This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah State and the Mountain West Conference?
It could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
The Salt Lake Tribune has learned that USU and San Jose State — which face each other Saturday in Logan — will likely be extended Mountain West invitations if Boise State and Air Force bolt for the Big East Conference.
USU officials have confirmed that the Aggies are in discussions with the MWC about a possible move.
Utah State athletic director Scott Barnes said he has had discussions with both Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson and Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson since the Broncos and Falcons began talking to the Big East. Neither school has committed to the Big East. But Barnes says he has made it clear that the Aggies are ready to make their own conference switch if the MWC loses Boise and Air Force.
"We want to make sure that everyone knows our intentions," Barnes said. "Whatever we do, we want to do it with integrity. Without a question, we have been watching. It's hard to anticipate what will happen because new scenarios arise seemingly every day."
A domino fell on Monday when the Southeastern Conference announced that Missouri would become its 14th member, joining Texas A&M in leaving the Big 12.
Missouri's exit will allow the Big 12 to officially take West Virginia. That is expected to trigger Big East invitations to six schools — SMU, Houston and Central Florida as full members, and Boise, Air Force and Navy as football-only members. BYU officials have acknowledged that they, too, are talking to the Big East, as is San Diego State.
MWC invitations to the Aggies and Spartans could come quickly. Losing the Broncos and Falcons would reduce the league's roster to seven members.
Such a move would be a potentially crippling blow for the WAC as a football conference, reducing its membership to Idaho, New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech — and the Bulldogs could yet depart for geographically friendlier Conference USA. Texas State and Texas-San Antonio are slated to join the WAC for football in the 2012-2013 season, but the league would still have just four football-playing schools.
Utah State, led by Barnes and president Stan Albrecht, has long sought a stable situation for USU athletics. Last year, USU suffered a serious setback when "the project," which would have brought independent BYU to the WAC in non-football sports, went awry.
In January, there was speculation that Utah State would receive an invitation to the Mountain West, but the conference chose not to expand. Now, with the league losing TCU to the Big 12 and possibly Boise State and Air Force to the Big East, the conference has dwindling options.
Bringing in San Jose State and Utah State would allow the MWC to establish a presence in recruiting-rich northern California and regain a television footprint — albeit greatly reduced — in the Salt Lake City market. The Aggies also would bring a strong basketball program into what could be one of the best mid-major leagues in the country.
Utah State has made progress on the football field — an important step — most recently earning a road win in Hawaii for the first time in 40 years and playing well in many other games before running out of steam in fourth quarters. The Aggies are 3-5 for the season.
Barnes has long said that school officials would do what is best for the university. The focus has always been winning WAC championships, but also being ready to move if an opportunity should arise.
"Because of the dynamics, and the fluidity of everything, this could be our best opportunity," Barnes said. "We just have to wait and see what happens."
Twitter: @tonyaggieville —
San Jose State at Utah State
P Saturday, 1 p.m.