Joining leagues

[tsull]

First off, thanks Brandon for posting that you can't start the NCAA in D-1. I thought you could start in FCS, but you can't do that.

Also, you can't just join a league because you want to. A couple years ago (mostly on the hoops board) they said WWU was going D-1 in hoops. I asked the question: "Which league are they joining?" It wasn't the WCC (private schools only), the Big Sky (have to have football), the Big West (which wants mostly California-only schools), or the WAC. Someone came up with the Great West, which no longer exists.

WWU -- like college hockey -- doesn't move the needle anywhere. They're in a remote town with a tiny gym and don't draw that well by D-1 standards. Why would a California school sign off on that? Heck, a perfect fit for the WCC is Seattle U., and that conference (mostly Gonzaga) doesn't want them in, so they're in the far-flung WAC.

If you want to move to something other than the 50-team RMAC, you have to have things in place: D-1 facilities, D-1 attendance, D-1 budget, etc. The NCAA by allowing 355 hoop teams -- mostly D-1annabees, who have no business playing D-1 -- has diluted their product and made everyone think they can be D-1. Heck, half the Big Sky shouldn't be D-1.

* Speaking of the Big Sky, CWU is playing the University of Idaho next year in Moscow. I like CWU's chances.

[Twincitiesmav]

Re: Joining leagues

First off, thanks Brandon for posting that you can't start the NCAA in D-1. I thought you could start in FCS, but you can't do that.

Also, you can't just join a league because you want to. A couple years ago (mostly on the hoops board) they said WWU was going D-1 in hoops. I asked the question: "Which league are they joining?" It wasn't the WCC (private schools only), the Big Sky (have to have football), the Big West (which wants mostly California-only schools), or the WAC. Someone came up with the Great West, which no longer exists.

WWU -- like college hockey -- doesn't move the needle anywhere. They're in a remote town with a tiny gym and don't draw that well by D-1 standards. Why would a California school sign off on that? Heck, a perfect fit for the WCC is Seattle U., and that conference (mostly Gonzaga) doesn't want them in, so they're in the far-flung WAC.

If you want to move to something other than the 50-team RMAC, you have to have things in place: D-1 facilities, D-1 attendance, D-1 budget, etc. The NCAA by allowing 355 hoop teams -- mostly D-1annabees, who have no business playing D-1 -- has diluted their product and made everyone think they can be D-1. Heck, half the Big Sky shouldn't be D-1.

* Speaking of the Big Sky, CWU is playing the University of Idaho next year in Moscow. I like CWU's chances.

[tsull]

Re: Joining leagues

They almost beat a great Montana team a decade or so ago, maybe less than a decade. I believe a late FG or late missed FG did them in. Montana I think played for the national title that year. WOU has played EWU (twice), Portland State, Montana State, and Sac State (a win on the road for WOU) over the years.

[MinnequaFats]

Re: Joining leagues

I wouldn't be surprised if it were that OOC opponents were hard to find. I know in 2014 CSU Pueblo ended up playing Sam Houston after Angelo State backed out of the Colorado half of a home and home and no D2 team wanted the game. It was kinda of nice though. It cost us a home game, but we ended up kicking the crap out of an FCS semi-finalist.

[Wildcat Khan]

Re: Joining leagues

I'll take out your second question, last year during the APU game which was on ESPN3 they mentioned an actual surplus of money with an increase in students which is being used on 3 different things. The first was upgrades to Tomlinson which were finished this fall, the 2nd is a new sports complex for track and field as part of that renovation in removing the track, and the last is new student housing. I think your third is the answer with yes, as Ellensburg is a bit remote unless you were to charter a team into Yakima and then drive the 30 or so miles either over 3 1000ft+ hills on I-82 or to drive through the Yakima River Canyon.

Your third question I think is no, but maybe they are gauging it although the stadium would likely need more upgrades to move to D1-FCS.

To add onto Tim's comments, the year EWU won the FCS title CWU lost to them on a neutral field by just 3.

[Twincitiesmav]

Re: Joining leagues

I wouldn't be surprised if it were that OOC opponents were hard to find. I know in 2014 CSU Pueblo ended up playing Sam Houston after Angelo State backed out of the Colorado half of a home and home and no D2 team wanted the game. It was kinda of nice though. It cost us a home game, but we ended up kicking the crap out of an FCS semi-finalist.

[MinnequaFats]

Re: Joining leagues

What a defensive war that game was. Still regret not seeing my friend Pat Larson. He was across the field with his brothers who had played for the Mavericks. Sadly, he passed away not too long after that. Miserable cancer.

Anyway, I think there's a chance of a rubber match in the SR4 Semis this season.

[North Ala Screwdriver]

Re: Joining leagues

x

[North Ala Screwdriver]

Re: Joining leagues

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...-i-status.html

[dodger]

Re: Joining leagues

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...-i-status.html

The WAC is recruiting every D2 school in the West with a pulse. I can see joining D1 in many cases, but the WAC is a sinking ship. Everyone in it is trying to get out with the exception of Chicago State, who's just trying to stay alive from day to day.

[Goods]

Re: Joining leagues

They almost beat a great Montana team a decade or so ago, maybe less than a decade. I believe a late FG or late missed FG did them in. Montana I think played for the national title that year. WOU has played EWU (twice), Portland State, Montana State, and Sac State (a win on the road for WOU) over the years.

2008......I remember it well. FG as time expired saved Montana in front of what was then the highest attendance at Washington Grizzly Stadium. 25,000.

[tsull]

Re: Joining leagues

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...-i-status.html

The WAC won't sponsor football, thus Dixie needs to try and get into the Big Sky if they want to keep football. NAU isn't far from Dixie, they have football and are in the Big Sky. Idaho and New Mexico State and others were in the WAC for football, everyone left for the Mountain West; UI and NMSU to the Sun Belt, which told them to leave. Idaho elected to go FCS (much to the chagrin of most of their boosters), while NMSU went independent (and went to a bowl game last year).

The NCAA should put a moratorium on D-1 teams; MLB and NBA don't have 355 teams. They're deluting their product. In Dixie's defense, they consistently are 1st or 2nd in D2 men's hoop attendance. Utah doesn't have the population to support all those D-1 schools -- Utah, BYU, USU, Utah Valley, Southern Utah, Weber State, etc. If Dixie goes D-1/FCS, they'll most likely have to cut football.

[North Ala Screwdriver]

Re: Joining leagues

The WAC won't sponsor football, thus Dixie needs to try and get into the Big Sky if they want to keep football. NAU isn't far from Dixie, they have football and are in the Big Sky. Idaho and New Mexico State and others were in the WAC for football, everyone left for the Mountain West; UI and NMSU to the Sun Belt, which told them to leave. Idaho elected to go FCS (much to the chagrin of most of their boosters), while NMSU went independent (and went to a bowl game last year).

The NCAA should put a moratorium on D-1 teams; MLB and NBA don't have 355 teams. They're deluting their product. In Dixie's defense, they consistently are 1st or 2nd in D2 men's hoop attendance. Utah doesn't have the population to support all those D-1 schools -- Utah, BYU, USU, Utah Valley, Southern Utah, Weber State, etc. If Dixie goes D-1/FCS, they'll most likely have to cut football.

[Techster88]

Re: Joining leagues

First off, thanks Brandon for posting that you can't start the NCAA in D-1. I thought you could start in FCS, but you can't do that.

Also, you can't just join a league because you want to. A couple years ago (mostly on the hoops board) they said WWU was going D-1 in hoops. I asked the question: "Which league are they joining?" It wasn't the WCC (private schools only), the Big Sky (have to have football), the Big West (which wants mostly California-only schools), or the WAC. Someone came up with the Great West, which no longer exists.

WWU -- like college hockey -- doesn't move the needle anywhere. They're in a remote town with a tiny gym and don't draw that well by D-1 standards. Why would a California school sign off on that? Heck, a perfect fit for the WCC is Seattle U., and that conference (mostly Gonzaga) doesn't want them in, so they're in the far-flung WAC.

If you want to move to something other than the 50-team RMAC, you have to have things in place: D-1 facilities, D-1 attendance, D-1 budget, etc. The NCAA by allowing 355 hoop teams -- mostly D-1annabees, who have no business playing D-1 -- has diluted their product and made everyone think they can be D-1. Heck, half the Big Sky shouldn't be D-1.

* Speaking of the Big Sky, CWU is playing the University of Idaho next year in Moscow. I like CWU's chances.

Wow, sounds like your describing New Mexico State. They check all the boxes but are in such a remote location no one wants them.

[Techster88]

Re: Joining leagues