Article out of San Diego reporting that SDSU will "likely" announce tomorrow it will be joining the BE and Big West.Link at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011 ... n-big-east

So if SDSU is in, does this mean UCSD will make twelve? In addition to preserving the UC/CSU balance, it gives the conference two schools in San Diego, which should make travel easier on Hawaii and the Bay Area schools.

Boise State probably gets to come with SDSU. I wonder, if AFA and Navy don't join, would the Big East add two western schools instead (since they have to be football only members since they are sticking with 8 full time, 8 basketball schools). Nevada could be a candidate (and could also head to the Big West). I think the Big West may be the biggest winners of realignment. It was always really good in other sports and is starting to get decent in basketball already.

All reports now indicate Boise State will NOT join the Big West.

There's "read between the lines" comments from more than one source that seem to indicate San Jose State may take Hawaii's tack... football in the Mountain West, other sports in the Big West.

I'm left to wonder if THAT is why SDSU is reported to be joining the BW and not Boise State, or if the BW demanded Boise subsidize all travel to Idaho and Boise State balked.

OR... is the WAC about to drop football and make things interesting on this front?

Pounder -

I'm thinking your last assumption may be correct (the WAC drops football)....
Not by choice.
But let's assume the MWC needs replacements for Boise St. and SDSU... they are going to look to the WAC (maybe they pick up UTEP if a merger with CUSA happens).
And the WAC needs eight (8) minimum FBS teams - where are they going to get them ?

The WAC has been desperately trying to recover from that fateful day in August 2010, when the BYU Project was subverted by Craig Thompson's quick maneuvering.
And at this point, there just don't seem to be any more FBS schools / imminent upgrades out there (at least in western US)
The WAC could add UVU (no football), and Boise St. (sans their FB), to replace any new defections, but technically, I think any WAC teams will have to be FBS independents,
as long as they are stuck at a number lower than 8.

The BE could still try to add 1-2 additional FB only members from out west (Air Force for instance). They would then need a home for other sports.
The WAC might work out as that home, if they quit sponsoring FBS football.

I think SJSU will join Big West for all-sports except for football, which will go to the Mountain West.

Big West would then have 12 teams.

It ended up being wise of the Big West to reject UCSD, given that it gave them a better opportunity to absorb SDSU (and SJSU, if that indeed happens).

I still think the Big West could still jump to 14 some day with the additions of UCSD and Sac State (with Bakersfield still feeling left out).

This state's budget crisis gives SJSU and Sac State some healthy motivation to consolidate their travel. And SDSU and Hawaii's presence means that there will be no stigma about "moving down" to the Big West for SJSU or Sac State; the conference's cache has improved significantly.

14 teams, 26 in-conference games, two NCAA bids per year...I love it.

Article out of Long Beach discussing SDSU and Big West expansion at http://www.presstelegram.com/sports/ci_19502955

so who's #12 in the BW?

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CSUBakersfield have a shot?

Don't forget that the Big Sky is sitting at an odd number of members for all sports (11). If the Big Sky loses two to the WAC, then the Big Sky might be more open to taking Boise State for everything but football to get back to 10 members.

I could also see the Big East taking Nevada and UNLV for football only if they wanted to go to 12-Nevada doesn't have the biggest native DMA, and Mackay Stadium is a bit small (29,993), but they have come close to being BCS busters themselves. UNLV of course brings the larger native market, and would be a favorite road trip for many Big East fans, but has struggled on the field lately. Given the proximity of Reno and Las Vegas to California, they would also make perfect additions to the Big West.

I've been wondering, in the event of a C-USA/MWC merger would Fresno State, Nevada, and UNLV consider joining that conference for football only and put their non football sports in the Big West. Everyone would be happy since it would cut travel and the Big West's competition in smaller sports is very good (maybe even better than that C-USA/MWC merger). I'd love to see them get San Jose State and Sacramento State too. If you can't get Sac St let Boise join.

North
Cal Poly
UC Davis
Pacific
UC Santa Barbara
Nevada
SJSU
Boise St/Sac St
Fresno St

South
CSU-Fullerton
CSU-Northridge
Long Beach St
UC Irvine
UC Riverside
SDSU
Hawaii
UNLV

its official...sdsu joining big west

http://www.ocregister.com/sports/state- ... women.html

no mention of a #12

UNLV said they will not split their sports.



No.





There is no #12.

One thing to remember in all this is that while for football and most normal leagues, an even number of teams, balance and travel partners is ideal, for the Big West, 12 is NOT IDEAL.

Here's your travel partners:
UC Davis - Pacific
Cal Poly - Santa Barbara
Long Beach - Fullerton
Riverside - Northridge
Irvine - San Diego State
Hawai'i - Road Bye/ Home Travel Partner (that week).

No one in the conference wants to play in LA on Friday, fly to Hawaii and play Sunday.

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Point taken. But that's referring to the status quo. Currently they are in a Western based conference so travel is good. If the MWC and C-USA end up merging full time and a couple more western schools leave for the Big East/Big West (I wouldn't be surprised if Nevada gets looked at soon) they may need to reconsider. They aren't being invited to the Big East for football only, but if they find themselves in a conference with most teams far away from them, moving non football sports to the Big West wouldn't be a bad idea, especially if rival Nevada moves to the Big West (again, assuming the Big East adds them). Fresno might consider it too.

Of course, there are a lot of ifs so it's too early to tell. The Big East may not invite any other western schools and/or the merger between the MWC and C-USA may not be full time (or may not happen at all now).

Article out of San Joaquin with comments from Big West Commish regarding possible future league expansion that "may" include schools "like" SJSU or Fresno at http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... /112130308