WAC Expansion

[HFCS]

I think thats the reason the ACC doesn't get nearly as much heat as the Big East. They have some former powerhouses that still get media love just because of their history. The last few years the ACC has been awful.

Actually it's more just math than any kind of media thing.

8 teams getting one auto bid every year is a bigger joke than 12 teams, if both conferences are just average or bad.

Miami, Florida State and VTech are three traditionally legit teams that can rise up in a given year vs. West Virginia being just one. Louisville and Cincy were flash in the pan, put ISU with CPR in the Big East and we're the next Louisville/Cincy fake top ten team from the Big East.

As for the other poster saying "no traditional powers", it's more like no traditional D1 teams since over half the conference (5 out of 9 teams) didn't even play D1 ball a decade ago. Villinova has had a clearer path to an auto bid than BYU, TCU, and Boise State and they're not even playing D1 yet. Big East is more than just "down", they have no top 25 teams in the BCS, their champion could be below ISU in computer polls if we beat Mizzou. Even one season where you're best team is 32nd or something should strip any kind of automatic giant leap into the top ten. The Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 10 and SEC haven't had a season like that in my entire life, the Mountain West hasn't for at least 6-7 years without even counting Boise State.

[HFCS]

this... Montana has already announced they are staying FCS. They are one of the very few FCS programs that are in very good shape financially.

If they're in good shape financially, and adding onto their stadium... could that mean they're still thinking about the jump to FBS and just want to do it with a smoother transition in the future?

They could never have the recruiting ground like these two new Texas schools have, but if they had a bigger stadium already filled with rabid fans, that would be more than a lot of these fledgling FBS programs have when they start up.

Obviously it's not the most stable thing in the world, but the MWC adding Hawaii would mean 12 and maybe it stays the same for a few years. The problem with the MWC at that point wouldn't be the numbers or elite programs, it's will those teams at the bottom ever be more like Big 12 bottom teams instead of Sun Belt level.

[heitclone]

Actually it's more just math than any kind of media thing.

8 teams getting one auto bid every year is a bigger joke than 12 teams, if both conferences are just average or bad.

Miami, Florida State and VTech are three traditionally legit teams that can rise up in a given year vs. West Virginia being just one. Louisville and Cincy were flash in the pan, put ISU with CPR in the Big East and we're the next Louisville/Cincy fake top ten team from the Big East.

As for the other poster saying "no traditional powers", it's more like no traditional D1 teams since over half the conference (5 out of 9 teams) didn't even play D1 ball a decade ago. Villinova has had a clearer path to an auto bid than BYU, TCU, and Boise State and they're not even playing D1 yet. Big East is more than just "down", they have no top 25 teams in the BCS, their champion could be below ISU in computer polls if we beat Mizzou. Even one season where you're best team is 32nd or something should strip any kind of automatic giant leap into the top ten. The Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 10 and SEC haven't had a season like that in my entire life, the Mountain West hasn't for at least 6-7 years without even counting Boise State.

I agree, especially about the conference only having 8 teams. While its cool they play a round robin schedule and crown a true champion, they have the advantage of scheduling 5....yea 5 nonconference games. These teams can schedule 1 tough non conference game (most don't even do that) and still throw 4 cupcakes and then only need 2 conference wins in a very soft conference to become bowl eligible. Rutgers is only relevant because of this scheduling method.

[hurdleisu24]

How much danger is the WAC in? Well Hawaii looks like they are leaving likely joining the MWC in Football and the Big west in everything else and today North Texas turned down and invite to join.

[jdoggivjc]

How much danger is the WAC in? Well Hawaii looks like they are leaving likely joining the MWC in Football and the Big west in everything else and today North Texas turned down and invite to join.

Hell - MONTANA didn't even want to jump up from FCS to join the WAC. That should tell you something...

[colbycheese]

I think thats the reason the ACC doesn't get nearly as much heat as the Big East. They have some former powerhouses that still get media love just because of their history. The last few years the ACC has been awful.

This year has been a bad year for the ACC just because they lost some games to the SEC and Big 10. They've killed the Big East in games this year. The other reason why the ACC seams "awful" this year is because so many of the teams are equal. It's a lot like the Big 12 in that regard. Every team has 2 or more conference losses with Duke and Wake Forest as the only "bottom dwellers". There are a few games that could give it a boost this weekend (FSU vs. Florida, Boston College vs. Syracuse, G. Tech vs. Georgia, Wake Forest vs Vanderbilt). Winning those will give it a boost.