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New Mexico State and Idaho's Sun Belt Future

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Honestly, the level of competition (at least in football) is probably superior in the Big Sky
 
There is a decent chance the MWC is looking for members in the near future.
 
Idaho is officially dropping to FCS tomorrow:

Source: Idaho to drop to FCS - Official announcement tomorrow - FootballScoop

Source: Idaho to drop to FCS – Official announcement tomorrow

ByScott Roussel
Posted on April 27, 2016


http://i0./footballscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IdahoFootball.jpg?resize=620%2C303

Tomorrow, University of Idaho President Chuck Staben will make an announcement regarding the future of Vandal football.

On March 1st, the Sunbelt announced that following the 2017 season, the conference would not be renewing Idaho’s football only membership (New Mexico State was voted out as well). Given the lack of a future conference affiliation, speculation grew that Idaho would seek to find a more local schedule, likely by dropping down to FCS play.

FCS sources tell FootballScoop this is the route Idaho intends to move and the official conference affiliation will be announced tomorrow.
 
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Drew said:
Idaho is officially dropping to FCS tomorrow:

Source: Idaho to drop to FCS - Official announcement tomorrow - FootballScoop

Source: Idaho to drop to FCS – Official announcement tomorrow

ByScott Roussel
Posted on April 27, 2016


http://i0./footballscoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IdahoFootball.jpg?resize=620%2C303

Tomorrow, University of Idaho President Chuck Staben will make an announcement regarding the future of Vandal football.

On March 1st, the Sunbelt announced that following the 2017 season, the conference would not be renewing Idaho’s football only membership (New Mexico State was voted out as well). Given the lack of a future conference affiliation, speculation grew that Idaho would seek to find a more local schedule, likely by dropping down to FCS play.

FCS sources tell FootballScoop this is the route Idaho intends to move and the official conference affiliation will be announced tomorrow.
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Feel bad for them; but, I think its the right move. They are in a small market with limited resources and most of those resources, both public and private, are funneled Boise St. Dropping down to FCS also gains them some decent local rivalries with comparable schools in E Washington, Montana, Montana St, Idaho St, Weber St & Portland St. etc.
 
Sad indeed , a local boyhood hero of mine and neighbor was received a scholarship to Idaho,he played there. So I always had a soft sport for them.i beliece when he played they were the number one football school in that state. Boise State came out of nowhere.
 
The Big Sky is 45 scholarships a team, right? That is 40 less student-athletes getting a college education.
 
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nelsonmuntz said:
The Big Sky is 45 scholarships a team, right? That is 40 less student-athletes getting a college education.
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No, Idaho in the Big Sky will be able to have up to 63 scholarships spread among 85 players (the D-I common thread) just like when UConn was D-I FCS.
 
In the interest of full disclosure, a friend who is a Montana alum wants the entire Big Sky Conference to elevate to FBS status. My reply was, if it ever happened I would cede the Boise Bowl to the Big Sky.
 
coachcap said:
In the interest of full disclosure, a friend who is a Montana alum wants the entire Big Sky Conference to elevate to FBS status. My reply was, if it ever happened I would cede the Boise Bowl to the Big Sky.
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I've heard this before: apparently the outgoing commish (Fullerton) has said something of a similar effect. However, I just don't see the current Group of 5 conferences signing up to share the pie with anyone else. If anything, it would be more likely that the 4 bigger G5 conferences would try to figure out a way to get rid of the Sun Belt.
 
That's interesting considering a few Big Sky schools (Montana, Eastern Washington Cal Davis, North Dakota) along with a couple other schools (South Dakota, South Dakota St) were approached by the WAC when that conference was about to disintegrate.

I've always wondered what would have happened if the leadership of the state of Texas (which forced Baylor in the B-12 two decades ago in allowing the Texas state schools to merge conferences with the B-8) required that they leave the SWC (and its history) behind for the remaining Texas schools (SMU, TCU, Rice & Houston). That conference could have added schools like Tulsa, Tulane (now in the ACC), New Mexico, New Mexica St, instead of the WAC (in a fit o ridiculous ambition) growing to 16 schools (and almost immediately dividing into different cliques, splitting a few years later with the Mountain West), which eventually led to the WAC's demise. A surviving SWC may have also saved the WAC.
 
FfldCntyFan said:
That's interesting considering a few Big Sky schools (Montana, Eastern Washington Cal Davis, North Dakota) along with a couple other schools (South Dakota, South Dakota St) were approached by the WAC when that conference was about to disintegrate.

I've always wondered what would have happened if the leadership of the state of Texas (which forced Baylor in the B-12 two decades ago in allowing the Texas state schools to merge conferences with the B-8) required that they leave the SWC (and its history) behind for the remaining Texas schools (SMU, TCU, Rice & Houston). That conference could have added schools like Tulsa, Tulane (now in the ACC), New Mexico, New Mexica St, instead of the WAC (in a fit o ridiculous ambition) growing to 16 schools (and almost immediately dividing into different cliques, splitting a few years later with the Mountain West), which eventually led to the WAC's demise. A surviving SWC may have also saved the WAC.
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Are you kidding me? The ACC added Tulane and Tulsa over us?!
 
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The Big Sky would be the MAC of the west. Definitely a higher ceiling as of now than the MAC. Way overdue.
 
If the Big Sky adds New Mexico St., I could see it splitting into two FCS conferences (they would probably have to add 3 or 5 more schools to conference to make the split).
 
^ ^ ^ Translation: umess can now plug the Aggies in their independent schedules. Again, absolutely zero relationship to UConn getting CR-rescued from the American island.
 
huskymedic said:
JPGroves 12:51pm via Twitter Web Client
Just spoke with Regent Chair Debra Hicks NMSU will be a football independent after their Sun Belt membership expires in 2017. Story coming
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JPGroves12:58pm via Twitter Web Client
athletic review committee is still considering Olympic sports conference affiliation. FCS vs. FBS was considered separately.

JPGroves12:59pm via Twitter Web Client
Hicks said NMSU has delayed a Big Sky Conference visit to Las Cruces. Said the Horizon League has expressed interest in NMSU
 
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huskymedic said:
JPGroves 12:51pm via Twitter Web Client
Just spoke with Regent Chair Debra Hicks NMSU will be a football independent after their Sun Belt membership expires in 2017. Story coming
Expand ...

huskymedic said:
JPGroves12:58pm via Twitter Web Client
athletic review committee is still considering Olympic sports conference affiliation. FCS vs. FBS was considered separately.

JPGroves12:59pm via Twitter Web Client
Hicks said NMSU has delayed a Big Sky Conference visit to Las Cruces. Said the Horizon League has expressed interest in NMSU
Expand ...

Chair: NMSU football 'staying the course with FBS'
 
Committee: Drop to FCS football would have cost NMSU $1.4 million

"New Mexico State will play as a Football Bowl Subdivision independent program in 2018 and beyond, following a short-lived football-only membership in the Sun Belt Conference.

New Mexico State University regents heard a report on the financial differences between FBS football and Football Championship Subdivision programs on Friday. According to an Athletic Advisory Committee report, presented by the group's chairman Mickey Clute, a drop to FCS football would have cost NMSU an estimated $1,444,153, most of which came from the opportunity to play "money" games in the FBS."
 
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