Sep 4, 2021; Pullman, Washington, USA; Utah State Aggies helmet sits during a game against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. The Aggies26-23. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Monday was just the latest in a series of remarkable days in college sports realignment. Ever since the Texas-Oklahoma move to the SEC, announced three years ago, followed by USC-UCLA Big Ten bombshell one year later, a lot of extraordinary events have unfolded in college sports. No one could make up these scenarios. They are too cartoonishly wild and absurd to imagine on your own. Hollywood film writers would have rejected these scenarios as being way over the top. Remember the professor with the big idea convincing the Pac-12 CEO Group to not take the ESPN television deal (the one which would have saved the conference) and hold out for a potentially bigger package? Something crazy like that seems to always happen whenever a new wave of realignment drama emerges. Guess what? We have that crazy moment right now, after Utah State agreed to join the Pac-12 on Monday to give the Pac seven schools. UNLV and Air Force had reportedly reaffirmed their commitment to the Mountain West earlier on Monday, before Utah State went to the Pac-12. However, now that Utah State has left the Mountain West, UNLV and Air Force are apparently rethinking their positions, with their agreements to stay in the Mountain West being vulnerable to cancellation. The Mountain West and Pac-12 are in a death struggle with each other, and Utah State (!!!) could be the cause of it. You just cannot make this stuff up. You can’t. It’s too ridiculous. Let’s walk through what’s going on, and what this could mean for everyone involved:
FIRST THINGS FIRST
New: On Monday, Mountain West got signed agreements from 7 of 8 members including, it turns out, UNLV.
One signature away from security, MWC now in jeopardy of dissolution if UNLV & Air Force exit as 6th/7th departures. Nine votes needed to dissolvehttps://t.co/0jCTR5hYjZ
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 24, 2024
UTAH STATE AS THE CENTERPIECE
In terms of offering an explanation for this, the only answer which makes any sense is that the Mountain West schools which did not immediately jump to the Pac-12 — the ones other than Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno State — had presumably formed a coalition intent on sticking together. The best way to put this: It’s less about Utah State specifically, more about USU breaking from the unity coalition and giving UNLV and Air Force the freedom to newly consider leaving for another conference. UNLV is thinking about the Pac-12. Air Force is now reconsidering the possibility of joining Navy and Army in the AAC.
UTAH STATE AND PAC-12 MATHSAN JOSE STATE
San Jose State – Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
It seems to be that UNLV is the “first mover” in the Mountain West’s remaining coalition, meaning that if UNLV makes the decision to stay in the conference, the Mountain West probably will remain intact. If UNLV leaves for the Pac-12, however, it might lead San Jose State and other Mountain West schools to also leave for the Pac-12. The Mountain West might not survive such a scenario, though it’s too early to map that out.
One thing we feel very confident in saying: San Jose State is very unlikely to make a decision before UNLV does. It’s UNLV which is likely to make the first decision here, relative to the Pac-12. Air Force is contemplating its situation relative to the AAC, not the Pac-12, so the Falcons exist in a different category.
NEVADA
Nevada – Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The big question with Nevada: Will the Reno-based school move in concert with UNLV, or are these schools on different tracks? We would tell you if we had a solid answer here. Frankly, we don’t, and we will just have to wait and see if the political situation in the state of Nevada is conducive to keeping these two schools in the same conference or allowing them to go separate ways.
GONZAGA
Because of moving pieces, UNLV has not signed & fully committed to Mountain West & is still considering Pac-12, source told @ActionNetwork. The Pac-12 is wanting to build a strong basketball conference, to go w/its football league, w/various revenue streams, source said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 24, 2024
Gonzaga has no connection to the Pac-12’s desire to create eight football schools and gain eligibility for the College Football Playoff. Gonzaga does not play FBS football. Adding the Zags would nevertheless be a coup for the Pac-12 if it can pull it off. Gonzaga brings instant basketball credibility and the promise of a lot of NCAA Tournament win units, which brings substantial revenue on an annual basis. Let’s see what happens with the Gonzaga story.
EXIT FEES
👀 The 5 schools leaving Mountain West for Pac-12 scheduled to pay total of $155 million to join Oregon State & Washington State in new league
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 24, 2024
MEMPHIS, TULANE, USF, AND UTSA
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Utah State gives Pac-12 seven teams, while UNLV and Air Force reconsider
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Publish date : 2024-09-24 04:23:00
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