WAC may be in trouble
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:00 am
Just saw a report that New Mexico State (and possibly Utah State's and Idaho's) FBS status is being called into question over failure to meet average attendance requirements (NMSU was apparently about 600 off the 15K mark last year). It will be interesting to see how these schools (not to mention the conference) respond.
In theory, NMSU could remain in the WAC with a FCS tag. This is a common thing at the HS level (case in point: CIS D-IV Stockton St. Mary's competes in the D-I San Joaquin Athletic Association). However, the implications of that would be highly unsavory to the conference: the RPI would take a SEVERE hit. This would be impetus for the WAC to at least boot, if not fully replace the NMSU football team. They may well dump the entire NMSU athletic program as well if they have an all-or-nothing policy. This would put the WAC in the position of either losing their title game (loss of superconference status) or bulking up with either Sun Belt washouts or Great West/Big Sky callups (likely Montana, Portland State, Cow Poly, or Sac State, a HUGE stretch many Sac fans would not support).
NMSU would be in a quandry. Go indy, or join a conference. At the FCS level, there is only one complete conference: the Big Sky. The RPI hit for non-football programs would be a big issue for the Aggies to consider. They could also re-join the Big West and either go indy in football or join the Great West. However, the GWFC is not a paragon of stability right now, and this move would destroy the idiot BWC commissioner's wet dream of a California Bus League.
Utah State is in a similar situation. Idaho is unique here in that a successful return to the Sky is possible if they could resolve internal state politics regarding Boise State.
Interesting to see how this all plays out.
In theory, NMSU could remain in the WAC with a FCS tag. This is a common thing at the HS level (case in point: CIS D-IV Stockton St. Mary's competes in the D-I San Joaquin Athletic Association). However, the implications of that would be highly unsavory to the conference: the RPI would take a SEVERE hit. This would be impetus for the WAC to at least boot, if not fully replace the NMSU football team. They may well dump the entire NMSU athletic program as well if they have an all-or-nothing policy. This would put the WAC in the position of either losing their title game (loss of superconference status) or bulking up with either Sun Belt washouts or Great West/Big Sky callups (likely Montana, Portland State, Cow Poly, or Sac State, a HUGE stretch many Sac fans would not support).
NMSU would be in a quandry. Go indy, or join a conference. At the FCS level, there is only one complete conference: the Big Sky. The RPI hit for non-football programs would be a big issue for the Aggies to consider. They could also re-join the Big West and either go indy in football or join the Great West. However, the GWFC is not a paragon of stability right now, and this move would destroy the idiot BWC commissioner's wet dream of a California Bus League.
Utah State is in a similar situation. Idaho is unique here in that a successful return to the Sky is possible if they could resolve internal state politics regarding Boise State.
Interesting to see how this all plays out.