Big Sky officials met on Tuesday with expansion a part of the agenda. Many have assumed that any Big Sky expansion would include I-AA football playing members as a primary focus. But after the recent meeting, it appears that the Big Sky is considering adding a single school in an attempt to help it’s basketball scheduling. So the idea of adding a 10th school for basketball and remaining at 9 for football is indeed being considered.

Official Big Sky Expansion Candidates:

CANDIDATES WITH FOOTBALL:
North Dakota State: new to Division I. Sponsors I-AA football
South Dakota State: new to Division I. Sponsors I-AA football but not considered as highly as North Dakota State.
Southern Utah: the school participates in the Mid-Continet conference for it’s generla sports and the Great West for I-AA football. Would be a logical geographic choice located between Northern Arizona and Weber St.
North Dakota: considering Division I upgrade. Might be below NDSU on the expansion radar.

CANDIDATES WITHOUT FOOTBALL:
Denver: non-football playing member participates in the Sunbelt Confernece for it’s sports and is now a geographic anomaly now that Idaho and Utah State have joined the WAC. We’ve brought Denver up in the past as a logical candidate for the Big Sky as they are located in the largest market within the Big sky footprint.
Utah Valley State: new to Division I, the Utah school is growing fast and would given the Big Sky entrance into the Salt Lake City market.

More Coverage from the Big Sky meetings by Chris Solari…