San Jose State, Utah State appear headed to Mountain West in 2013
Conference realignment has come to this: leagues are not only adding schools to beef up their football but also, in part, because certain schools compete in men's cross country and baseball.
On Saturday, CBSSports.com reported the Mountain West was expected to add San Jose State and Utah State in 2013 and the following day the San Jose Mercury News and Salt Lake Tribune reported the Spartans and Aggies, respectively, would join the Mountain West in 2013.
An industry source told CBSSports.com Monday the additions of San Jose State and Utah State to the MWC were "probable, but not 'done' as of right now."
If San Jose State and Utah State are added, as expected, it would give the Mountain West 10 members in 2013, but don't expect the league to add any more schools -- at least not any time soon.
The reason is the league is holding out for the possibility that Boise State and San Diego State might reverse course from their decision to leave for the Big East and remain in the Mountain West.
"There will be no more teams added to the Mountain West until the Big East [media rights] deal is consummated this fall," an industry source told CBSSports.com. "They'll want to see what Boise State and San Diego State will do and if they stay with Big East, then the Mountain West can explore whether they want to add more teams later."
San Diego State and Boise State officials have each reiterated that they remain committed to joining the Big East in 2013 and have no plans to remain in the Mountain West beyond this season.
For several months, the Mountain West and Conference USA have been considering dissolving and combining into one league and then a merger. However, two weeks ago, sources told CBSSports.com the merger would not happen in 2013.
With TCU leaving the MWC this summer for the Big 12, Boise State and San Diego State leaving for the Big East in 2013 and without the full blown merger between the MWC and C-USA, the Mountain West was required to add at least one school to meet the NCAA's FBS requirements for maintaining eight women's sports and six men's sports with at least six member schools competing in each sport.
The Mountain West specifically needed to add schools with baseball and men's cross country programs to maintain the NCAA's FBS minimums of six member schools in each sport.
That's where San Jose State and Utah State came in. The Mountain West already had announced it was adding Fresno State and Nevada as full members and Hawaii as a football only member in 2013.
Add those schools to the current MWC holdovers Air Force, Colorado State, New Mexico, UNLV and Wyoming and the league still did not have enough schools competing in baseball and men's cross country to meet NCAA FBS requirements.
However, by adding San Jose State, which competes in men's cross country and baseball, and Utah State, which competes in men's cross country, the Mountain West will have six league programs competing in baseball and seven competing in men's cross country.
In 2013-14, barring any more changes, the Mountain West's membership will consist of 10 schools: Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii (football only), Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State and Wyoming.
On Saturday, CBSSports.com reported the Mountain West was expected to add San Jose State and Utah State in 2013 and the following day the San Jose Mercury News and Salt Lake Tribune reported the Spartans and Aggies, respectively, would join the Mountain West in 2013.
An industry source told CBSSports.com Monday the additions of San Jose State and Utah State to the MWC were "probable, but not 'done' as of right now."
If San Jose State and Utah State are added, as expected, it would give the Mountain West 10 members in 2013, but don't expect the league to add any more schools -- at least not any time soon.
The reason is the league is holding out for the possibility that Boise State and San Diego State might reverse course from their decision to leave for the Big East and remain in the Mountain West.
"There will be no more teams added to the Mountain West until the Big East [media rights] deal is consummated this fall," an industry source told CBSSports.com. "They'll want to see what Boise State and San Diego State will do and if they stay with Big East, then the Mountain West can explore whether they want to add more teams later."
San Diego State and Boise State officials have each reiterated that they remain committed to joining the Big East in 2013 and have no plans to remain in the Mountain West beyond this season.
For several months, the Mountain West and Conference USA have been considering dissolving and combining into one league and then a merger. However, two weeks ago, sources told CBSSports.com the merger would not happen in 2013.
With TCU leaving the MWC this summer for the Big 12, Boise State and San Diego State leaving for the Big East in 2013 and without the full blown merger between the MWC and C-USA, the Mountain West was required to add at least one school to meet the NCAA's FBS requirements for maintaining eight women's sports and six men's sports with at least six member schools competing in each sport.
The Mountain West specifically needed to add schools with baseball and men's cross country programs to maintain the NCAA's FBS minimums of six member schools in each sport.
That's where San Jose State and Utah State came in. The Mountain West already had announced it was adding Fresno State and Nevada as full members and Hawaii as a football only member in 2013.
Add those schools to the current MWC holdovers Air Force, Colorado State, New Mexico, UNLV and Wyoming and the league still did not have enough schools competing in baseball and men's cross country to meet NCAA FBS requirements.
However, by adding San Jose State, which competes in men's cross country and baseball, and Utah State, which competes in men's cross country, the Mountain West will have six league programs competing in baseball and seven competing in men's cross country.
In 2013-14, barring any more changes, the Mountain West's membership will consist of 10 schools: Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii (football only), Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State and Wyoming.
