I could see New Mexico St & UTEP joining WAC FCS football

(10-30-2018 02:35 PM)GTFletch Wrote:  I could see New Mexico St & UTEP joining WAC FCS football

UTEP gets more people into the stands in basketball and football than your school so why would they drop down?

(10-30-2018 01:43 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-30-2018 09:13 AM)RobtheAggie Wrote:  

(10-30-2018 08:43 AM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  Not to mention an easier path to the Playoffs, better basketball league, etc.

That would be the key for NAU, SUU to join. Add in a more regional travel for sports. It could work.

Now what to do with NMSU football?

How is this more regional?
And why would NAU leave a stable conference for instability?

One with long-time rivals for teams they have no history with?

NAU most likely wouldn't want to leave the Big Sky, however, with additional football schools in the SW, it does make it more regional for NAU.

If the WAC does move to FCS football, then not only does it allow Dixie St and Azusa Pacific as candidates, it would open up some Lonestar Conference schools the have good support like West Texas A&M (Amarillo) which has a new football stadium and a newer basketball arena.

NAU could have 5 schools that are closer to them than they currently have.
Utah Valley, S. Utah (assuming they join), Dixie St, Cal. Baptist, GCU. Add in Las Cruces which is closer than other Big Sky schools and you can could 6 schools.

And here is another future candidate for the WAC.
Nevada State College.
Here is the Master Plan for the 500+ acres they have on hand. Planning for an enrollment of 25,000 students. Like to see the progress made with NSC and with Texas A&M San Antonio who is building like crazy also.

Master Plan
http://nsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/0...r_Plan.pdf

General Info
https://nsc.edu

2018 Flyer
http://nsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/0...or-Web.pdf

(10-30-2018 03:37 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  And here is another future candidate for the WAC.
Nevada State College.
Here is the Master Plan for the 500+ acres they have on hand. Planning for an enrollment of 25,000 students. Like to see the progress made with NSC and with Texas A&M San Antonio who is building like crazy also.

Master Plan
http://nsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/0...r_Plan.pdf

General Info
https://nsc.edu

2018 Flyer
http://nsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/0...or-Web.pdf

Does NSC even have athletics? The school is only 16 years old. Even if they added athletics now they would still be at least 20 years away from D1 status.

(10-30-2018 03:37 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  And here is another future candidate for the WAC.
Nevada State College.
Here is the Master Plan for the 500+ acres they have on hand. Planning for an enrollment of 25,000 students. Like to see the progress made with NSC and with Texas A&M San Antonio who is building like crazy also.

Master Plan
http://nsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/0...r_Plan.pdf

General Info
https://nsc.edu

2018 Flyer
http://nsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/0...or-Web.pdf

25k students might be their plan, but they are currently at 4200 and don't have an athletics program yet. They will probably be NAIA first, then D2, then D1. They might be able to accomplish that in 15 years.

So I'm going to pretend I'm DavidST and make a list of schools that would be WAC FCS football material.

Cal Poly (Affiliate, remains Big West)
Sac State (Affiliate, remains Big Sky, already WAC for baseball and women's gymnastics)
UC Davis (Affiliate, remains Big West)
U of San Diego (Affiliate, remains WCC)
Azusa Pacific (full member)
Dixie State (full member)

This is a minimal list that doesn't rely on any school abandoning their main conference and relies on only 2 D2 call ups, nor does it stretch the football footprint outside of the California/Arizona/Utah region. There well could be some from the Big Sky that would change their primary conference affiliation, or that could move up from D2, or that are in the footprint of other conferences. Nor does it assume any current WAC members would add a football program, which they might. Even with those restrictive assumptions, it's a viable conference. A toehold.

I have a feeling the Big Sky would not be happy letting Sac as a football only after being in the league as long as they have. But they could go full membership. All of your names are viable.


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If the WAC is going to try FCS they are going to need at least 6 schools to give it a go. There are certainly half a dozen Lonestar schools that could entertain the idea along with the aforementioned Azusa Pacific and Dixie St. The WAC is going to have to have some skin in the game too--GCU, UTRGV, and UVU would need to show that they are serious and build programs themselves.

Instead of luring full members to support FCS football why not look to associates--they might be more likely to say yes. Cal Poly and UC Davis would be perrenial favorites and maybe San Diego would consider going to scholarships.

Sorry that this will sound too much like David, but here's my list. I doubt the WAC is really serious about football unless they ever need it as a last resort to stay afloat.
SUU
Northern Colorado
Tarleton State
Dixie State
Azusa Pacific
West Texas A&M/Abilene Christian/HBU/Incarnate Word
Utah Valley and UTRGV have both considered adding football at one point also, maybe the WAC sponsoring it again could give them an initiative to consider it more seriously?

(10-30-2018 12:49 PM)Jjoey52 Wrote:  Interesting, I could see some of this happening, SUU, UNC and possibly NAU I could see leaving the BSC with a more manageable number while dropping a couple bottom feeders. Pick up a couple D2 schools like Dixie and Tarleton and bingo you have an FCS league. Too bad No Dak left as hevwould certainly add to this.


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When and why did he leave?

I believe he was pulled for continually pushing his WAC to FBS theories.

Theories that were believed to be untenable. Until now perhaps if the WAC is planning to restart football. In FCS.

The very few 25 years ago who thought the WAC would eventually move down to FCS may be right. None however would have picked out the WAC FCS football lineup.

(10-30-2018 08:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  I believe he was pulled for continually pushing his WAC to FBS theories.

Theories that were believed to be untenable. Until now perhaps if the WAC is planning to restart football. In FCS.

The very few 25 years ago who thought the WAC would eventually move down to FCS may be right. None however would have picked out the WAC FCS football lineup.

Was his account terminated or did he just leave like he said he would?

(10-30-2018 08:20 PM)seaking4steel Wrote:  

(10-30-2018 08:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  I believe he was pulled for continually pushing his WAC to FBS theories.

Theories that were believed to be untenable. Until now perhaps if the WAC is planning to restart football. In FCS.

The very few 25 years ago who thought the WAC would eventually move down to FCS may be right. None however would have picked out the WAC FCS football lineup.

Was his account terminated or did he just leave like he said he would?

He voluntarily left for a while, but it seems he has returned...

(10-30-2018 08:21 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(10-30-2018 08:20 PM)seaking4steel Wrote:  

(10-30-2018 08:13 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  I believe he was pulled for continually pushing his WAC to FBS theories.

Theories that were believed to be untenable. Until now perhaps if the WAC is planning to restart football. In FCS.

The very few 25 years ago who thought the WAC would eventually move down to FCS may be right. None however would have picked out the WAC FCS football lineup.

Was his account terminated or did he just leave like he said he would?

He voluntarily left for a while, but it seems he has returned...

Yeah I just saw his posts on the WAC board. He's still spewing the same WAC to FBS spiel.

Here comes Dixie State

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/9000...tatus.html

https://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports...822468002/

Based on the AD's comments it sounds like the odds of Dixie State joining the WAC are better than 50/50.

Perhaps that's not surprising given that Dixie State's biggest rival in the PacWest was Grand Canyon. Seeing the success GCU has had transitioning to the D-1 level must have made an impression.

And there are other factors lining up to facilitate a Dixie State move-up. The rapid expansion of St. George -- the fastest-growing metro area in the U.S. with a current population of roughly 160,000 -- has created the potential for a good fan base. Accessibility has improved, as the new city airport opened in 2011 now has direct jet service to and from Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver and Salt Lake City. Perhaps most importantly, Dixie State enrollment has increased 16% (from 8,503 to 9,950) over the past three years and 54 percent in the past decade, making it possible to raise more athletic funding from student fees.

So where will they park football? Will the Big Sky take them to get back to #14?

Article says no so they would have to be an independent

(10-30-2018 11:05 PM)solohawks Wrote:  So where will they park football? Will the Big Sky take them to get back to #14?

Article says no so they would have to be an independent

From the article I posted immediately above:

Boothe said that even if the WAC can’t field a football league, DSU would find a way around it. The creation of the WAC FCS league isn't a requirement for DSU to join the league in all other sports. And there are some other options for DSU's football squad if the WAC football league never materializes.

The Pioneer Football League is a non-scholarship FCS conference and Boothe said there were internal discussions about going that route but, ultimately, the athletic department decided it wasn’t something it wanted to pursue.

Boothe prefers the other alternative: FCS Independent.

While it’s not a long-term plan, Boothe said he’s comfortable having football be an independent for the time being — especially since that would allow the program to be eligible to play guaranteed-money games against FBS teams.

The WAC currently has 9 members, which will drop to 8 when CSUB moves to the Big West. So the potential additions of Tarleton State, Metro State and Dixie State could increase membership to as many as 11. That would virtually ensure the conference's survival, and even make it possible to cut loose Chicago State and UMKC to shrink the conference's oversized footprint.