In the midst of the all the conference shuffling there is one conference out there that I think could afford to lose some members and be better for it. That conference is the Big Sky. They currently are in an awkward situation where they have 11 full members and 13 football members. This is a product of the summer 2011 realignment, where the Big Sky was worried it was going to lose members so preemptively expanded only to see no one exit. They ended up with 11/13 because they were banking on South Dakota coming along with North Dakota but at the 11th hour the Coyotes backed out when the MVFC agreed to take their football program.
North Dakota is a school I'd like to see them part with. Sure it would be in bad faith to boot them out after just admitting them but that move was with the idea that there would be two Dakota schools and as it stands, ND is a geographic outlier. Let them join the Summit League with their Dakota brethren and then smooth things out with the MVFC.
Sacramento St is the other school that is a bit of a misfit. They are the only California school and while their administration might not openly admit it, they would prefer to be in the Big West with the other UCs and Cal Sts. Since the Big West lost Pacific they could use another Northern California school to be UC Davis's travel partner so I think the two leagues could reach an amiable agreement where Sacramento Sts Olympic sports leave for the Big West and their football team gets the same Big Sky football affiliate status that Big West members UC Davis and Cal Poly have.
This is addition by subtraction---the Big Sky would now be at a nice neat situation where they have 9 full time members and 3 affiliates for their FCS football conference. This would also open the Big Sky up for absorbing refugees from the failed Western Athletic Conference. Idaho would be an ideal addition and New Mexico St wouldn't be bad either (although they are bit out of the footprint)--both schools would have football too. The Big Sky could also become Boise's new conference of convenience if they were willing to accept the Bronco's Olympic sports. Non-football WAC members Seattle and Denver could even be in the mix as well.
Provided North Dakota can be passed off on the Summit and Sacramento St can get all-sport membership in the Big West I think the goal should be 1) getting an odd number of football-playing full members, and 2) adding a member who doesn't play football:
getting Idaho and just Idaho is nice but they would have an odd number of football teams when you add in the 3 affiliates. Getting Idaho and New Mexico St is great but then you have an odd number in every other sport.
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