Collapse of the PAC-12: Oregon State & Washington State left in the dust

[Spydey629]

El Paso is “west of Texas while technically being in Texas.” Which is to say that, when it comes to potential viewers and recruiting, UTEP isn’t the Texas we’re thinking of. It’s basically a New Mexico extension.

That being said, when things shake out, UTEP probably will head to the MWC. They’re an inexpensive get

The MWC and the Pac-X each need two more schools at some point. Eight or nine for both the minimum and ease of scheduling. With the (reverse) merger apparently off, both sides would be best served by calling a truce. Figure out what four schools fit the bill - granted it's slim pickings of UTEP, Texas State, New Mexico State, take your pick of the top western FBS schools and split them evenly.

The trickle down from the Power Conferences is just insane. As a Robert Morris alum I peak in at the Northeast Conference every so often, since they jumped to the Horizon. I don't even recognize the NEC anymore. It's four schools I remember and a bunch of D-II schools who moved up.

 

[PCSPounder]

As long as media pays schools via conferences, this is what we get.

That doesn’t mean I’ve got any freaking vision of the logistics of how media participates in college sports… or maybe it’s better off dead. Asking anyone to knuckle under to a rotten system simply won’t be met with acceptance… just saying.

 

[joelef]

As long as media pays schools via conferences, this is what we get.

That doesn’t mean I’ve got any freaking vision of the logistics of how media participates in college sports… or maybe it’s better off dead. Asking anyone to knuckle under to a rotten system simply won’t be met with acceptance… just saying.

It’s always been rotten and anybody that pointed that was accused of being an “ anti football nerd”

 

[GKJ]

 

[LadyStanley]

Sources: UTEP leaving C-USA for MWC, Gonzaga leaving WCC for Pac-12

The conference realignment dominoes continue to fall.

sports.yahoo.com

Aand UTEP to MWC

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

Saint Mary's should also join the Pac-12 to keep the WCC's biggest rivalry intact.

 

[The Marquis]

Saint Mary's should also join the Pac-12 to keep the WCC's biggest rivalry intact.

That's definitely been rumored. Gonzaga joining is a great move and will make the conference more attractive to schools with good basketball programs floundering in smaller conferences.

Sources: UTEP leaving C-USA for MWC, Gonzaga leaving WCC for Pac-12

The conference realignment dominoes continue to fall.

sports.yahoo.com

Aand UTEP to MWC

I was thinking UTEP was going to end up in the Pac. So we're down to each only needing 1 more. Do any others jump from CUSA?

 

[GKJ]

That's definitely been rumored. Gonzaga joining is a great move and will make the conference more attractive to schools with good basketball programs floundering in smaller conferences.



I was thinking UTEP was going to end up in the Pac. So we're down to each only needing 1 more. Do any others jump from CUSA?

Where’s that leave us on numbers? It’s hard to keep up lol

 

[The Marquis]

Where’s that leave us on numbers? It’s hard to keep up lol

7 full members for both the Pac and MWC.

It's getting to the point where I can't see who the Pac pull in as member 8. I think MWC could pull New Mexico State, which makes all the sense in the world. It's a much smaller school than any of those with a football program in the Pac, so the MWC makes sense.

Beware, everything below is just thinking out loud:

Who does the Pac pull at this point? Texas State? Sacramento State? Somebody else from the Big Sky? The pickings are getting very slim.

 

[BKarchitect]

I don’t like the idea of dipping into FCS for new members and I’m not sure the FCS powers out West are that anxious to move up. Ask Idaho what it’s like to be a lowly pinball program in FBS versus a rock solid FCS school in a great regional conference full of rivalries. I mean I kinda get Sac State but I think the four Montana and Idaho schools stay in the Big Sky and all four Dakota schools stay in the Missouri Valley.

I think Texas State is the big prize if we are talking upside and I would think they want to go to the PAC...and the PAC should want a Texas presence. NMSU basically has to get out of CUSA now with UTEP leaving and I agree they are sensible for the MW.

Mountain West
- Air Force
- Hawaii (Football Only)
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New Mexico State
- San Jose State
- UNLV
- UTEP
- Wyoming

PAC-State
- Boise State
- Colorado State
- Fresno State
- Oregon State
- San Diego State
- Texas State
- Utah State
- Washington State
—————————
- Gonzaga (BB)
- St. Mary’s (BB)

 

[Chileiceman]

Why is the MWC targeting Tarleton St? This was DII team 4 years ago. Do they have a big following in Texas? How are they a better option than NDSU, SDSU, the Montana schools or Idaho?

 

[BKarchitect]

Why is the MWC targeting Tarleton St? This was DII team 4 years ago. Do they have a big following in Texas? How are they a better option than NDSU, SDSU, the Montana schools or Idaho?

Who says those schools want to move up? Unless you are taking a whole “block” of them, they are probably better off where they are in the FCS. It’s not some easy thing to just move to up to FBS. It’s expensive for the school and it carries significant risk - especially for schools in the sparsely populated and huge travel distance West/Plains and especially in the current environment where you could invest all that money to move “up” into yet another incredibly tenuous situation. Ask Idaho where they would rather be.

From an FBS conference viewpoint - there’s not a lot of growth potential in the Dakotas or Montana or Idaho. Tarleton State isn’t far from DFW and apparently has an extremely wealthy donor base backed by oil Texas oil money. The fact that they were DII a short time ago and now are throwing money around to get into the FBS isn’t a strike against them, if anything, it shows ambition and growth. I’m not advocating for them, just explaining why they may be in the queue…

 

[GKJ]

7 full members for both the Pac and MWC.

It's getting to the point where I can't see who the Pac pull in as member 8. I think MWC could pull New Mexico State, which makes all the sense in the world. It's a much smaller school than any of those with a football program in the Pac, so the MWC makes sense.

Beware, everything below is just thinking out loud:

Who does the Pac pull at this point? Texas State? Sacramento State? Somebody else from the Big Sky? The pickings are getting very slim.

Texas State I think is going to MWC.

Someone is gonna have to ask someone from the Big Sky or elsewhere in FCS, and this really feels advantageous for the Montana schools, unless the Pac-X wants to pull further from the MWC.

 

[Spydey629]

Texas State I think is going to MWC.

Someone is gonna have to ask someone from the Big Sky or elsewhere in FCS, and this really feels advantageous for the Montana schools, unless the Pac-X wants to pull further from the MWC.

Texas State is rumored to have a verbal invite from the MWC. Not sure if that is still on the table with UTEP accepting.

UTSA would’ve been a good choice, but they locked in to the AAC. With San Marcos halfway between San Antonio and Austin it’s a good way to try to pull both markets TV-wise for the PAC-X.

That said, when I hear Texas State, I still think “Armadillos” not “Bobcats”.

 

[PCSPounder]

Why is the MWC targeting Tarleton St? This was DII team 4 years ago. Do they have a big following in Texas? How are they a better option than NDSU, SDSU, the Montana schools or Idaho?

One often-overlooked strategy in conference realignment is to seek schools that reside in fertile recruiting grounds. After all, one could argue the b12 made a serious mistake bringing in the questionable viewing bases of Cincinnati, Houston, and Central Florida, but they do bring recruiting territory with them.

Tarleton gets you close to Dallas.

I still think the MWC has better options than Tarleton, but the conference might be in flail mode.

 

[The Marquis]

Texas State is the second biggest school in the Sun Belt. It feels like the Mountain west is not a step in the direction they should be going.

 

[DaveG]

Texas State I think is going to MWC.

Someone is gonna have to ask someone from the Big Sky or elsewhere in FCS, and this really feels advantageous for the Montana schools, unless the Pac-X wants to pull further from the MWC.

Is there anything even left to pull from the MWC? Legitimately asking because I it sounded like everyone else had signed off on a GOR. UNT, UTSA, and Rice probably aren't leaving the AAC for the PAC. NMSU and SHSU are the only two FBS options still out there, otherwise you're looking at the Big Sky where Eastern Washington, the two Montanas, and Idaho are the best options, and doubt Idaho is in any hurry to make the jump to FBS again.

 

[GKJ]

Texas State is rumored to have a verbal invite from the MWC. Not sure if that is still on the table with UTEP accepting.

UTSA would’ve been a good choice, but they locked in to the AAC. With San Marcos halfway between San Antonio and Austin it’s a good way to try to pull both markets TV-wise for the PAC-X.

That said, when I hear Texas State, I still think “Armadillos” not “Bobcats”.

I hope Sinbad has an honorary degree from there.

Is there anything even left to pull from the MWC? Legitimately asking because I it sounded like everyone else had signed off on a GOR. UNT, UTSA, and Rice probably aren't leaving the AAC for the PAC. NMSU and SHSU are the only two FBS options still out there, otherwise you're looking at the Big Sky where Eastern Washington, the two Montanas, and Idaho are the best options, and doubt Idaho is in any hurry to make the jump to FBS again.

I don't think so, unless they want to dip further into C-USA or Sun Belt. Hopefully not into the MAC, I don't feel that would work for any of them.

 

[DaveG]

yeah they can stay far away from the MAC thank you very much. We deserve the stability of, and those schools deserver the attention of, mid week MACtion.

 

[BKarchitect]

Texas State is the second biggest school in the Sun Belt. It feels like the Mountain west is not a step in the direction they should be going.

My assumption has been they will hold out for a PAC invite, knowing they are perhaps the most interesting long-term commodity to be wooed that is left west of the Mississippi. Considering UTSA got an invite, I think it’s safe to say the PAC would see a benefit from a presence in the heart of Texas.

 

[PCSPounder]

There’s another wrinkle here… as someone has brought a reason as to why there is more Pac interest in Grand Canyon than St. Mary’s.

Baseball. Oregon State has 3 national titles in the last 20 years. Gonzaga gives the Pac a 5th baseball school and it’s not bad. Boise State started a program just in time for the pandemic to close it, and it’s hard to see that being resurrected… so GCU is a consideration. I could also mention men’s soccer, for which San Diego State had been a Pac affiliate in the sport and Gonzaga has, with maybe the mild potential of pushing Fresno State to reinstate what had been a successful program for them, but that’s a bit more of a struggle.

 

[Blue and Green]

Texas State I think is going to MWC.

If Texas State switches conferences I think it will be to the Pac or the AAC. Tarleton State seems like a more viable target for the MWC.

 

[GKJ]

I don’t like the idea of dipping into FCS for new members and I’m not sure the FCS powers out West are that anxious to move up. Ask Idaho what it’s like to be a lowly pinball program in FBS versus a rock solid FCS school in a great regional conference full of rivalries. I mean I kinda get Sac State but I think the four Montana and Idaho schools stay in the Big Sky and all four Dakota schools stay in the Missouri Valley.

I think Texas State is the big prize if we are talking upside and I would think they want to go to the PAC...and the PAC should want a Texas presence. NMSU basically has to get out of CUSA now with UTEP leaving and I agree they are sensible for the MW.

Mountain West
- Air Force
- Hawaii (Football Only)
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New Mexico State
- San Jose State
- UNLV
- UTEP
- Wyoming

PAC-State
- Boise State
- Colorado State
- Fresno State
- Oregon State
- San Diego State
- Texas State
- Utah State
- Washington State
—————————
- Gonzaga (BB)
- St. Mary’s (BB)

Idaho’s true problem was that nobody wanted them. The Sun Belt basically threw them and NMSU out and they didn’t think they could hang as an independent.

 

[BKarchitect]

Idaho’s true problem was that nobody wanted them. The Sun Belt basically threw them and NMSU out and they didn’t think they could hang as an independent.

And they are in a much better spot as a full member of the Big Sky.

Where’s the value on moving to the MWC for a school like NDSU? Hellaciously expensive for the athletic department especially if the MWC is prioritizing full-sport members. You take a legendary FCS championship lineage and even if you are competitive in the FBS, totally risk the “title town” allure of your program. You already schedule and play and sometimes beat P5 schools. You already produce NFL players. Are those prospects going to be as interested in coming to Fargo, North Dakota to be a middling FBS team in a bad conference as they are being lauded as title winners on a program that NFL scouts already know well?

For what? This isn’t going to a P5. You lose all your conference rivals so you can fly your teams out to San Jose and El Paso. The piece of pie we are talking about isn’t going to fundamentally change your entire institution. And the conference you are moving up to join is barely holding on and could get nuked at any moment, leaving you drifting in the wind.

I think that applies to a lot of these Big Sky and Missouri Valley powers. The grass…and money…may not be greener on the other side.

 

[GKJ]

I don’t see NDSU doing it.