Conference Realignment: Part 3, The Mountain West Conference

With the bowl games being the only thing keeping the WAC from disappearing and the mass movement of teams from one conference to another, let's take a look at the conferences and how they will possibly maybe who knows look in 2013.

Mountain West Conference

Established: 1999

Commissioner: Craig Thompson

2012: 10 Teams           

• Air Force
• Boise State
• Colorado State
• Fresno State
• Hawaii
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• San Diego State
• UNLV
• Wyoming

2013: 10 teams

Lost: Boise State, San Diego State

Gained: Utah State, San Jose State

• Air Force
• Utah State
• Colorado State
• Fresno State
• Hawaii
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• San Jose State
• UNLV
• Wyoming

While losing Boise State and San Diego State to the Big East, the Mountain West Conference is still in great condition with the entrance of Utah State and San Jose State as full members. The Aggies and Spartans come into the conference on the back of twin 10-2 records, finishing first and second in the last year of the WAC. Both are great additions and big up and coming Non-AQ teams that could be BCS busters next fall.

Options:

1. Take New Mexico State and Idaho into the conference. NMSU and Idaho have become the new nomads of FBS football becoming independents after the WAC folded. Both make solid geographic sense with Idaho replacing the Boise market and New Mexico State joining in-state rival New Mexico making that yearly rivalry game all the more important. The Mountain West seems to be dragging their heels about inviting either teams due to what may happen in option 2.
2. Talk Boise and San Diego State and BYU into coming back.  With the recent losses of teams such as Louisville to the ACC, the Big East is as strong of a conference and may be weaker overall than the MWC in 2013. The MWC may be banking on the idea that Boise and SDSU may decide it makes more sense to come back to the MWC giving them a solid 12 team conference. The MWC would not mind even going to 13 teams if a school on the caliber of BYU wants in. BYU may be set up too well to be in the market to rejoin the MWC.
3. Stick with 10 teams. The Mountain West Conference has never really pushed for a 12-team conference and Conference Title game under the leadership of Thompson and may be happy to sit still with a solid 10-team group. With Fresno State, Utah State, and San Jose State all showing how strong they were in 2012, the MWC may be happy to build off of a strong top three with the other 7 teams moving up and down the standings depending on the year.
4. Merge with Conference USA for a Super Conference. This was a option that was all but decided on last year before the MWC began to back out and allow CUSA to go in a different expansion route. This 24-team super conference is still a possibility but makes very little sense considering the fact that all teams would only end up playing 1/3 of their conference opponents on a yearly basis. The huge conference would allow some teams to end up with way too easy schedules and dilute the conference as a whole. While it is still on the table, it is extremely unlikely that this super conference merger would ever happen.

While the Sun Belt is facing some storms upcoming and the WAC maybe never be again, the Mountain West Conference has set itself up for a sunny future. The conference has the ability to jump to 12 or 13 teams or possibly 15 if it wanted or just stick with 10 teams in its current format. This flexibility allows the conference to be courted by programs and other conferences rather than courting others. With a solid television deal and a long list of bowl tie-ins, the MWC is looking at clear skies in the future.