Northeastern University, the former I-AA football school with an enrollment of 27,391, is opening. They cannot afford not to, literally or figuratively.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/northeaster.../32471105#

BYU Status:
https://kslsports.com/434337/tom-holmoe-...s-return/?

Today marks the first day that most of the state of Utah has moved to a low-risk phase Yellow. BYU Athletics issued a statement earlier this week that athletic facilities on campus would remain closed through May and they would continue to follow directives from state and university officials.
...
[BYU AD Tom Holmoe]: “We’re gonna play, I don’t know when. But we’re gonna play. And when we do it’s going to be beautiful,” he said. “Everybody can’t wait to get back. Break out the blue, rep the Y, break out Cosmo, whatever it is you do on your Cougar Saturday, it’s gonna be glorious.”

Utah Status:
https://kslsports.com/434304/utah-ad-mar...acilities/

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said that June 1 “is really looking like the opportunity” when the University of Utah could reopen athletic facilities.

(05-14-2020 05:38 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  Northeastern University, the former I-AA football school with an enrollment of 27,391, is opening. They cannot afford not to, literally or figuratively.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/northeaster.../32471105#

I have two bachelor’s degrees. One from UT-Dallas (Economics) and another one from Northeastern (Political Science). It’s interesting both schools don’t have football and it’s probably the reason why I don’t have a strong connection with either one. I’ll always support UTEP (first four semesters) and Penn State (MBA) because of football. Anyway...

All I can say is NU is the one of the big Boston area schools that cannot afford to be shut down. They rely a lot on out-of-state, international and online students. They’re the poster child of ranking manipulation to look good on the US&WR rankings. I’m not saying the quality of education is bad, but they could be better. I remember the year I was there, it was the year the football team played its last season and they just joined the CAA four years before for basketball and other sports except for hockey. Their bread and butter for the Huskies is men’s hockey and they’re one of four schools that play in the Beanpot Tournament (Harvard, BU, BC) although NU has the least championships of the four. Matthews Arena is day and night when it comes to men’s basketball and men’s hockey attendance. At least that’s how things were a decade ago.

It helps the MWC but I don’t think Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado would allow their pride to play one season in a G5 conference. Especially the Arizona schools who used to be in the same conference with Wyoming, New Mexico and Colorado State. Utah has been in the Pac-12 for nine years. Playing again in a conference they left behind even it’s for one season would be too much for them. I don’t know how Colorado would feel about that. They at least have three schools nearby and another one a few hours away.

The Big XII would be an option. But why would the Pac-12 help a competitor? The last thing you want to do if you’re the Pac-12 is to incentivize the Big XII in convincing those four schools that playing in the Central Time zone is not that bad and the P12N is not worth the headache. I know Frank and the like keep saying those schools have a California identity and want to continue that relationship and I agree with them. But if there’s something we have learned in conference realignment since the 1990’s is to expect the unexpected. As remote as that has any chances of happening, you just don’t agree to it. Period.

If Larry Scott agrees to that, he will always be remembered as the man who killed the “Conference of Champions.”

But does the “champion” of Colorado, Utah, and the Arizona schools go to a New Years Bowl? Do they still get that payout? The Pac-12 would have to cancel it’s Championship Game. Who would these 4 get to fill their schedules when so few other teams have the room in their schedules, especially late in the fall?

But perhaps these could be salvaged by adding 8 MW teams for 1-year football-only. The MW teams would have their price (none would go alone this late for a sole season), but I’d think there is an economic compromise somewhere in there.

(05-13-2020 03:02 PM)YNot Wrote:  

(05-13-2020 12:26 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Hawaii could be in the MWC for all sports.
BYU needs to play. Big Sky would lose 2 football affiliates and 3 all sports.
WAC would lose 2.
WCC would only have BYU left.
GNAC in D2 would be down to 5.
Hawaii-Hilo, Hawaii Pacific and Chaminade would need a home for a season.

Hawaii is more restricted right now than just about anywhere else. If California schools don't play football this fall, I don't see anyway that Hawaii does.

Hawaii has the virus under better control than just about anywhere else (lowest death rate and second lowest infection rate in the US). After an eight week total shutdown we reopened non-essential businesses, beaches and many other activities two days ago.

Where Hawaii remains strict is in controlling incoming visitors. Currently everyone arriving in the state is subject to a two-week mandatory quarantine, which has pretty much suspended tourism. Hopefully by the fall that will have changed to a 100% testing requirement for incoming visitors that keeps most if not all infectious travelers from even getting on the plane. If that kind of control can be effectively instituted then the university and its athletic programs will almost certainly reopen in the fall.

(05-14-2020 04:53 PM)Tulsa Guy Wrote:  Oregon State is supposed to open the season at Oklahoma State U. Oklahoma State is scrambling with contingency plans to replace Oregon State.

I would imagine they would be talking with Michigan who would be sitting in the same situation as they are for that same weekend.

(05-14-2020 05:38 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  Northeastern University, the former I-AA football school with an enrollment of 27,391, is opening. They cannot afford not to, literally or figuratively.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/northeaster.../32471105#

They may have to stay close for awhile for online courses as Boston is still a hotbed for new cases and deaths. The whole state might not be able to be open for any sports or classes.

(05-17-2020 02:23 PM)Crayton Wrote:  But does the “champion” of Colorado, Utah, and the Arizona schools go to a New Years Bowl? Do they still get that payout? The Pac-12 would have to cancel it’s Championship Game. Who would these 4 get to fill their schedules when so few other teams have the room in their schedules, especially late in the fall?

But perhaps these could be salvaged by adding 8 MW teams for 1-year football-only. The MW teams would have their price (none would go alone this late for a sole season), but I’d think there is an economic compromise somewhere in there.

The Pac-12 could offer most of these schools to replace the lost Pac-12 team with one of the 4 remaining with no impact to their schedules; Ohio St, Michigan, Oklahoma St, Penn St, Texas A&M, Notre Dame (x2), BYU (x2) and Hoston all would be left with openings over numerous weekends with little time to try and find a replacement from elsewhere. From the looks of it the MWC would have 8 games left to fill that the could be worked out to where each Pac-12 school picked up 2 of them and if it were needed the mountain schools could double up and do an in season home&home with each other to fill any left over spots.

The Big 12 can offer little help since all of our members are scheduled to open up and play. Maybe a few OOC games that are being cancelled, but that's just about it.

Based on the OP, here is the Pac-4's intact OOC schedule:
W1: Colorado @ Colorado State
W1: BYU @ Utah
W1: NAU @ ASU
W2: ASU @ UNLV
W2: Montana St @ Utah
W3: Arizona @ Texas Tech
W3: BYU @ ASU
W3: Colorado @ Texas A&M
W3: Utah @ Wyoming

Here are the teams who lost games:
*W0 lose home: Arizona, UNLV
*W0 lose visit: NMSU
W1 lose home: OK State, Utah State, Arizona, CMU
W1 lose visit: Michigan, TCU
W1 lose neutral: Alabama
W2 lose home: Colorado, Arizona, Toledo
W2 lose visit: Colorado State, Houston, NMSU, Ohio State
W3: lose home: Penn State
W6: lose home: Notre Dame, Texas A&M
W6: lose visit: New Mexico St
W7: lose visit: New Mexico St
W11: lose visit: UConn
W11: lose home: BYU
W13: lose visit: Notre Dame, BYU

Keeping games against each other, the Pac-4 teams have each lost 3 away games; Utah has lost 3 home games, Colorado and Arizona have lost 4 home games, and ASU lost 5 home games. Colorado and Arizona can add FCS buy-games to their schedule.

The MW will have to rework its schedules after losing 4 members and now only has 7 conference games left. Each MW team therefore can play 1 Pac-4 team, filling a home and away on each Pac-4 team's schedule. UNLV can host a second Pac-4 team (replacing Week 0 California). New Mexico State *may be allowed to travel to Arizona Week 0.

The Pac-4 teams are now ALL down to needing 2 home and 2 away games to complete their schedules with the same number of home games as planned.

Week 1: Arizona will try its best to lure Michigan or TCU to campus now that the Pacific coast is closed. However, Alabama will be waiting in Dallas with a very appetizing matchup and will probably get first pick. OK State will also be competing to get Michigan to visit. Arizona currently has 7 home games scheduled and could sacrifice 1 by meeting the Crimson Tide in Dallas.

Week 2: Ohio State was heading to Oregon and may redirect their flight to Arizona or Colorado. Houston, NMSU, or Colorado State will go to the other. NMSU will probably visit one of these southwest teams before traveling to Toledo, who also lost a home game against SDSU.

Week 3: While the Pac-4 schedule is full this week, Penn State has a home opening. Utah's visit to Wyoming could be moved later into the year so that they could fill that home date.

Weeks 6 through 13: Arizona still needs 2 away games, Colorado and ASU need 1 home and 2 away, Utah needs 2 home and 1 away. 3 of those 7 away games can be used to fill holes at Notre Dame, Texas A&M, and BYU. There are 5 spots for those 4 home games: Notre Dame, BYU, UConn, and NMSU (twice); weeks 6 and 7 are good bye weeks, so likely NMSU fills only 1 of their 2 travel holes.

TaDa! each Pac-4 team has an 11 game schedule, while keeping their entire home game slate (with the possible exception of Arizona @ Jerry World). Now, if the Mountain West is able to play 8 conference games, the Pac-4 will be in a bigger pit.

At least the PAC-12 will have a valid excuse for not making the playoff this season

University of Utah will be open this fall for in-person classes (with modifications).
https://www.ksl.com/article/46757062/uni...-this-fall

California schools are planning to play football in the fall.
Pac 12 and Mountain West are going to be all in, for now.

https://www.si.com/college/2020/05/28/ca...ntain-west