Seems like they'll mainly consider SUU and NDSU.

Both have pluses and minuses.

We'll know later today if they officially decide to add one of these schools.

I say that North Dakota State should join (if South Dakota State comes with them). Both "Dakota State" Universities are a great pair just like North Dakota and South Dakota. Otherwise, it will be Southern Utah.

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Florida State Seminole fan for life (mostly on football, basketball and baseball)!

SUU may seem like they fit because of geography, but their academics, according to Commissioner Fullerton doesn't pass the test for them to even get to the location criteria and even then he mentioned last fall how it is hard getting into Cedar City. If the BSC ever expanded, and the only choice was to go into the Dakotas, they would go into the Dakotas taking three teams so that they have 12 team 2-division line-up with all three members being acceptble academically speaking. Location would be a problem, but that is what the 2-division thing is all about.

But I read they didn't take anyone today. They won't meet again until October.

If the Big Sky wants to go 12, the Dakotas make the most sense. If they just want 10, Southern Utah makes sense. An option they might go in the future would be 10 with SUU as all-sports with Cal-Davis, Cal Poly as football only. Big Sky has options that would be for sure.

Sure they have options. The other option would be not to expand at all if there is not a candidate that would not meet there needs (criteria). Its sounds from Commissioner Fullerton that SUU does not meet their needs, because of their academics. Its their first criteria that they evaluate with. The next is location. This was in a radio interview in early October of last year. Of course they could change their minds. But they also could've added SUU a long time ago.

Ever since the Big Sky added Northern Colorado they have had a problem with the basketball scheduling. That's been almost 2 years. Apparently SUU being added, though would solve that problem by making it an even number of teams, just isn't justified to solve that problem. That could change, but they certainly aren't changing their minds at this point to justify solving the bball scheduling problem by adding SUU.

According to this article the Big Sky is thinking 10 members and is not interested in expanding to 12. They like the idea of 10 for BB and 9 for Football, calling it optimal. Fullerton said the schools the conference is looking at are SDSU, NDSU, the University of North Dakota, Southern Utah, Denver and Utah Valley State. Southern Utah is currently a member of the Mid-Continent Conference, and Denver is in the Sun Belt Conference.

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060524/SPORTS0202/605240309/1002/SPORTS

I don't fully understand why there is so much urgency to move from 9 to 10 members. Yes, I understand the logistical issues this creates in scheduling, but what doesn't make sense is why this would be such a huge surprise for the Big Sky and make them want to expand so quickly. First, the Big Sky was at 9 members from roughly '96 to '01 when Northridge was in the conference so a 9 team conference isn't new to them, and second, plenty of other conferences seem perfectly content with 9 members and don't seem rushed to expand.

My prediction, nothing continues to happen and the Big Sky remains at 9 for the foreseeable future.

The only reason this expansion talk is brought up and discussed ad nauseum is because of the NDSU fans who seem to be OCD. The Big Sky conference hasn't discussed expansion since UNC, it is the NDSU fans, ND newspaper and other ND people who keep shoving this down eveyone's throat.

I am glad the third time might be a charm to get them to move on.

NO=NO

Montana and Montana State might move on too. I wonder if that would be fine with Sac State?


And I don't buy SUU not getting in because of academics. They have the same academic rating as Weber State.

Denver looks like a possible solution if they don't really need a 10th football member. They are one of the schools listed that 11jbb11 listed above. They, unlike SUU, have really decent academics, great market, great travel partner for UNC, etc. If they can get them away from the Sun Belt, which is an "if", then that might be the solution. They really don't need 10 for football when you really think about it.

Or, lets assume tman is right about SUU. SUU is taken, then the Mid Con and GWFC become really vulnerable.

This could lead to needing many conference members for the Mid Con. IPFW and UTPA would need to be taken to maintain the conference existence, (NCAA rules about teams needing to be D I teams long enough -- a conference has to have I think either 6 or 7 of these). With Centenary being vulnerable, they are going to need these.

Then the GWFC side. 4 teams means need members. UND is the only school that has hinted at moving up that has football. Along with NDSU and SDSU they could also be taken in. The conference goes to twelve by also adding UVSC to address travel concerns.

Also, the Mid Con announced recently that they will be taking up to 6 months to decide on conference expansion.

I think the Sun Belt would have no problems letting Denver go especially with no teams in the Western part of the US anymore.

Interest in the BSC goes back a long way. In the early 70s NDSU and UND were asked to join the conference as it moved up to the newly created DI-DI-AA classifications. It was just a little too early for us then but it has remained an issue even through all the changes in the BSC that have gradually made it less and less attractive to many.

Denver would be the perfect addition to the BSC. I agree that the 9 team problem is a little baffling since they expanded to nine teams. You have to figure they were blind or its just harder than they thought. Either way they look like they wear short pants.

The BSC is a good conference but has never been my favorite choice. Its not a very good football conference after you get past the Montana schools and probably the same for BB. Its hard to travel to, look at N Az and Sac State. I dont like the time spread either. It would push our games too late in the evening.

Ive always favored the Mid-Con/GWFC combination. We recruit heavily in the Mid Con footprint and have for years. It has traditionally been a better BB conference than the BSC. It has great cities in its league much larger and well known than Fargo/Brookings-Sioux Falls, but it also has cities comparable to us. Division I needs the GWFC and it needs a conference that can configure itself for future growth.

With a large gift coming to UND today, it might become clear that the necessary money to make the DI jump will be endowed. With or without them, the Mid Con will bring us closer to the center of the country, the Mid West.

Where?

Isn't possible, that has been discussed ad nauseum too.

It IS possible... especially if the Montana Legislature grows some stones and expands a budget or two.

It's not PROBABLE. Probably not for some time.

Not with Montana running at a $1M loss.

Anything is possible, I guess if they tried really hard along with the Montana legislature they might get a bid from the NFL.