It would be beneficial to the MWC to wait and see just how TCU finishes their year. Their schedule is ranked 116 on the NCAA.com web site. They just played their first defense ranked over 60, and how many games have they won by 3 points?
A road game at Southern Miss will be totally winnable for them but it will also be a test. They were in a similar situation in 2000, before losing a bowl game to the same school.
One more major point is that this is a private school with a very small enrollment. It isn't quite the diamond in the rough that it is being touted as. The way they help a conference would be this year. Next year could be totally different. Their own study says they lose $200,000 a year moving to another conference. That is just in football.
To move to a conference without a marquee power. Granted, the MWC has about 5 teams usually in the top 50 - 60. Well, the new C USA does as well. They also have the shorter travel. C USA with TCU and a championship game is just as viable as a BCS conference as the new big east or the new MWC.
Just food for thought.
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I think it's silly to assume that MWC and representative officials haven't already been in contact with various BCS officials. Remember how much ABC is a player. This isn't about the quality of the conference schools, it's about putting schools out before the public that get good TV ratings. The MWC, minus BYU (and maybe Colorado State if they maintain a good stretch) does not have that with 8, nor 9, nor 12. Fresno is an ESPN draw (not as good of one as you might think, BTW), NOT a network draw. If you don't like the rules, perform a coup of the NCAA AND Congress (anti-trust) and get this done (I wouldn't mind, conditionally).
The MWC has also talked to ESPN in all likelihood, asking what 9, or 10, or 12 schools might reduce the cut in the next TV contract. Since you hear leaks about TCU being 9 and maybe Boise being 10, you probably won't see any more than that. I've also already demonstrated that going to 12, even with $1 million extra per year for a conference championship game (per the Salt Lake Trib, that's all the MWC would get), the current schools would receive less TV contract funds than they get now. They probably won't even make money on TCU alone (which is a stab at TV market potential), but you have to have a hedge in place if Wyoming fails to meet the new standards.
Please remember the other principle- the MWC gets money from ESPN (who does think they've overpaid) to air games on the network, while the WAC gets scraps for a handful of Fridays; that's created more controversy than interest. I can't see anyone passing up the money just because they're a little upset with the power brokers.
OK, I'm getting frustrated... but it's a simple principle. I'm getting good at this because of adhering to the principle of "follow the money" rather than think about the level of play.
One thing to the Fresno fans... you might pick up on MWC schools who've had past difficulties, I can understand that, but calling MWC presidents hypocrites doesn't gain you admission to the conference. It is what it is.
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