Craig Thompson has opened up and confirmed what was a crazy rumor about 24 hours ago that the Mountain West and Conference USA would form a partnership to stage a game between the two league winners with the winner getting the auto-bid to the BCS.
Apparently the talks between Thompson and Conference USA have been going on since July:
"We had probably set this up about a month ago," Thompson said. "We said, 'Let's just talk about what's going on if there are going to be all these superconferences ...' We did speak about, 'What if a group of 22-24 teams were to approach the BCS about an automatic bid vs. the nine, or eight or 10-mmeber Mountain West?' That was on the table. I'd like to label it a 'think session.' "
I still feel this is a bad move for the Mountain West, because they have been able to get teams in the BCS while C-USA has not, and the only way the Mountain West would sign off on this is if the money is there to make the risk worth it. Plus, this game would not even be able to begin until the next BCS cycle which begins in 2014, so this is a ways off from happening. Also, BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock said he nor anyone at the BCS has been contacted by either league about this concept:
BCS executive director Bill Hancock said no one from the Mountain West or Conference USA has contacted the BCS to ask about automatic qualification status for a potential championship game between the two leagues. Or any other scenario, for that matter.
"We haven't received any request from them, no," Hancock told the Statesman.
This type of game would garner some national attention and would be played on championship weekend and with the Big XII most likely not having a title game the choices would be between the ACC and Pac-12 title game. There would need to be a vote for this to happen in the next set of rules and would the other non-BCS leagues agree to this move, and if they did would the same deal be in place for those schools if they are in the top 12 and not from the other eight leagues. If that deal was in place then they may sign off on a MWC vs. C-USA winner take all to go to the BCS, but would the other current six power leagues want this if there are still only five bowl games.
If the Cotton Bowl gets involved and creates a sixth BCS bowl game then the vote could pass since it would not be taking away a spot from the current six BCS leagues, but there might be a clause added that would include three teams from a league to get a BCS bid. Twelve spots are hard to fill and there are times when the SEC or Big XII have had three teams in the top 16 and even near the top ten who have not been able to go to a BCS game because of the two team rule.
Even though Craig Thompson has said this has been in the works since July I can guarantee that this leaked out with the hopes of keeping BYU happy and have them stay in the league.
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