Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[jlog3000]

6 minutes ago, WestCoastBias said:

 

New Mexico State and UTEP.

 

Probably add a couple schools from the Big Sky too if they're willing to make the jump up to FBS.

 

That might be possible, if given the chance. But what if the MW somehow implode? Where would those remaining schools be heading to?

[FiddySicks]

2 hours ago, WestCoastBias said:

Gonzaga going to the Big XII would be a massive L for the Pac-12 (and of course the WCC), they should have been working on adding the Zags as soon as USC and UCLA announced they were leaving.

 

Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated is reporting that the Pac-12 and San Diego State have had ongoing communication. 

 

https://www.si.com/college/stanford/football/college-football-pac-12-and-san-diego-state-have-had-ongoing-communication

Good lord  
 

They might as well just fold the PAC 12 at that point. 

[rams80]

2 hours ago, WestCoastBias said:

 

Hawaii plays in a temporary ~ 10,000 seat stadium and is one of the worst FBS teams this year. They play basketball in the Big West.

 

UNLV football has only been to two bowl games in the past 25 years and has never been ranked in the AP Poll. The basketball team hasn't been to a NCAA Tournament in 10 years and hasn't won a regular season conference title since 2000 or a conference tournament title since 2008.

 

I don't think either are the greatest additions, but the case could be made for UNLV based solely upon the Las Vegas market (which probably doesn't even care about UNLV sports, especially with every pro league moving there now). If I'm George Kliavkoff, I'm adding schools that bring in the most success and fan support, two things that the Pac-12 has lacked recently.  Without a doubt the best three available options in the West are Boise State, Fresno State, and San Diego State. To get to 14 teams you then either dip into Texas and add SMU or you stay in the West and take a big chance on UNLV or maybe Colorado State. And all that's only if the current Pac-12 members realize they can't afford to be strict on academics anymore (highly unlikely).

 

Get New Mexico, they'll turn out for hoops at least and placate the academics.

[Dilbert]

2 hours ago, WestCoastBias said:

 

Hawaii plays in a temporary ~ 10,000 seat stadium and is one of the worst FBS teams this year. They play basketball in the Big West.

 

UNLV football has only been to two bowl games in the past 25 years and has never been ranked in the AP Poll. The basketball team hasn't been to a NCAA Tournament in 10 years and hasn't won a regular season conference title since 2000 or a conference tournament title since 2008.

 

I don't think either are the greatest additions, but the case could be made for UNLV based solely upon the Las Vegas market (which probably doesn't even care about UNLV sports, especially with every pro league moving there now). If I'm George Kliavkoff, I'm adding schools that bring in the most success and fan support, two things that the Pac-12 has lacked recently.  Without a doubt the best three available options in the West are Boise State, Fresno State, and San Diego State. To get to 14 teams you then either dip into Texas and add SMU or you stay in the West and take a big chance on UNLV or maybe Colorado State. And all that's only if the current Pac-12 members realize they can't afford to be strict on academics anymore (highly unlikely).

Yeah i know UNLV and Hawaii arent the best. UNLV is based solely on the Las Vegas market, Hawaii is based on the market too but the football stadium situation is only temporary until the new Aloha is built. I feel like Fresno State could work but its kind of a small market and is about as good at sports as UNLV and Hawaii. I guess San Jose State is larger but again isnt a big player in the athletic quality. Overall  San Diego State and Boise State are the best though.

[Burmy]

So, if the Zags' move goes through, where does that leave their archrivals and fellow WCC juggernauts Saint Mary's? 

 

Will they try to pursue a bigger conference or will the Gaels be content with their incoming status as the biggest fish in an increasingly tiny pond? (Because their Bay Area location works to their benefit, but they also have the WCC's second-smallest enrollment, and Moraga is just plain TINY)

(Also, I'm guessing the Zags' departure will be the greenlight for Seattle U to finally rejoin the WCC)

[WestCoastBias]

1 hour ago, Dilbert said:

Yeah i know UNLV and Hawaii arent the best. UNLV is based solely on the Las Vegas market, Hawaii is based on the market too but the football stadium situation is only temporary until the new Aloha is built. I feel like Fresno State could work but its kind of a small market and is about as good at sports as UNLV and Hawaii. I guess San Jose State is larger but again isnt a big player in the athletic quality. Overall  San Diego State and Boise State are the best though.

 

Fresno State has won three football conference championships since joining the MW in 2012, the same amount as Boise and SDSU. The San Joaquin Valley is also home to 4 million people which is a larger population than most states out west including Hawaii and Nevada. 

[McCall]

I don't see the PAC going for anyone other than San Diego State and maybe UNLV (Las Vegas market, but still a stretch) to try and stave off extinction. Most likely, Stanford, Washington and Oregon (possibly Cal) get into the Big Ten, Washington State and Oregon State realize they're not really wanted and head for the Mountain West, unless the Big 12 decides to just flat out conquer the entire west and give Gonzaga some proximity teams. Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah will fit well into the Big 12 and Colorado was an original member, so... In this scenario, SDSU would be appealing to the Big 12 as a SoCal market. Can't envision a scenario where the PAC gets desperate enough for Hawaii or Fresno State. Maybe the latter if one more team would save the conference.

[rams80]

8 hours ago, jlog3000 said:

 

That might be possible, if given the chance. But what if the MW somehow implode? Where would those remaining schools be heading to?

 

[TrueYankee26]

29 minutes ago, rams80 said:

 

If they move back to FBS

 

[Dilbert]

Xavier University is looking at restarting its football program in the next couple years. They are looking at joining the non scholarship Pioneer Football League. Xavier last hosted football in 1973

 

https://local12.com/sports/xu-musketeers/xavier-university-musketeers-football-team-new-stadium-pioneer-league-musketeer-report-cincinnati-ohio-sports-college-athletics

[PrimalCookie]

Dan Patrick Show says San Diego State to the Pac is a done deal.

[jlog3000]

If that's a done deal, would the new Pac-12 be ok by just having 11 member schools, without planning to find another school to expand? Or will they revert to become the Pac-11?

[Burmy]

1 hour ago, jlog3000 said:

If that's a done deal, would the new Pac-12 be ok by just having 11 member schools, without planning to find another school to expand? Or will they revert to become the Pac-11?

I think a lot of that hinges on what the UC Board of Regents decides in their meeting later this month on whether or not to block UCLA's move to the Big Ten.

 

As unlikely as blocking the move seems, it is certainly possible.

[PrimalCookie]

So it might not be as done of a deal as that show was reporting. The plot thickens!

 

1 hour ago, jlog3000 said:

If that's a done deal, would the new Pac-12 be ok by just having 11 member schools, without planning to find another school to expand? Or will they revert to become the Pac-11?

My somewhat out of the box pick is SMU. Good academics, fairly good overall programs, and it'd get them into CST and the Dallas-Fort Worth market. I think the networks would particularly like those last two points.

[Gary]

Dynasty beat me to it. But maybe it’s smoke and mirrors and SDSU and either Fresno/UNLV/Boise State could be joining them

[heavybass]

Seems the Trojans can't be blocked from joing the Big 10... but UCLA might be blocked.

[TBGKon]

27 minutes ago, heavybass said:

Seems the Trojans can't be blocked from joing the Big 10... but UCLA might be blocked.

Private school vs. Public school.  Can't say I'm surprised.

[rams80]

53 minutes ago, heavybass said:

Seems the Trojans can't be blocked from joing the Big 10... but UCLA might be blocked.

 

I'll believe it when I see it.

[WestCoastBias]

1 hour ago, heavybass said:

Seems the Trojans can't be blocked from joing the Big 10... but UCLA might be blocked.

 

Would love to see it

[McCall]

If UCLA IS blocked, I think Stanford is their replacement. Then they'll definitely go after Washington and Oregon, with maybe Utah as a potential 5th team (Cal would definitely be blocked, too, if this were to happen) to create a 5-team west division in a 20-team Big Ten.