I don't see how the WAC is an improvement for SUU. Does it really save money? I think they know they can't compete in the Sky and want something easier. Oh well. I wish them luck. It helps get the Sky back to a normal size, but a total bummer losing a rival. We'd get stuck with NAU. I do not and will never see them as a rival. I love playing them and we have had some nice battles over the years but rivals??? No. Maybe instead of SUU, WAC please take Northern Colorado?
Regardless, I think we are about to see a lot of school movements between conferences in the next few months. Most in an effort to save money, especially Mid-major and Low-major DI schools. A lot of conferences are trying to change to stay stable. The WAC is one of the most unstable conferences and I don't see them as a safe bet. It might be the conference that could change the most in the next year.
Lets say that Matt Brown is right, and that SUU, SFA, Sam Houston, Lamar and Abilene Christian plan on joining the WAC with Dixie and Tarleton State. That is a pretty decent conference. However, suddenly BYU and Gonzaga leave the WCC and go to the MW (Gonzaga is the only way BYU is getting back in). Now the WCC needs to add two schools. Seattle and Grand Canyon (both religious schools) would fit the WCC demographic perfectly and help keep the WCC as strong as possible. My money is on both going to the WCC. Losing Gonzaga and BYU will be a hard pill to swallow though. No way the WCC will be able to continue pulling the crap they have been the last few years. Their poop will not smell better than other conferences. So the garbage of 2 for 1s that they have been pulling will end.
Next, we all know that the Summit league is looking for one more team to pad a potential loss. UVU would be a great addition and has been in contact. They play soccer, have strong basketball, and are close to a major airport.
Big West could add Bakersfield and Chicago State is barely DI; really they should drop down to DII. That leaves the last school who wants out now, NMSU (we all know that they want to leave and are whoring themselves out to whomever is interested). This would leave the WAC with UT Rio Grand, Dixie, and California Baptist (could they also go to the WCC??) and Tarleton State. The WAC is not a stable conference.
Finally, why would two of the top programs in the Southland (Lamar and Abilene are not necessarily at the top like SFA and Sam Houston, but what do I know) want to leave? Personally, this might be nothing more than a ploy to get more of the financial cut, or maybe get a couple of schools to leave. A feint by SFA and Sam Houston to convince a couple of schools to leave the conference, and get it back to a normal size. Who knows....
BUT on the flip side, it would be nice actually having another FCS conference in the Western United States, and if any of the eventualities occurred as mentioned above, the WAC still has a healthy number of schools and 6 FCS paying schools. Maybe just maybe UNCO is going to leave too!!
