We will now take a break from our regularly scheduled Cam Newton/Colorado coaching search watch to bring you some non-Big East expansion news.
Hip hip hooray?!?
After months of speculation brought about by Nevada’s and Fresno State’s (eventual) move to the Mountain West Conference, it appears the WAC is set to add two football schools to replace the departing members. According to multiple reports, the WAC Will Likely announce Thursday they are adding the University of Texas at San Antonio and Texas State to push the number of football-only schools to eight. Both institutions would begin conference play in the fall of 2012; Nevada and Fresno State will officially leave for the MWC June 30, 2012.
The San Antonio Express-News reports that an on-campus function has been tentatively scheduled for late Thursday afternoon, shortly after UTSA’s president makes a presentation to the University of Texas System Board of Regents. The regents would have to approve UTSA’s move from the Southland Conference to the WAC, although that approval seems to be nothing more than a mere formality.
Southland Conference commissioner Thomas Burnett told the Honolulu Advertiser via email that he has spoken to his WAC counterpart Karl Benson and expects “an announcement soon.”
Both schools are currently Div. 1-AA members. Texas State announced plans in 2008 to make a move to the Div. 1-A level by 2012. UTSA, on the other hand, has yet to play a game at any level; the Roadrunners are slated to launch their on-field football program in 2011 and will play their home games at the Alamodome.
In addition to the two Texas schools, there’s also a chance that a Div. 1-AA power could be joining the WAC as well, although perhaps a bit further down the road. Montana has been conducting a feasibility study over the past couple of months, and a schools spokesman told the Advertiser that they “think a decision will be made in the next few weeks” as far as moving up a level in football.
