Saving The Wac

[Coach Andy Mac]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/445166-saving-the-wac

[NM Green]

I know people have been down on BYU for their selfish interests but the Cougars had to do something. I was in Salt Lake earlier this summer and Utah's move to the Pac 10 was seismic! I mean there is no way BYU can sit there and not do something. They are the most popular program in the state with a national following and their annoying little brother just got invited to the coolest party. Their fanbase was insensed and they knew they couldn't stay pat. There is no way BYU will survive with UNM and UNLV rolling into Provo and USC and Oregon playing up the street. So I applaud them for saying to their fanbase they understand and are going to make efforts to ensure they stay on par with the big boys. While we would enjoy a conference with some of those MWC powers do you think BYU has an interest (TCU for that matter) of playing in Reno and Fresno? The MWC is not so scarey anymore even with Boise. Further what if Boise comes in and starts dominating BYU - can't happen to the Cougs. They let the Utes too close and they stole their glory at the right time. Not that BYU would have ever been invited to the Pac 10 but BYU has a lot of cards they hold. They will run their show much like Texas does in whatever league they claim to be a part of.

So BYU being a big fish in a smaller pond like the WAC is not too far of a stretch. Further if you move BYU to WAC I am confident you would have Hawaii stay, could lure UNM for basketball and ABQ market, could probably lure UTEP back and could grab the DFW presence with UNT. Now all of a sudden you have:

SJSU

Idaho

Hawaii

BYU

UNM

UNT

La Tech

NMSU

UTEP

Natural rivals and a recognizable 9 team league with a good basketball tradition and solid football presence - that presence BYU in the drivers seat leading the national charge competing for BCS bids and everybody else trying to knock them off just like the good ole days.

The challenge is that we could see the Southwest Conference re-emerge in a couple of years that could look like this:

Texas

Texas A&M

BYU

TCU

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State

Texas Tech

Houston

#9? (UNM, Kansas, UNT, Memphis)

GMG

GMG

[NT80]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/445166-saving-the-wac

This Bleacher report basically steals the entire article from the SLC Tribune http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/50159608-77/west-conference-mountain-source.html.csp on August 25.

BYU has until Sept 1 to get out of the MWC and go Indy with football. USU or Houston may be invited to fill the 12 spot or perhaps both for the 11-12 spots if BYU does go Indy. If BYU stays in the MWC with football the MWC can wait a while to decide who to invite to make 12.

Regardless, the WAC is a dead conference walking. They have put out feelers to minor CUSA teams. Next will probably come a play for some SBC teams, then finally FCS schools.

Edited August 29, 2010 by NT80

[Coach Andy Mac]

The solution may be let ULM join the WAC and put Louisiana Tech into the SBC? That may be the only way to convince the Techsters to rejoin the Sun Belt.