When does the MWC annouce the BSU addition?

[Coach McGuirk]

I think the time will come when they have to. But I agree with you in that now is not that time. They will be preseason top 10 (maybe top 5) and return all but a couple starters. They have a "road" game vs. VTech, and a home game against Oregon State. Other than that, they have a clear path to next year's BCS title game.

If they were to join the MWC, they'd have two more top-25ish roadies, as well as 1-2 home games against top-25ish teams.

I think they'll join (assuming the MWC wants them) after they have an undefeated or one-loss season and don't make a BCS bowl.

Even if the invite went out today, they would play next year in the WAC, to my understanding. There is a one year notice, IIRC.

[jay santos]

Here's an idea I had in the shower about MWC football schedule with Boise State.

Keep it the same as before 8 games, 4 home and 4 away, which means you play everyone except one team.

How do you determine which team you don't play? Rank the teams 1-10. 1 doesn't play 10, 2 doesn't play 9, 3 doesn't play 8, etc. Make special provision for rivals like Utah-BYU so they always play each other. You could use the previous year's MWC rankings or you could use a combination of conference rank + home attendance.

*I'm just trying to figure out a way to get one more crappy league team off our schedule.*

[LiveCoug]

Even if the invite went out today, they would play next year in the WAC, to my understanding. There is a one year notice, IIRC.

Hack!

[LiveCoug]

Here's an idea I had in the shower about MWC football schedule with Boise State.

Keep it the same as before 8 games, 4 home and 4 away, which means you play everyone except one team.

How do you determine which team you don't play? Rank the teams 1-10. 1 doesn't play 10, 2 doesn't play 9, 3 doesn't play 8, etc. Make special provision for rivals like Utah-BYU so they always play each other. You could use the previous year's MWC rankings or you could use a combination of conference rank + home attendance.

*I'm just trying to figure out a way to get one more crappy league team off our schedule.*

How does the PAC do it?

[Coach McGuirk]

How does the PAC do it?

They only play 3 ooc's

[falafel]

The BCS reps have stated that there will be no additional auto-bids given between now and the conclusion of the 2012 season, when the 11 conference strengths are reevaluated. Why add Boise in Jan 2010?

As I'm sure you've heard mentioned before, the evaluation period is the four years prior, but it includes all teams that are in the conference as of the time of evaluation. So if BSU joins now (i.e., announced now, but doesn't join until 2011), we get all 4 of their prior years, including this past year. In other words, they would go a long way to strengthening our argument.

[Donuthole]

I don't really remember how the MWC formation went, but wouldn't this kind of decision have to be announced at least a year ahead of time? In that case, BSU keeps their current schedule for next year, then joins us for 2011.

Even then, BSU would be signing away its "free agency" with a possible National Championship season looming. BSU has to realize that its bargaining position will be that much stronger after next season. And even if they falter and don't make a BCS game, it would appear that, until 2011, the MWC needs BSU far more than BSU needs the MWC.

I just don't see how the MWC is an attractive option to BSU at this point and time.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I don't disagree. But they're not going to screw with what appears to be a clear path to the BCS Championship next year. Which is why I don't think it will happen this offseason.

I still think it will take a 2007 type season for Boise to get a chance at the BCS Championship game.

TCU would have made it this year if there hadn't been two undefeated BCS teams, but TCU also crushed Utah and BYU in conference and Clemson out of conference. Boise could only hang its hat on the Oregon game. Of course, that win was better than any of TCU's wins, it's just that the rest of Boise's schedule was ridiculously bad.

How many people remember the old Big West from the 80s and first half of the 90s? That's what Boise is essentially playing in right now. Boise is obviously the equal and arguably better than the top 3 MWC teams. Fresno State couldn't even beat Wyoming. And Nevada and Idaho are around the same level as Fresno State. The rest of the WAC are essentially Sun Belt teams.

If you were to rank the top six wins collectively between the two teams (not counting the BSU win over TCU), it would probably go like this:

1. BSU over Oregon
2. TCU over BYU
3. TCU over Utah
4. TCU over Clemson
5. TCU over Air Force
6. TCU over Wyoming

The fact that half of Boise's schedule are essentially Sun Belt teams and another 4 games consist of Wyoming-level games is not lost on the pollsters.

[falafel]

Even then, BSU would be signing away its "free agency" with a possible National Championship season looming. BSU has to realize that its bargaining position will be that much stronger after next season. And even if they falter and don't make a BCS game, it would appear that, until 2011, the MWC needs BSU far more than BSU needs the MWC.

I just don't see how the MWC is an attractive option to BSU at this point and time.

What you are really saying is that you think Boise could reasonably expect an invite to a better conference (e.g. Pac 10) and would be stupid to join the MWC. Do you really think that's a possibility? If not the PAC 10 and the MWC, then who? Now is when their stock is highest. They've got to get into a better conference while they can, before the WAC sucks them back in. Beyond 2010 they're not going to have any good OOC games. AFter 2010, it might be too late to join an AQ conference (i.e., the new MWC) b/c the evaluation period will have closed.

[Donuthole]

What you are really saying is that you think Boise could reasonably expect an invite to a better conference (e.g. Pac 10) and would be stupid to join the MWC. Do you really think that's a possibility? If not the PAC 10 and the MWC, then who? Now is when their stock is highest. They've got to get into a better conference while they can, before the WAC sucks them back in. Beyond 2010 they're not going to have any good OOC games. AFter 2010, it might be too late to join an AQ conference (i.e., the new MWC) b/c the evaluation period will have closed.

I do think BSU is probably more attractive to both the PAC-10 and the Big-12 than BYU. If the Big-10 expands, and the expected trickle-down occurs, then I think BSU is at the top of those two conferences' lists.

But ultimately what I'm saying is, why should BSU jump now, when one year from now, the MWC will still need them as much as ever, regardless of next year's season. From what I understand, they will still be considered part of the MWC for BCS evaluation purposes even if they haven't played a game in the MWC, provided they have joined the conference in writing at the time of the close of the evaluation period.

[SeattleUte]

It's really lame to want Boise in the MWC just because they beat TCU. Get some self-respect. No one has said the SEC should offer Utah.

[Flystripper]

They only play 3 ooc's

fine by me I would trade playing Boise every year for a crappy OOC game.

[Coach McGuirk]

But ultimately what I'm saying is, why should BSU jump now, when one year from now, the MWC will still need them as much as ever, regardless of next year's season. From what I understand, they will still be considered part of the MWC for BCS evaluation purposes even if they haven't played a game in the MWC, provided they have joined the conference in writing at the time of the close of the evaluation period.

From my understanding, the invite needs to be accepted this offseason for them to be included in the MWC's evaluation. It's now or never, imo. never meaning 4 years from now.

[Coach McGuirk]

fine by me I would trade playing Boise every year for a crappy OOC game.

Me too.

[falafel]

It's really lame to want Boise in the MWC just because they beat TCU. Get some self-respect. No one has said the SEC should offer Utah.

Of course they haven't. The SEC doesn't need anyone. The MWC does.

Also, nothing about this thread has anything to do with Boise winning last night. I could have started this thread before the game and the question would have been the same.