Well the other thread is experiencing some bugs for some reason, so I'll start one.

We're ranked 6 behind Pac-10 and above Big East Light in conference strength in this article:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview04/columns/story?columnist=maisel_ivan&id=1859248

And this is without TCU. ;D We are elevating.

^That's interesting.

It's interesting that they rank the MAC higher than CUSA, where Memphis, ECU, and UCF dwell. These are the candidates that people in the BE threads talk about, but I don't think they fit in the BE. This is more reason why, although its only one ranking.

ECU has been a very good team in the past 10 years...they are in a major rebuilding mode right now...ECU almost made it into the Big East when it was an independent and a top 25 team...They play a lot of Big East Schools every year, 5 years ago, they beat Miami...The only thing that held them back was the population of greenville. ECU is still a good fit for the Big East...

Memphis has the population, and market appeal for the Big East, with the facilities and on-field sucess...they could very well end up with a BE invite one day...

UCF also has the population, and market appeal, they also bring an instant rivalry with USF...they have a pretty good football team, but their basketball needs work...

Marshall is another great candidate, they have the football support, like ECU, but they're not in a high "metro" market, like ECU, and they can also have an instant rivalry with West Virginia, they're hoops could use some work too...

I think that it could easily work out where the Big East could add 4 schools from a list of 6 or 7 to get to 12 members and stage a championship game...I believe that while the Big East has an auto bid right now...by the next time they have bcs talks, they're gonna have to work hard for that auto bid, having 12 teams will help them do that...especially since the BE is the smallest conference in I-A Football, and will tied with the Sunbelt in 2005...

From the linked-to article:



Funny. Both Louisville and Memphis are in the ESPN Mid-Major top six, with both Louisville and TCU recieving votes and/or rankings in other polls. Unless there's a depth to the MAC for this year that I'm not familiar with, I think this is a goof.

As for the MWC, I agree. Utah stepping up is one of the best things that can happen to this league. Should they, along with BYU, CSU and TCU remain media darlings and play decent ball, then the league will continue to deliver tha goods expected.

^Look at all my arguments in these two thread, Michael Bond and see why I think these CUSA schools shouldn't be added to the BE, all except Marshall, which is almost eqaul in market size as these other 3, a little smaller, but not far back, but most importantly is in the NE footprint:

http://collegesportsinfo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=583

http://collegesportsinfo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=551

http://collegesportsinfo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=550

With both Louisville and TCU leaving to different conferences next year, this will weaken CUSA even more. It might be a goof. Perhaps CUSA should be 8 and the MAC 9. I know some preseason mag rated CUSA #6, the BE #7, and the MWC #8. Perhaps Utah is getting better looks as the season gets closer.

If the Mountain West added Fresno State, Boise State, and Nevada they would be the best non BCS conference by far.

Hawaii would be better than Nevada IMO, but travel and Hawaii could be better suited for being an indepedent in football.

Mountain West
West
BYU
Fresno State
Nevada
San Diego State
UNLV
Utah

East
Air Force
Boise State
Colorado State
New Mexico
TCU
Wyoming

That would be a good conference, and worthy of a BCS bid.

That is not a BCS worthy conference, especially market wise.

And that is the Big East without Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida.

True, but per capita I think MWC still has an edge -- granted probably less in 2005

boise st is a no brainer and wins like the one last night against oregon st make it an even easier decision.

i would think that hawaii would be a very good pickup for the MWC. i dont see the MWC passing over them to get nevada/fresno st. i could be wrong but hawaii seems like a pac10 level team that would bring alot to the MWC. that leaves the decision of getting nevada or fresno st.

fresno st brings an attractive market and nevada already has unlv, but if the MWC nabbed nevada they would be almost completely free of the pac 10 (only san diego st would be in a pac10 state). this would likely give them a much brighter future in competing with the pac10. but is california more capable of supporting a large number of teams than nevada is of supporting two? thats the dilemna in my mind. the two schools are close geographically, so maybe it isnt such a tough choice. what do you experts think?

The big problem of the mwc is a poor marketplace.

^ so if they were to expand i think it would be safe to assume then that fresno st and boise st would get strong looks. who would be their 12th? i would think if they expand to 11 they would want to go all the way. nevada and hawaii seem to be the only choices unless they would want to go east and get another texas team or tulsa. or intice a 1aa program maybe?

what is up with the minor conference teams uprising? the upsets seem to be coming at a record pace. maybe there is hope for a playoff after all.

^Montana as the 1-AA program. Could be. They are a stronger 1-AA program than Boise State was, and look where the Broncos are now.

Mountain West
West
Boise State
BYU
Fresno State
San Diego State
UNLV
Utah

East
Air Force
Colorado State
Montana
New Mexico
TCU
Wyoming