RE: SBNation's Article On Who The MWC Should Expand With
The MWC should not move to expand unless it is with bonafide, consistently winning programs. Out west, that leaves....BYU and BYU only. Obviously, the MWC would take BYU back in all sports, but the Cougs aren't coming back for a while, if at all. Fine.
If anything, I think the MWC should drop San Jose St, as they are dead weight and do not add anything to the conference. That would even out the basketball side to 10 teams, but it would create a bit of a headache with 11 teams in football, but helping SoS in every way, even if it's incremental by dropping the Spartans, would be beneficial. Who to replace SJSU you ask? Nobody. When you cut out cancer what do you replace it with? There is not a good enough program to extend an invite to right now in the MW footprint. Also, I think expansion for TV markets is foolhardy as it has not benefited CUSA. They have some solid programs, but they don't earn any TV money despite their TV market location. The MWC is right to not go on that snipe hunt.
I like UTEP, I really do. They are in the MWC footprint, and they have a history with many MWC programs, however, they've had ONE winning season in the last decade, and that was just barely with a 7-6 mark in 2014. SJSU has been more successful over the last decade. So I think, as of now, UTEP would be a bad move. I don't see how UTSA, Texas St, Rice, or UNT make any sense right now.
NMSU is good in basketball, but their football program has one bowl game in 57 years. That does not move the needle. Their basketball is solid but if it means swapping SJSU for NMSU in football, I say no, and I think UNM would oppose any move to include NMSU.
Idaho is a no-go as their program is struggling. And, honestly, as a Boise State fan, I'd love for Idaho to actually be good enough to invite to the MWC. The rivalry games between Boise St and Idaho were vitriolic and bitter, which is good for attendance, and who doesn't love to hate their in-state rivals? But they are not even a NMSU/UTEP/SJSU equivalent at this point now that they're heading back to FCS. Even if they had stayed FBS Indy like NMSU, they likely would not improve their lot in any meaningful way to warrant an invite to the MWC.
Montanas and Dakotas don't have the population bases right now for the added expense of FBS football, but certainly as of this moment NDSU has been a consistent winner and undoubtedly could be competitive in any G5 conference, but their leadership seems rather content to be king of the FCS hill for now. Of course, that could change in 20 years if there is some sort of massive migration to the north or the oil money keeps rolling in on a consistent basis. But geographically, I think NDSU makes more sense in the MAC.
The biggest barrier for the MWC is geography and population, and to a lesser extent, not the same level of fan interest in football as in the eastern half of the US. So the MWC has to be really picky in their selection.
Sadly, I think that the MWC really did itself a disservice by not aggressively courting Wichita St, and Gonzaga in tandem. That would have really bolstered the conference in Basketball, and it may have put enough pressure on BYU to consider coming back (though I doubt it). If the MWC is to add anyone in basketball only, it should be for powerhouse programs like Gonzaga and Wichita St. But the AAC acted when it had the chance (good on your Commish for getting the AAC presidents on the same page and forward thinking. (I like Aresco a helluva lot better than Thompson).
(This post was last modified: 05-02-2018 09:11 PM by MAD MACGYVER.)
|