Filed under: Houston, Navy, San Diego State, TCU, UCF, Big East, Conference USA, Mountain West, WACLast August, the WAC appeared to have put together a diabolical master plan.
With BYU contemplating independence in football, the WAC offered the Cougars a home for its other sports. It seemed like a win-win until the Mountain West got wind of the news and undercut the deal by inviting Nevada and Fresno State to its conference to go along with Boise State, which had accepted an invitation earlier in the summer. Not only did that scare BYU off, it also left the WAC scrambling for new members to fill the void left by the departures of its three members.
WAC commissioner Karl Benson and the remaining six WAC presidents and athletic directors might have been bruised by the ordeal, but they weren't beaten, and this week a new door may have opened for the WAC to get the last laugh.
On Tuesday, the Big East announced plans to add two more schools for football. The New York Post has reported that TCU is one of the schools contacted, and if the Big East only wants it for football, its 17 other sports will need a home.
Enter the WAC.
Currently, the WAC is looking at Seattle, Denver, Texas-San Antonio, Texas State and Montana as possible replacements. All but Denver would be making the jump from the FCS and Montana has not yet decided whether a move to the WAC is financially feasible. If Montana does come aboard, the WAC could add TCU to make the conference a 12-team basketball and nine-team football conference. If Montana can't make the move, the WAC could still take the Horned Frogs by squeezing Seattle out. Seattle could join the West Coast Conference, where BYU's non-football teams ended up.
WAC officials would not comment on the speculation and the Big East has not set a timetable for its expansion. Still, the move makes sense and would ultimately cripple the Mountain West, which is desperately trying to earn an automatic BCS bid. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
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