Expansion, BCS Signs of Major Flaw

When Syracuse and Pittsburgh jumped ship to the ACC last month, the popular opinion was that West Virginia would follow suit.  Maybe they wouldn't join the ACC, but WVU certainly wouldn't remain in the wounded Big East.  After all they were the "Beast of the East," and the only school in the conference with significant BCS victories. On a list of Big East teams with the best fan base, on-the-field success, game-day atmosphere, and Big East championships, West Virginia is at the top. Simply put, if any sort of conference realignment trouble were to surface, West Virginia, king and almighty ruler of the Big East, could have it's picking. There was no room for concern, just overconfidence.

And like clockwork that line of logic was validated. Twitter, Facebook, and blogs everywhere exploded with the news: WVU to the SEC. Even D'Sean Butler jumped in with the #WVUtoSEC hash tag. Mountaineer nation rejoiced. All was right in Morgantown.

But the jubilation died quickly when respectable media outlets failed to deliver the story. Days passed without further news and soon the word "rumor" crept into the picture. Fans grew impatient. Sources that once claimed the move was a "done deal" were now backpedaling and stalling. The announcement would happen "by the end of the week" or "by next weekend at the latest."  There was a collective sigh from Mountaineer fans. Would somebody go ahead and break the story already? It was obvious that WVU was headed south to greener pastures--what was the hold up?

Then the storm clouds rolled in.

Reports surfaced that WVU had been rejected by both the ACC and SEC conferences.  Speculation arose that it was academics or TV markets. Those reports were later denied by WVU officials, but the damage was done. The silence that followed was deafening. Mountaineer fans scratched their collective heads. Was it really possible that teams like PITT and Syracuse were getting invites and WVU couldn't buy one? Was there really more to this expansion business that athletic success and fan support? After all, when was the last time Pittsburgh or Syracuse filled their stadiums or took a trip to a BCS bowl?

Source: Orlando Post

West Virginians, used to being counted out and overlooked, didn't give up. They have continued to express support for their University, and reiterate why it would be a good fit in the Big 12 or SEC. But some fans have questioned WVU's leadership, specifically that of athletic director Oliver Luck. Always the business man, fans believed Luck would have WVU on the quickest train out of the Big East at first sign of trouble. And believe us when we say he would have, if he could have. And he's still trying, but the ballgame is really out of his hands.

Don't blame the administration, blame the system--one that favors numbers and markets and money over passion, support, and success. If the ACC or SEC had been looking for the best program available, West Virginia would have been the first to go. But it's not about that. It's about money. This blunder is not the fault of West Virginia University's administration. It's not even the fault of the SEC or the ACC. It's the fault of a college football system that lacks regulation.

There is no leadership, and there is no control. There are only conferences and money-hungry executives. They don't care about football teams or scores. They care about bank accounts and TV deals. But this conference realignment mess, with its disregard for regional rivalries, history, and on-the-field success, isn't the only product of a flawed system. And it isn't the worst either.

The same problems we're seeing with realignment exist in the BCS system. The BCS wasn't created with the game of football in mind, it was created with money in mind. Period. You can make whatever argument you want for the BCS, like that it preserves traditional bowl games or that it's easier on the student athlete. But after seeing this conference expansion madness, it's perfectly clear that the dollar is driving these decisions. Tradition be damned.

What we're witnessing with the BCS and conference expansion are the symptoms of a sickness in college football caused by a lack of regulatory control. No one, not even the NCAA, can regulate the post season or conference realignment. This isn't the NFL.

This is the Wild West of sports. It's the United States with no federal government. Every man for himself. And there's no one to stand up for the good of the whole.

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WVU bye week ill-timed

With the first BCS rankings set to debut on Sunday and conference realignment rumors swirling, West Virginia's bye week couldn't have landed at a more inconvenient time. The BCS is bad enough without having to sit out the inaugural week, and with no game to focus on, the expansion chatter becomes that much louder.

Source: Nick Anderson, Houston Chronicle

Let's start with the BCS.

For WVU this weekend, there will be no game, no highlights, no player-of-the-week awards, and no reason for the pollsters to vote for the Old Gold and Blue.  Maybe the 5-1 record and potent offense will be enough keep WVU fresh in the minds of voters, but this Saturday will offer a whole new slate of games involving teams whose names don't start with West and don't end with Virginia. That's not good news considering that the Harris Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll make up two thirds of the BCS formula.

The Mountaineers should hope for losses by teams flanking them in the rankings. Last week's Harris and Coaches polls both had the Mountaineers at number 16, while the AP Poll, which is not factored into the BCS, had them at 13. Strength of schedule is also important because it is factored into the computer polls that make up the final third of the BCS. To bolster that stat, West Virginia needs LSU (#1 Harris, #2 Coaches) to maintain it's lofty ranking as well as some of their earlier opponents to start showing some vital signs. We're looking at you Maryland and Marshall.

In addition to the BCS poll coming out, there's the continued concern surrounding conference expansion and what it means for WVU. The last thing Holgorsen needs is his players worrying about realignment. They can't afford to overlook a Syracuse team that beat the Mountaineers in Morgantown last year, something they hadn't done in eight previous attempts.

But what is happening on the expansion front?

Now that the TCU move is official, the Big 12 says it is set for ten teams in 2012, because Missouri's decision on whether to leave for the SEC won't take affect until 2013. The waiting game continues, and it doesn't look like Mizzou is in a hurry to make a decision. After all, they're locked into the Big 12 for at least another year. But as Mizzou appears content to mull the situation over, the future of the Big East hinges on their decision.  If the time comes and West Virginia, Louisville, or Cincinnati is poached by their neighbors out west, it's unlikely the teams on the Big East's expansion slate would jump on board.

The Big East is considering adding six teams to become a twelve member football conference, but it's moving slowly for a group that's fighting for survival.  The conference is sinking quickly, and there's not nearly enough life rafts to save the whole crew should it go under. Conference commissioner Marinatto is calling for the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force to save his ship, but even that may not be enough. And that makes West Virginia fans understandably uneasy.

Many fans and boosters are campaigning for the Mountaineers to land a spot in either the Big 12 or SEC. On Tuesday West Virginia Metro News radio host Hoppy Kercheval made a case on the Paul Finebaum Radio Network for the Mountaineers to be accepted into the SEC.  Chris Wallace, WVU fan and general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies, also thumped for the Mountaineers as an SEC candidate in the Charleston Gazette Tuesday morning. And although a recent poll found him to be the most hated man in the state, Rich Rodriguez said on a radio show that the SEC "should be thrilled to have West Virginia," and that the school is being undervalued.

Still, the silence from WVU's administration is unsettling, and what little has been said hasn't been encouraging. Rumors as to why West Virginia hasn't been invited to another conferences point to weak academics, lack of television markets, poor fan behavior, and geographic considerations, but all  are only speculation. The truth is that no one knows except the executives who are making the decisions. With no official statements from WVU or any of the athletic conferences, Mountaineer fans are growing restless.

With this ill-timed bye week, West Virginians have plenty of time to ponder the enigma of football realignment and why their beloved Mountaineers appear to be sitting on the sidelines. For this week at least, when it comes to football, the BCS, and realignment, there's only one way to describe how Mountaineer fans are feeling.

Left out.

TCU accepts Big 12 offer

TCU officially accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 conference during a press conference at 7pm Monday night. The Horned Frogs will become members of the Big 12 in all sports effective July 1, 2012.

This announcement was a poorly kept secret, with media outlets across the country speculating that the school would accept the invitation. Most were surprised TCU waited until Monday night after receiving the invitation last week. The move makes sense for the Horned Frogs in all aspects for their athletic program. Old rivalries will be renewed, and travel will be easier than it would have been in the Big East. The Big 12 deal will also be a financial gain for Texas Christian in an era where the dollar rules the college football landscape.

The addition of TCU increases the Big 12 membership to ten, but there is speculation as to how long that will last with the possible defection of Missouri to the Southeastern Conference. The added stability of snaring the defending Rose Bowl champion TCU may entice Mizzou to stay, but money is driving expansion decisions, and a recent financial study suggests that Missouri has much to gain by jumping to the SEC.

The expansion drama continues, but now with one less actor. Next up in the spotlight are SEC and Missouri, with the Big East hoping it doesn't have to exit stage left. That may happen if the Big 12 decides to fulfill its name by getting back to twelve members, or if Mizzou decides to leave. In either case, Big East schools Louisville and West Virginia are prime for picking, and could push the Big East further towards destruction.

Big East commissioner John Marinatto responded by stating that the Big East is "disappointed with the news that TCU is joining the Big 12." He also confirmed that the Big East will begin taking action towards conference expansion "in the near future."

If Marinatto and company don't start moving soon, the "near future" may be one that doesn't include the Big East.

Reports: TCU to Big 12, Air Force thinking Big East

TCU officials are scheduled to meet later today and make an announcement this evening on whether or not to accept an invitation to become a member of the Big 12 conference. TCU was scheduled to join the Big East in 2012, but with recent defections to the ACC by members Syracuse and Pittsburgh, the conference is quickly losing stability as a football conference. Many believe that the TCU meeting is no more than a formality, and that the move to the Big 12 is a foregone conclusion.

If the TCU move becomes official later today, it could set off another round of expansion chaos as the Big East struggles to survive. Although the Big East commissioner has been granted permission to "aggressively pursue discussions" with other schools, no invitations have been extended. East Carolina publicly submitted an application to join the Big East, but the school is not believed to be high on the conference's list of choices. Several schools including Navy, Air Force, Central Florida, Temple, Houston, and Southern Methodist have been listed as possible targets by the Big East. It's likely that the TCU departure would force the Big East to push the panic button and start handing out invitations.

Hans Mueh, the athletic director at Air Force, recently told the Denver Post that his school is very interested in the Big East with hopes that the other service academies, Army and Navy, will also join. Several sources including NBC Sports and Boston Globe reported that the Big East is also considering the addition of Boise State for football only. Both schools are an odd fit geographically, with Air Force located in Colorado Springs and Boise State in Idaho. More than 2,000 miles separate Boise State from Big East schools Rutgers, Connecticut, and South Florida.

Regardless of the TCU decision, the Big 12 conference may be looking to add even more members. No one is certain if the Big 12, currently at nine members, is aiming for ten or twelve schools. Add in the fact that Big 12 member Missouri is currently discussing their conference alignment options, and heads begin to swirl at the interconnected nature of this realignment business. Missouri has publicly stated in the past that they prefer the Big Ten conference, but the school was spurned last year when the Big Ten added Nebraska and Colorado. If they wish to leave the Big 12, it appears Mizzou will need to pursue the 14th spot in the SEC that opened up when the conference added Texas A&M in late September. Big East schools Louisville and West Virginia were also reportedly hoping for that opening, but many speculate that Missouri is higher on the list. Regardless, SEC commissioner Mike Slive has stated that he sees no problem remaining at thirteen members for the 2012 season.

What does all of this mean for West Virginia? It means that WVU could end up in any number of conferences by the time the dust settles, and guessing where they land is like playing roulette. The most likely destinations appear to be the Big 12 or a reconfigured Big East, with glimmers of hope for a spot in the SEC. It all depends on timing and how many teams the power conferences decide to add. It's a waiting game of sorts, and right now all eyes are on TCU and Missouri.

Mountaineers Climb in Rankings

AP Top 25: #13
USA Today: #16

After Saturday's dominating 43-16 win over Connecticut, the Mountaineers (5-1, 1-0) moved up three spots in both the AP and USA Today polls. Auburn and Texas, both previously ranked ahead of the Mountaineers in the AP poll, lost on Saturday.

With their only loss coming to LSU (#1 AP, #2 USA Today), the Mountaineers should continue to climb in the polls if they take care of business on the field. WVU has no bad losses, but is also lacking a signature win. With no ranked opponents left on the schedule, West Virginia will need to continue lighting up the scoreboard.

See ESPN for complete rankings.