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The PAC/MWC Dominoes Begin to Fall

Unless I'm missing something, if we played as a FCS independent wouldn't we still be eligible for the FCS rankings, playoff berths etc. ? If not why couldn't we stay in the BSC for football only, the dungpile and poly have been getting away with it for years. Being a FCS independent might give us the opportunity to have more scholarships than BSC limits.
 
SDHornet said:
Sounds like we met all the FBS metrics and the "you can't because you need an invite" is the only reason for the recommended denial. Considering that there currently are and historically have been FBS programs operating as an independent, I wonder if there are grounds for an antitrust lawsuit if our application is denied by the D1 Council.
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Yes… I think that could be an option IF after this next meeting that we find out some other changes are also in action.
We might find this next meeting provides more options? Or less options? Which could be antitrust “glass ceiling” in CFB,
In addition. The BigWest appears to be our home for Olympic sports and our Football will be FCS Indy another season.
The big Sky revenues of $100K season are mind blowing low. Nothing to lose
 
HeavyistheClown said:
If going to the MWC meant keeping football at FCS level, then we would be golden.

Already in a FBS conference, and the NCAA wouldn’t have had an issue. Just upgrading the program to fit the MWC peer schools.

But we shunned the MWC because Wood was to rabid on PacX. Meanwhile the PacX just laughed.

If the BW is so great, why did Davis move away from that direction? They played chess while Wood played chutes and ladders.

Now Sac is in football hell. We only got $100,000 from BSC, but at least they had a trophy/ring to play for. As an Indy, no postseason, no trophy and only being paid half to play away FBS games.

What about this magical ‘26 schedule Orr had put together? Any contracts signed with FBS teams? More money lost. NIL gone, players gone, coach gone, pride comes before a fall and Sac State fell to the literal bottom.
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You keep asserting that we had a MW invite, is this true or are you just making this up? No, the FBS Oversight committee would not have viewed our Oly sports being in the MW as an FBS invite for football.

If not having an FBS schedule lined up for '26 and beyond was an issue, the recommendation would likely have stated that. If not having the funds to meet FBS standards was an issue, the recommendation would likely have stated that. As far as what has been made public at this point (maybe more comes out later, who knows) the recommendation is solely based on not having a football invite from an FBS conference, which I have yet to find as an FBS requirement on the NCAA's website. Dr. Wood met with the NCAA President before submitting the waiver application. It's anyone's guess what was said at that meeting, but I doubt Dr. Wood moves forward with the application if the message was clearly conveyed that it would not be approved.

You're also not factoring how opting-in to the House Agreement plays into this BW decision. The BSC has not opted-in, which means they will all be at a recruiting disadvantage moving forward as a handful of other FCS conferences already have. The House Agreement changes the entire landscape of collegiate athletics and we have just begun to see the fallout from it.

Regarding FCS Indy, we'll be eligible for postseason as an at-large and 8+ D1 wins likely gets us a berth. Given the unbalanced BSC FB membership and their need to get in front of CA recruits, I'm not overly concerned about filling out an FCS schedule in the coming years.
 
HornetFootballFan said:
Yes… I think that could be an option IF after this next meeting that we find out some other changes are also in action.
We might find this next meeting provides more options? Or less options? Which could be antitrust “glass ceiling” in CFB,
In addition. The BigWest appears to be our home for Olympic sports and our Football will be FCS Indy another season.
The big Sky revenues of $100K season are mind blowing low. Nothing to lose
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It was always going to be a "normal" BSC year for the upcoming '25-26 academic season. '26 and beyond will be Big West for Olympic sports and homeless FCS football. And yes, monetarily speaking, there was nothing significant keeping us in the BSC. In fact, we will probably save more than that due to the reduced travel costs in the BW.
 
It can't be underestimated how the house settlement vote, changing of governance and all out greed of these college football conferences plays a factor. The P4 and specifically the SEC are actively trying to remove schools and conferences from the playoffs so they can keep profits for themselves. No way they want another FBS school. They are making up rules as they go.

But essentially telling Sac State they are not allowed to be independent because it's against the rules is a weak and losing argument. Or flat out saying a school is only deemed ready for FBS when a conference invites them into the club is a lawsuit waiting to happen. There is no point in a committee hearing a waiver case if their argument is they have no power to waive the requirement. They actually put that in print. This is why they lose all of their court battles.
 
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I dont see where joining the BW will provide benefit in the long run. Yes, it will save money. But if we can only go FBS by joining a conference and there are only two conference options, why join the BW when the MWC or Pac is the ultimate goal? If we somehow get an invite from MWC/Pac in the next 2-3 years, we just jettison the BW? What would the BW gain by adding Sac?

There is no longterm upside for the BW or for Sac.
 
Hornet25 said:
It can't be underestimated how the house settlement vote, changing of governance and all out greed of these college football conferences plays a factor. The P4 and specifically the SEC are actively trying to remove schools and conferences from the playoffs so they can keep profits for themselves. No way they want another FBS school. They are making up rules as they go.

But essentially telling Sac State they are not allowed to be independent because it's against the rules is a weak and losing argument. Or flat out saying a school is only deemed ready for FBS when a conference invites them into the club is a lawsuit waiting to happen. There is no point in a committee hearing a waiver case if their argument is they have no power to waive the requirement. They actually put that in print. This is why they lose all of their court battles.
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Does Sac have $$$ for litigating City Hall? Does the CSU jump in at this point? What about Gov. Numbnuts? Maybe that tool can be a guest on The View and bash the NCAA?
 
Green Cookie Monster said:
I dont see where joining the BW will provide benefit in the long run. Yes, it will save money. But if we can only go FBS by joining a conference and there are only two conference options, why join the BW when the MWC or Pac is the ultimate goal? If we somehow get an invite from MWC/Pac in the next 2-3 years, we just jettison the BW? What would the BW gain by adding Sac?

There is no longterm upside for the BW or for Sac.
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With the ever changing conditions due to the House Agreement and the pending D1 governance changes, it's anyone's guess how this will play out. If our BW membership lasts only a few years and we end up elsewhere then so be it.

There are rumors of a new subdivision being created with the governance proposal. If that happens, that could create even more upheaval in the D1 landscape. Time will tell.
 
Me thinks this is the Ace up the sleeve. Judge Wilkens, who declared the NCAA a trust and ordered them to pay players, also happens to be the Senior Judge in the Northern District of California, based in Oakland. The argument that must have a conference invite will most likely land here, and I would think it is highly unlikely that argument that conference affiliation is required would carry the day. The other 4 requirements would have been met.

www.espn.com

Judge signs settlement; colleges to pay athletes

Schools are now free to begin paying their athletes directly, marking the dawn of a new era in college sports brought about by a multibillion-dollar legal settlement that was formally approved Friday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
SDHornet said:
It was always going to be a "normal" BSC year for the upcoming '25-26 academic season. '26 and beyond will be Big West for Olympic sports and homeless FCS football. And yes, monetarily speaking, there was nothing significant keeping us in the BSC. In fact, we will probably save more than that due to the reduced travel costs in the BW.
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100% correct… And worse case that year stadium is under construction we would be more road warriors getting our PAYDAYS.
 

BWC held an online press conference with the commissioner, President Wood and AD Orr.

Key takeaways:

1) Joe Davidson / Bee asked about FCS and FBS re football, and Wood and Orr dodged and said today was about celebrating Sac State joining the BW and being in the conference for years to come. A reporter from FOX 40, towards the end, brought up the issue again about football, the Mountain West, and all sports joining the conference. Wood stressed the value of football going FBS independent. Draw your own conclusions, but if Sac State got invited for all sports, including football, they would bail in a heartbeat.

2) Davidson did ask about the exit fee for Big Sky. I was surprised to hear AD Orr said it was $250k.

3) not travel partners assigned yet, subcommittees are beginning to work on making that determination.
 
Good comments on the BW Introductory news conference. A few more notes:

Per BW Commissioner Butterly, BW vote was unanimous to extend Sac State an invite and voted on at the June 5th meeting.

The BSC exit fee of $250k will be remitted within the next month. They didn't touch on the newly raised BSC exit fee of $1M but since we formally departed before the new exit fee takes effect in the next academic year, I don't see why we would pay the higher amount.

Anticipated savings of "hundreds of thousands of dollars" which will be "reinvested into the athletic programs".

Regular season scheduling and championship scheduling being evaluated by subcommittees. Board of Directors will make a determination once the subcommittees complete their review.

College basketball likely moving to 32 regular season games. May impact if a full round robin regular season schedule will be implemented. Full round robin would be 22 conference games with the 12 members. Oregon State baseball will lose their open weeks for BW teams with the even number of BW members.
 
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