Report: Utah State Leaving WAC

[TexasTerror]

BobcatReport.com has had two of their guys reporting that sources have indicated Utah State is leaving the WAC... this one would be another big coup for them if accurate...

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1681

[TheRevSFA]

and let the next round of speculation about SLC teams jumping to the WAC commence.

That really means the best team left in that conference is La Tech, or Idaho. Wow.

[TexasTerror]

and let the next round of speculation about SLC teams jumping to the WAC commence.

No team from the SLC will announce their intentions to leave the SLC until after football season or they would risk their chance at making the playoffs. It would not be fair to the student-athletes... but there are definitely changes coming to the SLC and anyone that has a pulse of the situation can attest to it. It just may not be the changes that were anticipated...


That really means the best team left in that conference is La Tech, or Idaho. Wow.

San Jose State? ;)

Wouldn't consider anyone the best in that 'lot' to begin with... will be curious to see if BR.com is accurate on this story as they are really putting themselves out there with this... a departure of USU would make the conference truly need two football schools. They got to get to eight.

Idaho, La Tech, NMSU, San Jose, TXST, UTSA... that is six conference schools for football. You got to get to eight, though nine is preferred (so you can play eight league games, four home and four away). There's three spots open in the WAC if USU really leaves...

[TheRevSFA]

You think Sam's gonna get an invite..or be ready?

[GeauxLions94]

You think Sam's gonna get an invite..or be ready?

No and ..... No

As for the WAC and the supposed greater amount of TV money (one of UTA's reasons for going as expressed in the UT Board of Regents agenda), they're going into their final season with their three bellcows (Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State) with Boise being nearly entirely responsible for that amount. Who in their right mind thinks that any of the new additions will come remotely close to making up for those losses?

The WAC is doomed!

[TheRevSFA]

I imagine the kids in Beaumont are salivating, and it's not from the refineries...they think they're next.

While SFA is just looking to see what becomes of our conference...

[GeauxLions94]

Yes Rev, the folks in Beaumont are salivating and there's rumblings that they could be announcing in the next month a move to the WAC. They still need to do a couple of upgrades (mainly Press Box) at P-U Stadium and need to perform well in their sophomore season.

As for the Southland, we've lost three schools (Texas State, UTSA and UTA) to the WAC but have only lost Texas State in football terms. The league needs to put the pressure on TAMU-Corpus Christi to add football to get back to eight schools (should Lamar leave) and needs to add one more for an eight-game conference schedule.

[TheRevSFA]

No no..football performance isn't necessary (see UTSA and Tx State)

[TexasTerror]

Yes Rev, the folks in Beaumont are salivating and there's rumblings that they could be announcing in the next month a move to the WAC. They still need to do a couple of upgrades (mainly Press Box) at P-U Stadium and need to perform well in their sophomore season.

What's the point of announcing a move if it risks your opportunity to get in the playoffs? December at the earliest... though if Woodard does what he's capable of, perhaps late October! ;)


As for the Southland, we've lost three schools (Texas State, UTSA and UTA) to the WAC but have only lost Texas State in football terms. The league needs to put the pressure on TAMU-Corpus Christi to add football to get back to eight schools (should Lamar leave) and needs to add one more for an eight-game conference schedule.

GL94... there's more to the SLC puzzle than FBS departures. We shall see what the future presents...

[TexasTerror]

USU MB thread... http://www.usufans.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12997

[TheRevSFA]

SFA isn't keen on moving to the WAC or SBC, but apparently SFA would move if it came in a package with Sam...we have the sports..we need to upgrade the facilities and we don't have the money..so a drive would be in order.

Interesting thought..but I'm not holding my breath on it.

[TexasTerror]

BR.com is reporting that this information about USU is 'harmless' and that it stems from conference involvement in Air Force Academy and Utah State scheduling for football...

Oh well... alarms silenced for now! ;)

[TexasTerror]

BR.com is now reporting that the USU situation is back on the radar...


Spoke with a well connected source that confirmed Utah State will announce within 15 days they are joining the Mountain West Conference.

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1711

[TexasTerror]

Tweets from WAC...

@WACSports
All reports regarding a Mountain West Conference invite to Utah State are without substance.
4 minutes ago via web

@WACSports
WAC Commissioner Karl Benson will address the false USU reports issue (if necessary) Thursday at the WAC Football Media Preview in Las Vegas

And BR.com article...


“The news of Utah State leaving the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) will send shockwaves around college football, this will be one of many moves and it could affect Conference USA and the Southland Conference,” said the source.

http://bobcatreport.com/news/?p=791

[TexasTerror]

Latest from BR.com... indicates that this is happening slowly, but surely... that MWC is throwing a 'life line' to Utah State...

http://bobcatreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=21559#p21559

[TheRevSFA]

Someone called it the Death of the WAC...nice

[TexasTerror]

MWC Connection story on Utah State and San Jose State being blocked earlier this year by Boise State, who did not want a title game to ruin chances of making a splash in BCS... also mentions Houston and San Jose State as more likely targets for MWC than any combination involving Utah State... eludes to Big 12 breakup driving Kansas + Kansas State into MWC...


Wilner's twitter feed is here if you would like read to through his tweets. Wilner also thinks that the MWC would add San Jose St and Houston before they would add Utah St., possibly because Comcast doesn't view Logan as part of the Salt Lake City market.

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2011/8/1/2309788/did-boise-st-block-the-mwc-from-expanding

[TexasTerror]

Fantastic read on who actually holds the cards in the MWC...

http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=7139610

[frozennorth]

By my math, the mwc has 2 invites left to get to 12 schools, and has a pretty good inventory of established mid majors (airforce, hawaii, fresno, nevada) and (re)buildable state schools (sdsu, nm, unlv), established basketball schools (unlv, nm), and of course the 800lb gorilla itself. There aren't any available programs on the west coast, aside from maybe montana, nothing else in the northern mountains, nothing in the plains unless the big 12 implodes. This leaves a gaping hole in utah, and texas/oklahoma. Basically they can try to get byu/usu as a tandem, or some combination of tcu/houston/smu/utep, or wait for the big12 to implode and salvage the best peices they can.

I like the strategy, there is no point being hasty here, if they had a shot at getting byu back, they should jump at it.

[TexasTerror]

The initial report from BR.com looks like it is inaccurate.

Will acknowledge that the remainder of the BR.com staff seemed like there was a broken trail, though you had one guy - Brent - really leading the charge based on his sources. The BR.com guys have numerous sources, but this one source seems to have been pretty inaccurate... at least for the being.

None of the leagues are really in a position to expand just yet. They can take their time and see what other things unfold...