Mountain West will stay 11 or 12 for 2013

[Harry]

Thompson said a decision about San Diego State will likely come before Jan. 31. As per Boise State's agreement with the Mountain West, the Aztecs' first option to join the league ends on that date.

"We'll see where San Diego State takes us or not. That's the next probable, likely step. ... I don't know that we're going to have to get to January 31," Thompson said.

If San Diego State does remain in the league, Thompson expects the Mountain West to play the 2013 football season with 12 members. There has been talk about the league growing past 12 with Texas schools (Houston, SMU or UTEP).

"I would say with about 99 percent chance on January 4 that we will be either an 11-team or a 12-team league for 2013."

Read more here: http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2013/01/04/bmurphy/mountain_west_daily_contact_with_san_diego_state_not_case_with_b?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IdahoStatesmanMurphsTurf+%28IdahoStatesman.com+Murph%27s+Turf%29#storylink=cpy

[NorthTexan95]

What about January 5th?

[Rudy]

hopefuly this bodes well for us.

[NM Green]

The longer we keep UTEP and Tulsa the better. It will show them the richness of our new league with fans traveling and that newleague spirit. They are going to have a great time on the hill and seeing the Mean Green machine roll into their towns.

GMG

[TheColonyEagle]

It will show them the richness of our new league with fans traveling and that newleague spirit.

GMG

Yet schools have shown time and time and time again that that does not matter.

The negative perception of being in a league with start ups and sunbelt teams outweighs geography. EVERY TIME.

They will be in this new CUSA with one foot out the door for as long as they're in.

Im not saying that's the way it should be. I'm saying that's the way it is.

[CurveItAround]

All we can do is take the necessary steps. We have (sort of) stepped beyond the SBC. Let's show what we can do for a few years by winning some games, growing our gameday crowds, increase our contributions. A couple of years separated from the SBC will eventually help with perceptions.

[shaft]

The MWC definately wants to go to 12 and is looking at the Texas markets.

2013: SDSU to MWC

2014-5: BYU, UTEP, SMU, Houston to the MWC. MWC becomes a 16 association and can host semi-final conference playoff boosting their shot at the annual BCS access bowl and cracking the top 4.

Big East & CUSA would have to respond with some type of alliance or merger to create their own association.

Future MWC:

West: HI, SDSU, Fresno, SJSU NV, UNLV, Ut St, BYU,

Mountain: Houston, SMU, UTEP, NM, Co St, AF, Boise, WY

Big CUSA:

West: Tulsa, UNT, UTSA, Rice, LA Tech, Tulane, SMiss, UAB, Memphis, MTSU

East: Temple, Marshall, ODU, ECU, UNC-C, USF, UCF, FIU, FAU, +1 TBD

Cincy & UConn to the ACC to make up for the Big 12 taking FSU & a buddy (Miami/Clemson)

[Side Show Joe]

I think this is about the best news we could hope for right now. We need stability and time to improve our program and help to improve the strength of C-USA.

[wardly]

Why in the world would BYU go back to MWC?

[shaft]

Why in the world would BYU go back to MWC?

To get have a real shot at the playoffs and access bowls.

"As independents, Army and BYU are the only FBS schools that will not have access to their own guaranteed bowls spots. The schools will be automatic if they finish in the top four and can be selected for a playoff bowl by the selection committee if they finish in the top 12."

Edited January 5, 2013 by shaft

[PlummMeanGreen]

The MWC late night games that would have been played in Texas and its Central Standard Time the revenues would I'm sure be greatly reduced due to late kick-off timelines. TCU fans had a very frustating time with that even though their schedules were accomodated to some extent for some of the Frogs home games, but there were still those late night games for TCU's MWC road games. I remember listening to some of those on WBAP.

State of Texas public universities in CUSA will all have a difficult time leaving the more regionalized CUSA due to budgetary concerns by their respective presidents, each school's BOR's and the Texas legilslature.

Cut backs in Texas public universities due to our national economic disaster would make selling a conference move to another region and time zone of the USA almost next to impossible. If the TV revenues are close to the same (and right now CUSA is larger than the MWC), why would anyone leave their present situation never-minding campus and Austin-based politics?

The MWC gets Boise, maybe BYU and possibly even San Diego State U back in the fold, but the population advantage that CUSA clearly has will IMHO still trump any differences those 3 MWC re-additions would produce. PLUS...those 3 will no doubt get MWC TV revenue extras (much like UT-Austin was given to stay in the Big 12); but at the same time, leaving the rest of the schools in the MWC with lesser TV revenues. Not exactly a great bargaining tool for any Texas-based school to leave CUSA most would agree.

SMU and UH would likely join the MWC when the Big East finally implodes this year or the next or even the next but would still be making less TV revenue than the conference (CUSA) they are leaving to ultimately end up in the MWC; and at the same tiime adding exhorbitant travel costs to tour the western part of the USA for both of their school's men and women's varsity sports teams. SMU and UH are almost out of options altogether because they simply cannot find enough schools among the Gang of 5 that they want to be associated with.

GMG!

Edited January 6, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[shaft]

Complete contradictary non-sense from Plumm.

They studied the issue when TCU moved to the Big East and concluded travel from Texas to the Big East was very comparable from Texas to the MWC. So SMU and Houston would go. Travel would actually improve for UTEP, since their in the MTN time zone.

A divional MWC would mean less travel to the West Coast and more Central Time Zone games for the SMU & Houston than TCU had when they were in the MWC.

The MWC tv deal is going to be worth more than the CUSA deal.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Complete contradictary non-sense from Plumm.

They studied the issue when TCU moved to the Big East and concluded travel from Texas to the Big East was very comparable from Texas to the MWC. So SMU and Houston would go. Travel would actually improve for UTEP, since their in the MTN time zone.

A divional MWC would mean less travel to the West Coast and more Central Time Zone games for the SMU & Houston than TCU had when they were in the MWC.

The MWC tv deal is going to be worth more than the CUSA deal.

Oh, I don't think so.

UTEP's president is on record saying she wants the El Paso school with a Texas presence that CUSA gives them so you've just lost 1 Texas school in your version of the MWC, shaft. And in my "projection" of this (and that is all that it is for most of us on forums such as this) I prefer to compare CUSA travel with MWC travel. The Big East appears to many media types to not be a long term keeper and Boise just days ago fired the first major shot heard 'round the NCAA making that an extreme possibility. I think SMU and UH are spending most of their spare time of late wiping egg off their respective faces while trying to save face with their own quick decisions based on mostly fiction (as far as a Big East TV package is concerened). Read one outlet that said Tulane has not officially accepted (and signed a contract) with the Big East as of yet and still has time to think it over. It will be interesting if Tulane chooses not to go Big East.

Again, merely speculation on my part on a subject that is drawing much speculation from many national media outlets and college forums such as this one but complete contradictory non-sense(?) are some pretty strong words, shaft.

GMG!

Edited January 6, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[wardly]

To get have a real shot at the playoffs and access bowls.

"As independents, Army and BYU are the only FBS schools that will not have access to their own guaranteed bowls spots. The schools will be automatic if they finish in the top four and can be selected for a playoff bowl by the selection committee if they finish in the top 12."

I just don't see them going back. As I posted before, they are happy in WCC with all other sports,and have a good football t.v. deal with ESPN.What really drives BYU is acceptance of their religion and the opportunity to spread the Morman faith.What I can see in the future is UTEP,SMU,Houston, and Tulsa moving to MWV.[i assume SDSU will have already returned]. Tulsa really wants out of the new WAC/Belt/CUSA combination they find themselves in. However,UTEP really likes playing in DFW,Houston,and now San Antonio, as a great deal of their alumni live in those markets.Time will tell,but its not ovet till its over.

[NM Green]

The MWC has the luxury of considering quality at this point. The standings as they enter MWC play are sick:

6 Top 50 RPI teams

6 programs with 12 or 13 wins

1 undefeated

I just don't see the league clamoring for SMU and Houston to bring their vaunted programs to the league. It will mess up their geography, rivalries...SDSU, Boise, BYU make complete sense. They will not make the 16 team WAC mistake again.

Wyoming 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 13-0 1.000 9-0 4-0 0-0 Colorado State 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 13-2 .867 9-0 2-2 2-0 New Mexico (20/23) 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 13-2 .867 7-1 3-1 3-0 UNLV (RV/24) 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 13-2 .867 10-1 3-1 0-0 San Diego State (19/17) 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 12-2 .857 7-0 3-0 2-2 Boise State 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 12-2 .857 7-0 3-2 2-0 Air Force 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 8-4 .667 5-1 2-2 1-1 Nevada 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 9-5 .643 8-1 1-4 0-0 Fresno State 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 6-7 .462 3-3 3-4 0-0