Dead Conference Walking

Cerebus · February 21, 2012

So, instead of using my lunch hour to work on my thesis like I should be doing, I decided to waste it thinking about college football realignment.

Let us cut to the point, the WAC is dead. There are plenty of commentators out there saying the WAC will die when one more school is taken, but that isn't the truth, the truth is that if the WAC doesn't lose a single member they will cease to be a football conference come July 2013. They will be playing the 2012 season with a one year exemption. UTSA/TSSM will only bring them up to seven members, one short of what is needed, hence the NCAA exemption. If the WAC doesn't add another member by July 2013, they are done.

What about adding another member? No current FBS team wants in. A FCS team who wanted to move up would have to announce by July 2012 that they are ready to play a provisional FBS schedule in 2013. A handful of teams, like GSU and App St, could do that, but they want into the SBC footprint, not the WAC's. Lamar would fit into the WAC, but could they be ready to announce by July of this year? Highly doubtful.

This is the reason Karl Benson is now going to head the SBC instead of the WAC. The alliance will cherry pick what they want, then it will be the Sun Belts turn. I think Idaho and SJSU are in deep trouble, they don't fit anyone's plans. My HSO is that LaTech is a SBC member come 2013.

Talk amongst yourselves.

VideoEagle · February 21, 2012

As I understand it, the President of a SBC school talked to Benson about applying for the Belt commissioner's opening. He then went back to the WAC Presidents and asked for a four or five year extension on his contract which they refused. Benson then applied for and got the SBC job. He might have applied first, but I know he didn't accept until he gave the WAC a chance to extend his contract. Being willing to take the extension leads me to believe Benson didn't consider the WAC dead as a conference, but it could have been as a football conference.

Reading the WACy board it is amazing the number of people who still - after everything that's happened - think that if the WAC can pull NT and/or Arky State and/or Louisiana they will not only be viable to nearly equal to the new Alliance. And why do they think any of those schools would join? Because the WAC has a "superior reputation." They are in Norma Desmond-esque denial."All right, BCS, we're ready for our national championship now."

Cerebus · February 21, 2012

Being willing to take the extension leads me to believe Benson didn't consider the WAC dead as a conference, but it could have been as a football conference.

The WAC will continue as a Olympic sports conference. It looks like it will lose its fbs standing, and I there is a real chance they lose their NCAA autobid. Remember, the NCAA just passed a rules change last year to allow the WAC to have only 7 members and keep its autobid. In case your counting, that is two rule changes specifically to tide the WAC over 2012, and I think the well is dry. If they do get teams picked off by the alliance or Sun Belt... then they lose the autobid.

They lose FBS standings and the NCAA bid and they sure don't need to pay a commissioner as much as they paid Karl Benson. I think Benson approached knowing that, knowing he would not get an extension at those levels, and knowing he would be the SBC commissioner.

Edited February 21, 2012 by Cerebus