid from the BSC to UCD or CP to put the conference in dire straits.

Fortunately for the GWFC, they will know if they need UVSC long before the school founds a football program. Once UND decides whether or not they are moving to D-I the pieces will fall into place. The GWFC could end up with UND, USD, and St. Cloud St. That gives them 8 and the cushion they need to survive.

[MplsBison]

If you can't fund 60 scholarships for football, then you will never compete at the I-AA level.

[RabidRabbit]

If you can't fund 60 scholarships for football, then you will never compete at the I-AA level.

Supposedly not. Agreed. However, I will point out that UC-Davis has been successful without full funding. Several of the eastern schools aren't at the full 60+ schollies.

With that said, ANY school joining the GWFC will be a cellar dweller without the full compliment. SUU should good stuff the 1st year, and played competitative football. I don't think that that is true in 2005, nor will it be true in 2006.

BTW, maybe having UVSU with football, and in mid-con, will ratchet the game for SUU, because they'll have an in-state conference rival.

The four other schools have had or have that kind of rivalry, so know how it elevates THAT game.

[SiouxFallsJack]

I wouldn't mind if Utah Valley were to become a member of the GWFC. The only negative I see is hurting the overall strength of the GWFC. On the plus side, we would be one step closer to an autobid and have one less nonconference game to schedule which in my opinion outweighs the negatives.

[89rabbit]

I gotta say that I love when Jackrabbits start congregating on this board! :hurray:

http://www.twinfallspubliclibrary.org/rabbits.jpg

[X-Factor]

I guess I will say it again. :bang: :bang: :bang:

Do you have any idea how long it takes to get an autobid per NCAA rules? The process is rediculous for starting a new conference. Unless the NCAA expands playoffs to 24 teams I don't see the Great West ever recieving an auto even though they probably deserve one before some of the other conferences.

[89rabbit]

Yes I do. What do you suggest? Should we disband the Great West and all play as independents. :rolleyes: xidiotx :nonono2:

Ever since UNC left all people have been talking about is how the GWFC needs more teams. Then when it finally looks like we might pick up another western I-AA team all that some of you want to do is come up with negatives. : smh :

Seems pretty simple to me . . . Utah Valley State will need a home (if they add football) we need members and they are in our part of the country. Bam! Welcome to the Great West. :twocents:

If you have other options, I am all ears (after all I am a rabbit). :thumbsup:

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Supposedly not. Agreed. However, I will point out that UC-Davis has been successful without full funding. Several of the eastern schools aren't at the full 60+ schollies.

Like basically all of the Patriot League. :)


Do you have any idea how long it takes to get an autobid per NCAA rules? The process is ridiculous for starting a new conference. Unless the NCAA expands playoffs to 24 teams I don't see the Great West ever recieving an auto even though they probably deserve one before some of the other conferences.

I've said for quite a while that it's inevitable that we start talking about 24 teams in the playoffs, since we're not going to be stripping bids away anytime soon and something will happen to force the issue - the GWFC picking up a 6th team is one of those things.

...

With the Mid-Con basically controlling the future of the GWFC (http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=78478), isn't adding another Mid-Con team to the GWFC completely logical? I'd think GWFC members would be jumping for joy over this - and see that this has an extremely high probability of happening.

[slostang]

Utah Valley State will need a home (if they add football) we need members and they are in our part of the country. Bam! Welcome to the Great West.
I would love to see UND, ST. Cloud, USD and Utah Valley State all come into the GWFC. That would make us a nine team conference which to me is a great number for a football conference. It would give you eight conference games (four home/four away) and leave only three OOC games to schedule. The top four GWFC teams are already stong and SUU will get better when they become fully funded with 63 scholarships. I think that the three NCC teams will become good I-AA teams fairly quicklyt as they add scholarships like SDSU and NDSU have. As long as Utah Valley State is committed to becoming fully funded in the near future, bring them on. I think the more teams that move up in the west the better.

[wannabegaucho]

My only concern would be attendance issues. Orem and UVSC are just down the street from BYU. Add their fanbase to Utah and Weber State, and where are the fans going to come from?

[Go Poly]

My only concern would be attendance issues. Orem and UVSC are just down the street from BYU. Add their fanbase to Utah and Weber State, and where are the fans going to come from?


Frankly, forget about UVSC and reinstate football at UCSB! SB is a natural and there is a large potential fan base.

Wannabegaucho, is there any talk of reinstating the old SB Cal Poly football rivalry?

[wannabegaucho]

We beat you all the time in non-American football.

We don't have the $$$, a competent AD, or Gaucho fans who care enough for football.

[MplsBison]

Would Poly, Davis, UVSC, and SUU be willing to travel out to the Dakotas twice per year (assuming UND and USD get in)?

Poly and Davis charter their own jets, right?

SUU and UVSC would have to fly commercial (Vegas to Fargo and Sioux Falls I believe exists, Salt Lake to Fargo does exist).

[89rabbit]

As far as air travel goes Brookings is serviced by two Airports. Brookings Municipal and Sioux Falls Regional.

Brookings Municipal is about 10 min. from campus. It has service to/from Omaha and Kansas City daily.

Sioux Falls Regional is 45 min. from campus and has direct flights to/from Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Orlando, Salt Lake City, and starting Aug. 7th - Atlanta.

[slostang]

Would Poly, Davis, UVSC, and SUU be willing to travel out to the Dakotas twice per year (assuming UND and USD get in)?

Poly and Davis charter their own jets, right?

SUU and UVSC would have to fly commercial (Vegas to Fargo and Sioux Falls I believe exists, Salt Lake to Fargo does exist).
With only two other I-AA scholarship schools in California, we are going to have to fly where ever we play so an extra trip to the Dakota would not be a problem. In fact it would help us with our problem of putting together a good.schedule.

[Sawtooth]

I would like to see the GWFC survive, but I don't see it happening by way of UVSC. Never say never, but I'd be very surprised if they added football. As was mentioned before, the campus is located minutes from BYU's 60,000 seat stadium, and they would be hard pressed to compete. In addition, a large percentage of UVSC's student population is composed of students who didn't make it into BYU, but still want the BYU "experience." This means they attend most BYU student functions and events.

SUU needs to work with Dixie State (http://www.dixieathletics.com/), a new NCAA division II member located in St. George, and convince them to make the move to I-AA. This will happen before UVSC starts football.

:twocents:

[dbackjon]

SUU needs to work with Dixie State (http://www.dixieathletics.com/), a new NCAA division II member located in St. George, and convince them to make the move to I-AA. This will happen before UVSC starts football.

:twocents:

Dixie State would be good as a I-AA member - already playing football at D-II (NAU plays them this year), and with the short drive between St. George and Cedar City, would make a great travel school.

[OrneryAggie]

The funny thing about Dixie St is that they were playing football in the SWAC (Scenic West Athletic Conf) and closed the season with a bowl game. Almost sounds like they were already in IAA.

[paytonlives]

With only two other I-AA scholarship schools in California, we are going to have to fly where ever we play so an extra trip to the Dakota would not be a problem. In fact it would help us with our problem of putting together a good.schedule.

I still want the Dakotas in the Big Sky. Send NAU, Sac State and Utah Valley to the Great West.

:twocents:

[dbackjon]

I still want the Dakotas in the Big Sky. Send NAU, Sac State and Utah Valley to the Great West.

:twocents:

Maybe we can just send you to the Great West, and you can play the Dakotas all you want...

[Go Bison]

I still want the Dakotas in the Big Sky. Send NAU, Sac State and Utah Valley to the Great West.

:twocents:

That is what I would like to see as well but it doesn't look like it will happen any time soon(or ever).

[MplsBison]

Dixie State would be good as a I-AA member - already playing football at D-II (NAU plays them this year), and with the short drive between St. George and Cedar City, would make a great travel school.

I like the idea but wonder if DSC could afford I-AA?

The only have nine sports right now.


If they added men's and women's XC/itrack/otrack, they'd be up to 15.

[Mr. C]

We beat you all the time in non-American football.

We don't have the $$$, a competent AD, or Gaucho fans who care enough for football.
A little off topic, but who is the AD at UCSB these days? Former UCLA haead coach Gary Cunningham was there last I heard. Is he still there. Didn't much care for his work at Fresno State when he was AD there. UCSB football died when the D-III teams decided to gang up on non-schollie Division I programs playing down.

[Cap'n Cat]

I still want the Dakotas in the Big Sky. Send NAU, Sac State and Utah Valley to the Great West.

:twocents:


Agreed. Except for NAU.

:nod: :nod: :nod:

[slostang]

The Big Sky has had plenty of chances to pick up the Dakota schools and passed. In my opinion they made a mistake taking UNC in stead of NDSU and SDSU. It created a nightmare for basketball scheduling and both of the Dakota schools brought more to the table than UNC other than ease of travel.

It is time for the Mid Con to take in the NDSU and SDSU and add stability to the GWFC, the fastest rising I-AA conference. UND would also make a great addition to both the Mid Con and the GWFC. If UND moves up look for a few more NCC (former DII conference of NDSU, SDSU, UNC and current home of UND) members to move up. If they do, they are welcomed in the GWFC.

[GeauxColonels]

Just curious, but how big are the enrollments at schools like SDSU, NDSU, UND, UNC and UVSC?

[dbackjon]

The Big Sky has had plenty of chances to pick up the Dakota schools and passed. In my opinion they made a mistake taking UNC in stead of NDSU and SDSU. It created a nightmare for basketball scheduling and both of the Dakota schools brought more to the table than UNC other than ease of travel.

It is time for the Mid Con to take in the NDSU and SDSU and add stability to the GWFC, the fastest rising I-AA conference. UND would also make a great addition to both the Mid Con and the GWFC. If UND moves up look for a few more NCC (former DII conference of NDSU, SDSU, UNC and current home of UND) members to move up. If they do, they are welcomed in the GWFC.

I really think it will work out better in the long run for Western football that the Big Sky did not pick up the Dakotas. Having two viable western I-AA conferences, instead of one huge conference, and a few independents struggling to make schedules is best for all.

I think the Big Sky will swallow the non-football/private school hurdle and go after Denver for the 10th member, providing a good travel partner for UNC for basketball/volleyball.

My view of a semi-ideal western/mid-western future:

Big Sky
Current members + Denver

Mid-Continent
NDSU *
SDSU *
UND *
SUU *
Oral Roberts
Missouri-Kansas City
Utah Valley St.
IUPUI
IPFW
WIU
Oakland
Centenary


Football affiliates:
UC-Davis
Cal Poly

Eventually, I see Centenary going elsewhere - either DIII, or Atlantic Sun.

I don't see WIU leaving the Gateway, unless forced to in order to keep MidCon membership.

[GeauxColonels]

I really think it will work out better in the long run for Western football that the Big Sky did not pick up the Dakotas. Having two viable western I-AA conferences, instead of one huge conference, and a few independents struggling to make schedules is best for all.

I think the Big Sky will swallow the non-football/private school hurdle and go after Denver for the 10th member, providing a good travel partner for UNC for basketball/volleyball.

My view of a semi-ideal western/mid-western future:

Big Sky
Current members + Denver

Mid-Continent
NDSU *
SDSU *
UND *
SUU *
Oral Roberts
Missouri-Kansas City
Utah Valley St.
IUPUI
IPFW
WIU
Oakland
Centenary


Football affiliates:
UC-Davis
Cal Poly

Eventually, I see Centenary going elsewhere - either DIII, or Atlantic Sun.

I don't see WIU leaving the Gateway, unless forced to in order to keep MidCon membership.
Wow, looking at that list, Centenary is REALLY out of place being down in Shreveport, LA.

[89rabbit]

Just curious, but how big are the enrollments at schools like SDSU, NDSU, UND, UNC and UVSC?

SDSU - 11,021 (Fall 2005)
NDSU - 11,773 (Fall 2005)
UND - 12,954 (Fall 2005)
UNC - 12,314 (Fall 2005)
UVSC - 24,149* (Fall 2004 *includes conncurrent enrollment) or 16,339 (Fall 2004 FTE)

[wannabegaucho]

A little off topic, but who is the AD at UCSB these days? Former UCLA haead coach Gary Cunningham was there last I heard. Is he still there. Didn't much care for his work at Fresno State when he was AD there. UCSB football died when the D-III teams decided to gang up on non-schollie Division I programs playing down.
The same idiot, Cunningham, is here.

[89rabbit]

Mid-Continent
NDSU *
SDSU *
UND *
SUU *
Oral Roberts
Missouri-Kansas City
Utah Valley St.
IUPUI
IPFW
WIU
Oakland
Centenary


Football affiliates:
UC-Davis
Cal Poly

Eventually, I see Centenary going elsewhere - either DIII, or Atlantic Sun.

I don't see WIU leaving the Gateway, unless forced to in order to keep MidCon membership.

You know that is an OK looking Mid-Con and if Centenary did leave it would open up a spot for Oklahoma City University. OCU is talking about starting to transition back to D-I with the process beginning sometime around the '08-'09 school year. They would make a great travel partner for Oral Roberts. With a set up like that and an auto bid to the I-AA playoffs the Great West would become a very stable conference, especially if UVSC added football.

[dbackjon]

You know that is an OK looking Mid-Con and if Centenary did leave it would open up a spot for Oklahoma City University. OCU is talking about starting to transition back to D-I with the process beginning sometime around the '08-'09 school year. They would make a great travel partner for Oral Roberts. With a set up like that and an auto bid to the I-AA playoffs the Great West would become a very stable conference, especially if UVSC added football.

I didn't realize the OCU was talking about going back to D-I - I guess they can't stand ORU getting NCAA bids!

OCU would be a great travel partner of ORU - and solidify the conference.

[89rabbit]

More news about Utah Valley State football.

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060709/SPORTS/607090321/1006

Wolverines on the outside looking in

'No way to go' A rival for SUU Too many teams?
UVSC still waiting for conference invitation

By BEAU EASTES
[email protected]

CEDAR CITY - Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, South Dakota State and North Dakota State received good news last month when the Mid-Continent Conference decided to make official campus visits, the final step before offering an invitation to join.

Utah Valley State College in Orem hopes to receive the same news sometime in the near future. . . .

"As long as SUU's in the Mid-Con, we'd be a great fit," said UVSC Athletic Director Mike Jacobsen. "Teams could come to Utah and play twice. A lot already do." . . .

UVSC has SUU's support in its quest to join the Mid-Con - "They'd make a great travel partner for us," said SUU Athletic Director Ken Beazer - but with the possibility of the T-Birds leaving for the Big Sky Conference, the Mid-Con is less than anxious to add the Wolverines.

"We'd love to be apart of the Mid-Con because of SUU," Jacobsen said. "But the Mid-Con doesn't want to be stuck with us, with a single school out west if SUU jumps. And I don't blame them." . . .

Even with those other possibilities, though, Jacobsen would love nothing more than to bang heads with the T-Birds in the Mid-Con.

"We'd become a very strong rival and we'd become good friends," said Jacobsen, who vowed that a football program could be raised at UVSC in three years if a conference mandated it for league entry. "We'd be trying to beat up everyone back east." . . . (read more)

[Shockerman]

Why not? If they can raise the funds for it then give it a go. With the mid-con considering a name change, with a few more football schools the great west and Mid-con could form a solidified conference with these members. Assuming a few schools move on. (IUPU's and Cen.)

NDSU
USD
UND
SDSU
UVS
SUU
WIU
ORU
UMKC
Oakland

Associate Football members
UCD
Poly

This rounds out to 10 basketball members and 9 Football members. Perfect for scheduling.

With WIU leaving the gateway perhaps the Gateway and MVC will put pressure on the Shockers to move things along a lot faster in regards to football reinstatement. :)

[JMU Duke Dog]

With WIU leaving the gateway perhaps the Gateway and MVC will put pressure on the Shockers to move things along a lot faster in regards to football reinstatement. :)

Is there any recent news about Wichita State bringing back football?

[TexasTerror]

Why does everyone still think SUU has a chance at the Big Sky? I'm just very perplexed on this one...

Doesn't seem SUU is in any position to get in the Big Sky...

[CollegeSportsInfo]

The only reason why new conferences aren't formed is the waiting period and uncertainty in getting automatic bids.

But I wonder "what if" the Great West football members were to just create a new league. It's not like th eMid-Con is all that strong as it is. If there were committments by UVSC to create football, it really wouldn't be that bad of a league compared to the existing Mid-Con. The key would be getting a few Mid-Con schools to make the switch over. If UNO and USD upgrade, you've got to ask "why not?".

Great West:
NDSU
NDU
SDSU
SDU
UNO
Southern Utah
Utah Valley SC
UMKC
Orel Roberts

Associate Football Members:
Cal-Poly
UC-Davis