Sun Belt looking to FCS for 12th Team by June 1st

['68griz]

fcs is dying, in fact, almost dead. 24 teams get into the playoffs? ridiculous!

ndsu, montana should be visionarie's and jumping to the mountain west together.

You can't jump and then attempt to learn how to fly on the way down. :?

And you can't go anywhere if you ain't invited....

 

[AZGrizFan]

fcs is dying, in fact, almost dead. 24 teams get into the playoffs? ridiculous!

ndsu, montana should be visionarie's and jumping to the mountain west together.

You can't jump and then attempt to learn how to fly on the way down. :?

And you can't go anywhere if you ain't invited....

Exactly. We can wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up first.

 

[EverettGriz]

Our geography kills us.

 

[mtgrizrule]

How many decades have we been making and hearing excuses for not being able to better the University of Montana athletics? It is a damn broken record!! I wish we had a mindset closer to what NDSU and App State has.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Our geography kills us.

How? Being a MWC Western team would be a much smaller footprint than our current conference alignment. Instead of 5 outliers (UND, NAU, Cal Poly, Sac St., UC Davis) there's only one (UNM).

Or are you referring more to demographics and population density than travel distance?

Or, thirdly, are you referring to the fact that the only likely bids would be from C-USA or Sunbelt, but the only conference that makes sense is the MWC, and that ain't ever happening?

 

[EverettGriz]

Our geography kills us.

How? Being a MWC Western team would be a much smaller footprint than our current conference alignment. Instead of 5 outliers (UND, NAU, Cal Poly, Sac St., UC Davis) there's only one (UNM).

Or are you referring more to demographics and population density than travel distance?

Or, thirdly, are you referring to the fact that the only likely bids would be from C-USA or Sunbelt, but the only conference that makes sense is the MWC, and that ain't ever happening?

(d) All of the above.

 

['68griz]

Our geography kills us.

How? Being a MWC Western team would be a much smaller footprint than our current conference alignment. Instead of 5 outliers (UND, NAU, Cal Poly, Sac St., UC Davis) there's only one (UNM).

Or are you referring more to demographics and population density than travel distance?

Or, thirdly, are you referring to the fact that the only likely bids would be from C-USA or Sunbelt, but the only conference that makes sense is the MWC, and that ain't ever happening?

This.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Our geography kills us.

How? Being a MWC Western team would be a much smaller footprint than our current conference alignment. Instead of 5 outliers (UND, NAU, Cal Poly, Sac St., UC Davis) there's only one (UNM).

Or are you referring more to demographics and population density than travel distance?

Or, thirdly, are you referring to the fact that the only likely bids would be from C-USA or Sunbelt, but the only conference that makes sense is the MWC, and that ain't ever happening?

This.

And, just for clarity's sake, I am in no way implying that a bid from either CUSA or Sunbelt is "likely" any time in the foreseeable future.

 

[NavyBlue]

that makes sense is the MWC, and that ain't ever happening

I am not sure that I agree that it ain't never happening, although it is looking extremly unlikely right now. With all of the conference realignment we have seen in recent years, is hard to rule out almost anything. If the MWC was to get raided again, I think there is a chance UM could be looked at as a replacement. That is especially true if UM was still building its facilities and program in general, up at the pace they were.

No one would have thought in 2007 and 2008 that Utah State would be in the MWC now, and we played in the conference football championship game last year. If you look at what USU has done facilites wise, in the last 8 years or so, you can't tell me UM couldn't do the same thing if it (and it's fanbase) really wanted to. UM has many advantages over USU when you look at it. It is the biggest sports show in it's state, more season ticket holders, no pro sports, no BYU that non-alums are going to align with and cheer for, because of religon, etc.

I also THINK (don't know for sure) that UM might have been able to take San Jose State's spot in the MWC, if UM was available as an FBS team at the time. I think Boise State would have preferred it since they have been vocal about preferring to be in the West division of the MWC. UM's presence in the league would allow them thier wish to slide to the West division. Since UM would no doubt be in the Mountain division. Of course, Boise was on there way out of the league at the time USU and SJSU were added so that is alot of speculation on my part, I admit.

Plus UM has had a winning tradition for close to 30 years now! I am a big believer in the saying "when there is a will there is a way". And UM and it's fanbase for the most part doesn't have the will or desire to be in a conference like the MWC. I get that, so don't rip me for it. You are happy where you are at, I get it. I am just pointing out that you guys COULD do it if you REALLY WANTED to. If you SHOULD or not, is another story, and that is up to you guys. I respect UM and its fans and I hope no one takes offense to my post. Peace.

 

[AZGrizFan]

that makes sense is the MWC, and that ain't ever happening

I am not sure that I agree that it ain't never happening, although it is looking extremly unlikely right now. With all of the conference realignment we have seen in recent years, is hard to rule out almost anything. If the MWC was to get raided again, I think there is a chance UM could be looked at as a replacement. That is especially true if UM was still building its facilities and program in general, up at the pace they were.

No one would have thought in 2007 and 2008 that Utah State would be in the MWC now, and we played in the conference football championship game last year. If you look at what USU has done facilites wise, in the last 8 years or so, you can't tell me UM couldn't do the same thing if it (and it's fanbase) really wanted to. UM has many advantages over USU when you look at it. It is the biggest sports show in it's state, no pro sports, no BYU that non-alums are going to align with and cheer for, because of religon, etc.

I also THINK (don't know for sure) that UM might have been able to take San Jose State's spot in the MWC, if UM was available as an FBS team at the time. I think Boise State would have preferred it since they have been vocal about preferring to be in the West division of the MWC. UM's presence in the league would allow them thier wish to slide to the West division. Since UM would no doubt be in the Mountain division. Of course, Boise was on there way out of the league at the time USU and SJSU were added so that is alot of speculation on my part, I admit.

Plus UM has had a winning tradition for close to 30 years now! I am a big believer in the saying "when there is a will there is a way". And UM and it's fanbase for the most part doesn't have the will or desire to be in a conference like the MWC. I get that, so don't rip me for it. You are happy where you are at, I get it. I am just pointing out that you guys COULD do it if you REALLY WANTED to. If you SHOULD or not, is another story, and that is up to you guys. I respect UM and its fans and I hope no one takes offense to my post. Peace.

Well, by "never happening", what I meant was that it was highly doubtful that UM would/could jump STRAIGHT to the MWC and would likely have to toil in an even crappier conference like the Sunblech for a number of years before any offer was forthcoming. I would envision the MWC making overtures to a Sunbelt team or BYU long before they'd go straight to an FCS team to fill out their conference. And unfortunately, I think THAT (the crappier conference issue) would absolutely KILL UM football. I cannot imagine enduring several years of games with the likes of Louisiana State, Arkansas State, Georgia State, Troy, Louisiana-Monroe (travel expenses notwithstanding) just to have the CHANCE to make a jump to the MWC should an opening magically appear.

 

[NavyBlue]

You are probably right, I won't argue with you it isn't likely UM would go straight to the MWC. The MWC would like to have BYU back I am sure, but the ods of that are pretty bleak as well. Idaho and New Mexico State have been told that that they should go to Plan B, because the MWC won't be inviting them. And after that there just isn't many more schools in the West to invite.

I could see the MWC maybe bringing in teams from Texas, but no further east than that. With the exception of maybe a team or two from Texas (I am not even sure who is in the Sun Belt right now)UM still probably has more cache' than anyone in the Sun Belt, even if they are FCS.