Mountain West trying to get into BCS mix

[ouleaf]

I don't think it's feasible until the current contract runs out, but if they can continually have 2 or 3 teams in the mix every year over the next 3 years or so, you'd have to give them serious consideration. Last year you could definitely argue that the top of their conference is as strong as the top of ACC or Big East, if not better.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3861079


The nine-team Mountain West Conference is pushing for an automatic berth into the high-stakes, big-money BCS bowl mix, USA Today reported on Monday.


Three teams in the conference, including undefeated Utah in sixth, TCU in 11th and BYU in 16th, finished among the top 25 in the final 2008 BCS standings, and the league's schools will press for a meeting of their presidents, chancellors and Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson with Atlantic Coast commissioner and current BCS coordinator John Swofford, according to the newspaper.

"The argument I will hear back is, 'Craig, here it is. It's done. It's been agreed to. It's signed,'" Thompson said of a possible reply from the BCS regarding its legal obligations. "That doesn't mean you can't put it on the table.

"One of the options would be to visit with the BCS coordinator ... just to lay out our position."

Watson: Mountain climbing?

The Mountain West Conference is spearheading a movement that could bring about radical change to the college football landscape, Graham Watson writes. Blog

He adds: "I would not be optimistic. As I explained to them [the Mountain West presidents], it's a series of legal contracts among 11 conferences, four bowls, two TV partners with yet another TV partner coming in. I would not see much of a relaxation."

The BCS bowl games' payout for each team's school is $17 million -- more than five times what teams in second-tier bowls garner.

For his part, Swofford recalled that the Mountain West was among the 11 conferences that agreed to the current model, which "incorporates the strength of a league as a whole over a series of years," the USA Today report says.

BCS coordinator duties are rotated among the commissioners from the Big East, Big 12 and SEC. Six conferences -- the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific-10, SEC and ACC -- name champions that automatically qualify for the BCS' five bowl games.

Utah, Swofford told USA Today, "had a terrific season this year, and the BCS provided an excellent platform to showcase their team."

According to the report, an opening exists for a nonqualifying conference to gain the automatic status temporarily based on a BCS formula that includes "the number of top 25 teams, finish of the highest-ranked team and average rank of all teams over a four-year period."

But the Mountain West will be vying for the highest level of qualifying status, USA Today reported.

[soonermix]

if they raid the other conferences to get 12 in the mwc for a championship game i would put them as good if not better than the big least and the acc while its full of mediocore teams

[Sooner98]

Definitely at least as deserving as the Big East, if not more. If this happens, look for Boise State to try and jump to the MWC.

[Frozen Sooner]

I'm all for this. Utah's won two BCS games in the last four years.

[Curly Bill]

I'm all for this. Utah's won two BCS games in the last four years.

Dare I say...which is two more than we've won. :O

[JLEW1818]

if u let them in , you gotta let every conference in.....

[Frozen Sooner]

Yeah, I was hoping that'd go without saying. :(

Plus this gives San Diego State the opportunity for an automatic bid. :D

[Bruiser53]

Here is an interesting article comparing the two conferences

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/bigeast/0-3-122/The-Big-East-vs--the-Mountain-West.html

[silverwheels]

They were still 7th in Sagarin's conference rankings this past season, which had to be the best year for the conference overall. Don't see the point in awarding them an automatic bid for that.

[UteSooner]

Definitely at least as deserving as the Big East, if not more. If this happens, look for Boise State to try and jump to the MWC.

Adding Boise would really help us get the BCS berth. Personally, I would rather have some more conference realignment (even if it's a less likely scenario). Even if the Mountain West included Utah, TCU, BYU, and Boise- the rest of the conference would be a joke (even if Wyoming can beat Tennessee :) ). I would rather see Utah and BYU make it the PAC-12 and TCU replace a crappy Big 12 team like Baylor (or Okie State ;) ). Screw Boise--they can stay in the WAC.

[ouleaf]

Personally, I would rather have some more conference realignment (even if it's a less likely scenario).

Speaking of realignment I wouldn't mind shipping Colorado to the MWC and the Big 12 picking up someone like Arky. I doubt Colorado would ever go for it, but if it meant the MWC getting another bigger name team in and an Auto-BCS bid, maybe CU would make the switch. They'd definitely make the conference more competitive and improve the overall conference strength.

CU would also have their rival CSU in their own conference and that game could actually mean a lot more to both schools each year. CU could still schedule a Big 12 team in OOC play each year if they so choose.

Thoughts?

[MichiganSooner]

I would like to see the rankings of the BCS truly honored by placing the top 8 teams into those 4 prime bowls. Too heck with an automatic bid from each of the "BCS Conferences". This year, Big East, ACC, and Big 10 were all down.

[soonervegas]

I don't think you would have to let every conference in if you let the MWC in. Fact is they have passed the Big East and deserve a shot. TCU, BYU, and Utah are all BCS level teams. They need to go steal Boise, Fresno State, and possible Hawaii though.

[MamaMia]

This is what happens when the media hypes up a rarely good enough to play with the big boys lower tier football team; a team who plays very well but against a string of powder puffs all season. Because they go undefeated, they end up getting invited to a big Bowl game against a struggling or rebuilding upper tier team. Due to the fact that said lower tier team and fans have never been to a major Bowl game, the Bowl officials love inviting them. Their fans will no doubt travel well to such a prestigious event. Why not? Its a rarity for them. That means lots and lots of money for the Bowl guys. The struggling and rebuilding upper tier team that is chosen to play them travels well too because they are usually a power house and have loyal fans. Its a win win situation for the money makers.

What unlearned people across the airwaves sometimes fail to realize however is that the struggling upper tier team who still played fairly well is being billed as the big bad monster, when in fact they are really the sacrificial lamb to the lower tier team who is really the once in a life time powerhouse team.

Point is that there is always going to be a lower tier team that is prime enough to beat a team that is usually a powerhouse but having a tough year. That doesn't mean that people should start seeing every team in these lower end conferences for anything more than what they are.

[OKLA21FAN]

Dare I say...which is two more than we've won. :O

post reported!

[silverwheels]

I don't think you would have to let every conference in if you let the MWC in. Fact is they have passed the Big East and deserve a shot. TCU, BYU, and Utah are all BCS level teams. They need to go steal Boise, Fresno State, and possible Hawaii though.

According to whom?

[Frozen Sooner]

This is what happens when the media hypes up a rarely good enough to play with the big boys lower tier football team; a team who plays very well but against a string of powder puffs all season. Because they go undefeated, they end up getting invited to a big Bowl game against a struggling or rebuilding upper tier team. Due to the fact that said lower tier team and fans have never been to a major Bowl game, the Bowl officials love inviting them. Their fans will no doubt travel well to such a prestigious event. Why not? Its a rarity for them. That means lots and lots of money for the Bowl guys. The struggling and rebuilding upper tier team that is chosen to play them travels well too because they are usually a power house and have loyal fans. Its a win win situation for the money makers.

What unlearned people across the airwaves sometimes fail to realize however is that the struggling upper tier team who still played fairly well is being billed as the big bad monster, when in fact they are really the sacrificial lamb to the lower tier team who is really the once in a life time powerhouse team.

Point is that there is always going to be a lower tier team that is prime enough to beat a team that is usually a powerhouse but having a tough year. That doesn't mean that people should start seeing every team in these lower end conferences for anything more than what they are.

Utah beat TCU and BYU, two teams that spent the majority of the year ranked.

Alabama was hardly a "struggling" upper tier program this year-they went undefeated through the SEC regular season. That's pretty impressive.

[MamaMia]

Utah beat TCU and BYU, two teams that spent the majority of the year ranked.

Alabama was hardly a "struggling" upper tier program this year-they went undefeated through the SEC regular season. That's pretty impressive.
Even blind squirrels find an acorn every once in a while.

[fadada1]

Even blind squirrels find an acorn every once in a while.

so does the big east.




i say, "LET THEM PLAY!!!"

[CarolinaSoonerFan]

I don't see Colo. going anywhere not matter what, and I don't think the Big 12 would be any better if we have Arky instead of the Buffs.

[AlbqSooner]

Folks in Arakansas would NEVER agree to be in "the North".

[CrimsonJim]

I don't see Colo. going anywhere not matter what, and I don't think the Big 12 would be any better if we have Arky instead of the Buffs.

But Arky is part of the fanfriggintastic SEC-SEC-SEC! They'd kill us. Kill us I say! ;)

[humblesooner]

Folks in Arakansas would NEVER agree to be in "the North".

My first thought was the the pukes would be the ones realigned to the north.

[HToady]

If the BCS gods weren't clinging to their wallets so tightly, they coud see that greater inclusion will make more money.

Add an additional BCS bowl, lets say the Cotton Bowl. That would allow for one additional automatic qualifier (MWC) and one additional at large. TV money should easily make up the difference between BSC and Cotton Bowl payout. And if it doesn't Jerry Jones can make up the difference with the money he saves renegotiating Tony Romo's contract!

Now how hard can that be...and right in our own back yard!

[Kray]

How about an automatic qualifier for the top ranked team from a combination of the WAC, Mountain West, and C-USA or something similar. Right now, you kind of have a similar situation and it works out well enough. Nobody would argue that the CUSA or WAC champ necessarily deserves a spot each year, but putting several of these conferences into a situation where one of their teams is always in would make it more fair, and always give them a shot, without a situation where you lock in another weak conference, further diluting the bowl games.

Sure Utah was great this season, Boise was a couple years ago. But their conferences as a whole do not deserve automatic bids on their own. As a group of mid-majors, you could safely say that most every year, one of them deserves a shot.

[HToady]

I don't think the MWC would be hesitant to go to a 12 team conference with a championship game in exchange for bcs automatic qualification. Boise State already has petitioned for entrance to the MWC. They can "cherry pick" from the remaining.

Don't use the term "mid major", it's condesending. If the conference gets bcs status do they suddenly become "major major"? Is that what the difference is?