Big West Football 16 Years Later

[Side Show Joe]

Not a lot going on around here lately, and I got to thinking about how UNT has fared in relation to other former conference-mates since our return to FBS/ D1 football in the old Big West. 16 years ago Big West football shut down FBS/D1 operations. Here are the final rankings from the final season of the Big West.

2000 Big West Standings

Boise State     5-0     10-2

Utah State      4-1      5-6

Idaho              3-2      5-6

NMSU             1-4      3-8

North Texas    1-4      3-8

Arkansas St.  1-4     1-10

Since leaving the incubator of the Big West which programs have improved their overall situation the most (wins, bowls, facilities, conference affiliation, perception,...)? Rank them. And, which of these former conference-mates do you believe have the most potential moving forward?

[JesseMartin]

Boise is obviously at the top.  Next would probably be USU, especially in the last couple of years.  Arkie State has had some hot moments, but honestly, 2 good years with bowls would put us ahead of them because we've moved into a better conference and did get the facilities we needed.  So I'd put them:

1) BSU

2) USU

3 (Tie) UNT/ASU

5) (Tie) Idaho/NMSU

[Cr1028]

We were primed and ready to go on to win 26 consecutive conference games and 4 consecutive conference championships. It is a shame the Big West stopped playing football because it saved Boise from four years of beatings and allowed them to become Cinderella. They are lucky to have escaped us.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Boise far & away #1.

UTSt. #2, barely.

UNT #3.

ARSt #4.

ID/NMSt, toss-up.  Poor guys.

[97and03]

Sorry, but based on results, I might have to go with Arkie St over us.

[greenb.o.g.]

Good topic for the offseason!

I think anybody at least half-sane has to go with BSU at #1.

At the bottom is Idaho and NMSU. I'll give the edge to Idaho, however, just because they've been to one bowl game since the demise of the Big West. I believe NMSU has the longest current bowl drought of any FBS team.

In the middle I think you have a jumbled mess. North Texas and Utah State are tied with five bowl appearances since 2001. Arkansas State actually has seven.

Overall records since 2001:

Arkansas State 91-93

Utah State 74-109

North Texas 64-115

Now, I would argue those records could be skewed a little bit, given the level of competition each team played. 

But my final analysis:

1. Boise State

2. Arkansas State

3. Utah State

4. North Texas (unfortunately)

5. Idaho

6. NMSU