The Mountain West Conference would love to reclaim BYU as a member of their conference. However there is a slight problem--BYU seems content as an FBS independent and the West Coast Conference has proved to be an excellent conference of convenience for BYU. BYU is one of 3 stellar basketball programs in that conference--the other two being Gonzaga and St Mary's, and that great triumvirate will guarantee the WCC at least two bids for the foreseeable future.
When it comes to MWC-BYU affairs there are a few things to consider. BYU has television clout and can command a few million dollars a year for their home games in television revenue. What BYU lacks as an independent is ample access to the new playoff system--something that the MWC has so long as their champion is ranked higher than the champion of the Big East, Sunbelt, MAC, and C-USA. BYU on the other hand has to be ranked in the top 4 to be guaranteed a spot in one of these elite games. So far in discussions BYU has taken the attitude that the MWC needs them more than they need the MWC. For the most part this is true--so long as BYU has a stable home in the WCC for their Olympic sports.
Should the MWC create instability within the WCC this could all change. The MWC currently has 11 full members and Hawaii as a football only affiliate. This was due to an arrangement with Hawaii when the WAC was collapsing where the MWC would take in their football program if Hawaii parked the rest of their sports in the less prestigious Big West. 11 is an awkward number for scheduling purposes; 12 would be more ideal. This is where Gonzaga fits in. Gonzaga, who does not sponsor football and has no aspirations to do so, could even out the MWC and take Hawaii's spot in Olympic sports. Gonzaga has already demonstrated that they would be willing to knife their private school WCC brethren in the back when they announced that they would be willing to join the Catholic 7 if the Catholic 7 wanted to become a nationwide conference (and presumably St Mary's would come too). The MWC is a better basketball conference than the WCC. According to ESPN's Joe Lunardy's Bracketology for 15 January 2013 the MWC is a 6 bid league--5) San Diego St, 5) New Mexico 7) UNLV, 8) Boise St, 10) Wyoming, and 11) Colorado St. Meanwhile only BYU and Gonzaga of the WCC are currently predicted to make the tournament. If Gonzaga could be convinced to jump to the MWC it would severely weaken the WCC and might give the MWC the leverage needed to land BYU.
If they were successful in pressuring the Cougars into returning another football school would be needed to balance out the league at 14 and UTEP would be a natural fit. They have a decent football pedigree and a strong basketball program. The MWC also has another strong basketball program coming in for 2013--Utah St. If this gambit was successful it would make the MWC the undisputed top basketball conference in the West and reduce the WCC to a one-bid league. The addition of BYU to the MWC for football would likely give the MWC a stranglehold on the bid for a big money bowl in the new playoff system. As far as divisions go Boise St would anchor the Western Disvison while BYU would anchor the Eastern (Mountain) Division:
Mountain (East)
BYU
Utah St
Wyoming
Colorado St
Air Force
New Mexico
UTEP
West
Boise St
Nevada
UNLV
San Diego St
Fresno St
San Jose St
Hawaii (fb)/Gonzaga (Olympics)
Another side effect of this move is that Gonzaga would be a convenient travel partner for Boise St.
With all of this considered the Mountain West should make a gutsy attempt to lure Gonzaga and BYU into the conference. Even if bringing in Gonzaga isn't enough to lure BYU it would still bring the MWC some basketball revenue and relieve a few scheduling headaches for the commissioner's office.
No comments:
Post a Comment