Miami & 2 other Big East teams to ACC

[Bison_Kent]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wonder if this is a thought of things to come in all Division I conferences. I think that there will be many teams switching conferences and this might be the nitch that NDSU & SDSU need to get into one of the top I-AA conferences.

There has been speculation that Sacramento St. and possibly N. Arizona going to the Big West Conference. Note that Cal-Davis was accepted into this conference which is mainly just California schools.

Four to Five years from now, the I-AA conferences will most likely have a different look. Any thoughts???

[NDSU_grad]

The Big West does not sponsor football, and I haven't heard about Sac. St. or N. Arizona dropping it, so I don't know if I'd believe rumors about them leaving the Big Sky. I do agree that there might be some major shakeups at the top that will have effects on DI-AA.

[Sac_State]

Who is speculating Sac State leaving the Big Sky? You? There is no talk internal or external that suggests that Sac State is leaving the Big Sky Conference. The Big West is a basketball only conference and not very good at it at that. Sac has gone down that all-California conference before, it does not work.

[BisonMav]

Posted by: Bison_Kent Posted on: May 14th, 2003, 9:38am
I wonder if this is a thought of things to come in all Division I conferences.


Heard the Big 10 would look at Pitt or UND(ha ha) if the Big East folded. Would the Pac 10 be looking to become the Pac 12 with this super conference movement? Who out west would be invited to the Pac 10? Montana? Boise State?

[Sac_State]

Right, Montana or Boise in the Pac-10!!?? I think you should set your expectations a little higher, like maybe Colorado, Hawaii, BYU. Since Bison Kent likes to speculate, he might say he has heard specualtion that Oregon State is thinking about dropping out of the Pac-10 for the Big West. Which would make speculative room for Montana to join thje Pac-10, which will speculate Sacramento leaving the Big Sky for the move up to the WAC, which will specualte NDSU FINALLY getting the Big Sky bid it/he covets. There is nothing worse than a rumor monger.

[BisonMav]

Posted by: Sac_State Posted on: Today at 9:01am
Right, Montana or Boise in the Pac-10!!?? I think you should set your expectations a little higher, like maybe Colorado, Hawaii, BYU.

I don't think Colorado would leave the Big 12. Too much history with Nebraska and Oklahoma etc. Hawaii and BYU would fit geographically if the Pac 10 ever did expand.

[Bison_Kent]

Sac State,

Lets get something straight. All I said was there was speculation of Sac. State moving to the Big West to join the other Cal. universities. I didn't start the rumor. I just heard it on some other sites.

The only point I was making was that we are going to see many changes in the next few years in all divisions of atheletic conferences and don't think that Sac. St will be exempt from these changes as will any other university.

[SDSUFAN]

I think finding a conference for NDSU and SDSU is going to take some time. *I believe our Presidents have worked together on lobbying with the BSC conference members, even Sac State, and thats about all they can do. We just need to be patient. *Both Dakotas have decent basketball facilities which is more than can be said about Sac State and Portland State currently, but there are a number of considerations for membership. Before the summer is over, I would hope we have a better picture of what is happening then we do now. *Conference membership within D1 will change because of the attendence levels expected for D1A. *That we can count on.

[tony]

Sac State, I haven't heard any rumors about the Hornets leaving the Big Sky on their own.

There was something in a Montana newspaper a couple months ago that suggested that the Big Sky should get rid of Sacramento and Northern Arizona and replace them with a pair of Dakota States. I chalk that up to a newspaper guy not knowing how the Big Sky works.

The only way Sacramento and Northern Arizona will leave the Big Sky is if they choose to. I don't see why either school would exercise that option at this time.

But, like Bison_Kent says, the situation is changing all the time.

[Sac_State]

Since we are speculating, I'll start a new rumor. NDSU will return to DII because they can't find a conference. Why is everyone from your school trying to gain something for NDSU at someone else's expense/reputation? Why spread hypothetical stories that are unproven, unjustified and untruthful? Football is Sac State sports and since the BW does not offer football it is a non discussion. I see a few current DI schools that would be eligible for Sky expansion...Idaho, Reno and possibly San Diego State or San Jose State. This won't be decided by you, me or anyone else on this board.

[Bison_Kent]

Sac State,

I agree. I don't want NDSU to get into a conference because someone can't meet a conference's standards. I want the Bison to get into a conference because of their own merits. If there is no opening in a current conference, then creating a new one is the way to go such as been suggested already.

Once again, what I am saying is that the look of all conferences in 4-5 years will look different then they do today. Maybe Sac. will stay in the Big Sky and maybe they won't; you don't know and I don't know but makes for good conversation.

TO NOTE THIS IS JUST MY IDEA and QUESTION FOR SAC STATE: Why wouldn't Sac look at the Big West? If Sac St, Cal-Davis, Cal-Poly, St. Mary's, N. Arizona, Portland St., and some of "Sac State's" proposed schools would join together, that would make for a good all west coast football conference and would still be made up of mostly Big West schools for football. Travel would be less and Sac State would have many geographical rivals.

[tony]

Not everyone at NDSU is doing anything - and I doubt that Bison_Kent wants anything bad to happen to Sacramento State. There *are* reasons that Sacramento might consider the Big West. There are just more reasons for them to stay in the Big Sky right now.

My original comment on this issue was back on Dec. 22nd was this:

"I've never heard that Sacramento State and Portland State are on thin ice with the Big Sky. Sure Portland State doesn't have very big crowds for BB (not even sure you can call 200/game a crowd), but even so, the Big Sky can't drop teams without endangering their automatic bid to the NCAA BB tourney. Besides, if NDSU gets into the Big Sky, I want it to be on its own merits, not at the expense of existing members. That's not the way to start off a relationship."

At the time, Bison fans posted responses agreeing with that sentiment. As a rule, I don't like rumors or gossip. Speculation, as long as it isn't mean-spirited, is fine by me though. Anyway, from what I've read from Bison_Kent, I'm not sure there's a mean bone in his body :)

[Sac_State]

The Big Worst has been a revolving door of teams, affiliations, divisions and agendas since its inception. The public perception of the BW by Californians is inferior. Any school, conference, that does not sponsor football is not a real conference or athletic department. The only programs that the Sky does not sponsor is baseball and softball. I don't see Sac dropping the Sky to have its baseball/softball teams in the BW while its football team returns to a gypsy independent lifestyle. The California public does not take the BW seriously, most members have high school athletic facilities, due to the changing members, direction and a load of schools who have dropped football (Long Beach, Foolerton, Pacific). Sac was part of the Western Football Conference before the Sky. The league folded because it was football only and eventually died after three years. One point alot of university presidents are saying during this feeding frenzy of mergers is the importance for schools to belong to a conference that offers all sports. The schools that belong to an assortment of conferences for their programs are the schools that are dropping or de-emphasizing football. Sac is in the Sky, and has just received approval by the CSU Trustees of spending $180M for facility upgrades. Sac State will be THE player in the Sky within the next ten years. Who wants to be in a league of schools like St. Marys(12 scholarships), S. Utah College(30 scholarships), Cow Poly(30 scholarships)? Sac has 63 full-ride football schollies and plays in a 23,000 seat stadium. I would highly recommend NDSU and other in the NCC stay independent as compared to joining a hybrid footbaLL conference that will be dead in five years.

[Bison_Kent]

Tony,

You got my points exactly. I wasn't trying to be malious towards Sac. St. I was just wondering why they wouldn't want to consider moving to a closer conference with teams they used to be in the same conference with.

Lets say that NDSU joins the new 7 school division with St. Mary's, Cal-Poly, Cal-Davis, S. Utah, N. Colorado, and SDSU and ten years from now, the remaining teams in the North Central Conference would move up. Do you think there would be speculation for NDSU to move back to this Division I NCC? I do. This is the kind of speculation I was making with Sac. State.

"Sac State" pointed out the reasons why Sac would like to stay in the Big Sky and would agree that Sac St. would be better off in the Big Sky even with higher traveling expenses and less rivalry games. It is good to hear that Sac. St. is investing money into the programs. I wish you well.

Hey, I remember the 1988 Sac-NDSU DII playoff game in Fargo. Sac. had some good teams before they moved up to I-AA.

[mojobison]

Hey Sac_State, we're not trying to be anti-social or anything. Thanks for stopping by. It's educational for us DI newbies to hear from somebody whose school has made the jump from D2.

I realize that they are you rival and all, but do you think UC Davis will be a contender in DI-AA?

[Bison_Kent]

Here is a site for some more speculation if you would like to see it.

http://ncaasports.netfirms.com/grid/

[Bisonguy]

Here's the only part that applies:


Sacramento St.
Big Sky
With rival UC-Davis joining the Big West, there are rumblings that the Big West might bring back football on a 1AA level if there is interest from Pacific, LBSU and other members (UC-Davis and Cal-Poly already have 1AA football). If the league did bring back football, it could open the door for Sacramento State who might prefer the lessening of travel when compared to the Big Sky.



Sac_State,

Most Bison fans have only read about this scenario, we're not the ones making it up. Thanks for shedding light on the lack of prestige for the Big West.

[SDSUFAN]

Denver being interested in bringing back football is news to me, as much so as the Big West Conference adding football which in my opinion has a good chance of happening. If Sac State, Portland State and Northern Ariz were to leave the BSC that then leaves five members and they could possibly add UNC, Denver, NDSU, SDSU, SUU and have 10 members. EWU is so close to Missoula, Idaho State and Weber in distance that I would think they would stay. Most adminstrators are trying to minimize distance and some changes in conferences will be coming soon.

With all those Mid American Conference schools having a slim chance staying D1A, for example Northern Ill, Miami of Ohio, Central and Western Michigan, the opportunities going east may improve. They all cant join the Gateway, so what happens to these schools? Those like Kent State and Toledo will want to keep the MAC going at the D1A level.

[JBB]

One of the big reason the ACC is happy to have those teams is money. *It brings the conference to 12 teams which will make a conference title game a reality. *This means money. *It will also bring Miami into the picture. *They play in a lot of bowl games which also brings in a lot of money. *These dollars are shared by the conference.

The BSC is very closed minded about this aspect. *They think too provincially. *All a lot of fans can think about is the fact that adding schools will make it harder to get into the playoffs or the NCAA BB tourny. I see it the other way.

[BisonMav]

http://Western Kentucky (http://www.courier-journal.com/cjsports/news2003/06/13/sp061303s411701.htm?session=vmMG5k7rpryT9EsSHo2ijJ XhyI)

Western Kentucky is thinking I-A with the Big East/ ACC moves. *That would affect the Gateway conference. *A lot of changes due to the ACC expansion.

[BisonInTexas]

I guess the dominos may start falling...

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the ACC has invited Miami and Virginia Tech to join, a departure from recent speculation that they would invite Miami, BC and Syracuse.

Since the DMN requires registration to read its online articles, here is a link that I got off of Google:

ACC inviting only Miami, Virginia Tech (http://www.beaufortgazette.com/24hour/sports/story/927411p-6461085c.html)

If it goes through, that would bring the number of teams in the ACC to 11, one short of the number required for a conference championship football game. So they may not be done raiding other conferences yet...

It will be interesting to see how this changes the landscape for the Bison and SDSU.

Craig