Fresno State And Nevada Accept Offer To Join The Mountain West

by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 18, 2010 6:49 PM PDT in Conference Expansion

The back and forth going through the Mountain West and the WAC is an epic boxing match and a game of chicken all rolled into one. Earlier today it was revealed that BYU was behind the $5 million penalty forced upon any WAC members who decide to change leagues in the next five years.

Earlier today there were many reports saying the Mountain West invited Fresno State and Nevada, but both declined. However, that was not the case as the actual invite came later and Fresno State has accepted. Another interesting note is that Nevada has not signed the $5 million deal, and the Wolfpack will also be joining the Mountain West:

Nevada will join in-state rival UNLV and current WAC foe Boise State in the MWC, which also invited Fresno State to join the conference in 2011.
[...]
Brigham Young University's decision to consider being an independent in football and a member of the Western Athletic Conference in all other sports seems to have spurred all the movement.

Now with news it puts the WAC at seven schools for football and eight for hoops with BYU joining the league. Could BYU be on their way back to the Mountain West and just used this as a ploy?

As for the Mountain West it is saved and for arguments sake BYU stays independent in football that puts the Mountain West back at a nice round number of ten teams for the 2011 season. As for BCS status goes I do not think the schools do too much with BYU leaving. The average ranking may go up, but I do not think it will be enough unless one of those schools have a huge year this year.

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That didn't take long

Welcome Bulldogs and Wolfpack!

Well, might as well get to 12 teams now Quick, somebody Facebook friend Houston and UTEP.

by Smoove V on Aug 18, 2010 7:05 PM PDT reply actions

I think

BYU will come back and then add Houston.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 18, 2010 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions

or add Houston, UTEP and SMU….and go to 14, all with an ESPN deal in hand too. (that’s the rumor I’ve heard on another board…completely unsupported rumor)

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by Redhawk on Aug 18, 2010 7:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Interesting Comments by TCU coach Gary Patterson

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/ncf/news/story?id=5475303

“All I can tell you is this: Just wait and see in the next two weeks before you make any judgments and see what happens in the national landscape,” Patterson said. “Things that I know that maybe you don’t know. That’s all I’m going to tell you.”

by Smoove V on Aug 18, 2010 7:57 PM PDT reply actions

Interesting

That makes me wonder…

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UNLV is going all the way this year!

by rebelfan1 on Aug 18, 2010 8:10 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd love to welcome Fresno St. and Nevada to the MWC.

Truthfully, at this point I now hope that Nevada goes 11-1 losing only to BSU and Fresno St. goes 10-2 losing only to BSU and Nevada. That helps our BCS Criteria majorly and will be huge for our quest for the BCS.

At this point, since BYU’s departure is not finalized, I think they change their mind and just stay in the MWC in which it now seems a BCS AQ is imminent. Add Houston and only Houston to make it 12. If BYU does go, add UTEP as well. I saw Redhawk’s comment about going to 14, just doesn’t make enough sense to me.

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UNLV is going all the way this year!

by rebelfan1 on Aug 18, 2010 8:16 PM PDT reply actions

that is if they are in 2011

I have heard 2012 might be a possibility. Your record estimates have your Rebels losing to Nevada.

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by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 18, 2010 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Why are we treating the BYU behind the payout thing as hard fact?

We have one nebulous ESPN source that said that. Like that’s automatically hard truth.

I’m starting to think the invite of the WAC teams was less to replace BYU but more to get them to stay and that BYU leaving is not (and probably never was) a done deal.

by holly96 on Aug 18, 2010 8:44 PM PDT reply actions