For Air Force’s football program, the options are pretty clear: Go to the Big East, which is courting the Falcons, or stay in the Mountain West.
The options for the non-football sports aren’t as clear. And if the Falcons do go to the Big East, they will definitely need to find a new home for their Olympic sports.
If geography is any factor, the possibilities would appear to be the Big Sky, Big West, Missouri Valley, West Coast, or Western Athletic Conference (or stay in the Mountain West, after Air Force has said it has doubts about its programs – particularly the women’s sports – having extended success in the MW). Air Force spokesman Troy Garnhart said there has been no official contact with any conferences since discussions with the Missouri Valley Conference. Athletic director Hans Mueh talked about those discussions in early October, but since then MVC commissioner Doug Elgin told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the conference has no interest in expansion, and reiterated that to the Springfield News-Leader this week. Nothing can be ruled out since many conversations are kept private during realignment, but the News-Leader indicated the Air Force speculation “appears dead, at least for now.” Elgin and a Missouri Valley spokesman haven’t returned several messages.
Representatives from two conferences confirmed they haven’t had significant contact with Air Force.
WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the last time he talked with Falcons athletic director Hans Mueh was in late September, and that was an informal chat about “what ifs.”
“Have not had any official discussion with AFA,” Benson said in an email.
Benson wouldn’t speculate if the WAC would be interested in adding Air Force’s Olympic sports.
Big Sky spokesman Jon Kasper said he was not aware of any contact with Air Force.
“I’m sure that Commissioner (Doug) Fullerton would be more than willing to listen if they did call, as he would with Boise State,” Kasper said. “Air Force would certainly fit into our geographic footprint, and make a great travel partner with Northern Colorado.”
The Big Sky will add non-football playing members for the first since 1979 when Cal Poly and UC Davis join next July.
A Big West spokesman said he could not comment on if the conference and Air Force have been in contact. Representatives of the West Coast Conference didn’t immediately return messages.
Would it really be so bad if Air Force dropped down to the Big Sky in it’s Olympic sports?
Solve the entire issue by staying put in the MWC or MWC-ConfUSA merger.
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The bigger point is that AF does not need to go tootin’ off to the Big Least Conference. That automatic BCS bid is going bye-bye in the next couple of years. The bigger conferences will see to that.
While I’m hoping that there’s an outbreak of common sense at the academy regarding the institution’s conference affiliation for its athletic teams, I’m not expecting that to happen.
My own $.02 is that AFA should stay put in the MWC, period.
This is my second post on the subject in the last month. Can someone please explain to me what in the heck is going through Dr. Mueh’s head? Has he completely lost his mind in thinking of moving the AF football program to the Big East?! I’m waiting for a senator or the Board of Visitors to get involved in this thing. Someone’s got to raise the “BS flag” at some point. The longer this potential decision drags out, the more I think we need a new AD. Like Falcon Backer says, “Just my 2 cents …”
Chris, Mueh isn’t the lead on this – Gould is the lead decision maker here. And the reason is pretty easy – AFA thinks it can get $8 million more per year in TV money and more exposure. Whether anyone agrees with the move or not, that’s rather significant.
Stay in the MWC because the Big East is dead and now we will take their BCS Bowl bid.
I’m now actually starting to warm to the idea of Football going to the BE . . .
- Which conference has a better chance of being a BCS AQ — 1) BE with Cincy, Boise, Houston, AF, Navy, Louisville, S. Florida, UConn, Rutgers, or 2) MWC/C-USA with all the leftovers?
- Where does AF have the most success recruiting . . . Texas/Ohio, or Wyoming/New Mexico? I actually kind of like the idea of being in a BE division with Houston, SMU, and Cincy for recruiting purposes.
- “Big East” sounds like a geographically odd fit, but if we’re in a division with Houston, SMU, Boise, Louisville, and Cincy, then the geography doesn’t seem quite so odd any more.
- Being in a conference with Navy gives us more scheduling flexibility. But being in a separate division from Navy means that only a few teams would play both of us in any given year.
- More TV $$$ going to BE than staying in MWC.
So if Boise, Houston, and Navy both make the leap, and we can find a reasonable home for the Olympic sports, then I think moving to the BE probably makes sense after all.
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