Tribune file photo by Nick Lucero
With Cal Poly football and any of its potential hopes of moving into the Football Bowl Subdivision dependent on the bigger schools in the food chain, two huge rumors were swirling concerning that very topic today.
The sexiest move, which might not even trickle down to Cal Poly, was detailed in a report by a columnist for Orangebloods.com, a Rivals.com site that covers Texas sports.
“…it appears the Pac-10, which has its meetings in San Francisco starting this weekend, is prepared to make a bold move and invite Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado to join its league, according to multiple sources close to the situation.”
That would apparently make the Pac-10 a 16-team conference comprised of two eight-team divisions. The two Arizona schools would combine with the former Big XII teams to form an eastern division, and the rest of the Pac-10 would make up a western one.
The move would not appear to directly affect Cal Poly, which has been one of a few schools mentioned by Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson as a potential replacement for Boise State and/or Louisiana Tech.
But it could help kickstart the movement the Mustangs need to create an opening.
They may or may not need it.
Boise State is reportedly ready to commit on the spot if invited to join the Mountain West Conference during next week’s presidents’ meeting. If that happens, Cal Poly would be one of the first schools in line for the big move.
I’m sure the move is a no-brainer for Cal Poly. It would definitely ease the football scheduling difficulties — which, if I had to say, are probably Mustangs athletic director Alison Cone’s biggest recurring headaches.
Leaving the Big West would be a step down for baseball, but the other sports shouldn’t suffer. Wrestling can remain in the Pac-10. The WAC doesn’t sponsor men’s soccer, so that program could theoretically remain.
With the basketball teams getting guaranteed league games from the WAC, a whole slew non-conference home-and-homes with Big West teams should be doable.
The university missed out on keeping up with former rivals like Fresno State when they left Cal Poly behind in the 1980s. It’s been a sore spot for years for football alumni, who’ve been waiting for another chance to catch up.
It may be now or never.
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June 3rd, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Bring it on, it can only enhance prestige, and help the university and SLO area.
June 3rd, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Umm, I don’t think it’s as easy as a “no-brainer.” At the very least, in order to move into the WAC/FBS Poly would need to complete a revision to Spanos Stadium that will probably cost millions. They would also need to beef up the Athletics budget by several million dollars a year in order to account for increased football scholarships and greatly increased travel for all sports.
Even if that money some how appears, is the WAC really the right place for Poly? Sore egos and forgotten rivalries or not, the football upside for most WAC schools is 8 or 9 wins and a berth in a minor bowl in Boise or Albuquerque. Is that really that much better than the FCS? And aside from the local ties to Fresno and SJSU, does Poly really share that much in common with the rest of the WAC, especially when compared with the make-up of the Big West?
June 3rd, 2010 at 9:58 pm
I would love to see Cal Poly playing football in the WAC as football is my first love when it comes to sports.
That being said, I agree with Musty that there are a lot of huge hurdles to overcome and it is not a great fit for all of Cal Poly’s other sports.
June 4th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
If this would have been done in the 1990’s with a rip-roaring economy, I could see Cal Poly making a go of the move up. As it stands we would just linger at the bottom of the WAC. The only sports that Cal Poly is consistently competitive in are already in DI level programs/leagues.
Cal Poly should focus its efforts on developing the non-traditional sports that are disappearing at University’s around the country – swimming and wrestling come to mind…
June 6th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
No way UC Davis moves. They recently cut 4 athletic programs!
June 7th, 2010 at 10:22 am
The number one beneficiary to Cal Poly becoming a Division I football team is academics. I saw how MSU football drove alumni, corporate gifts and grants to institution. Go big or go home. Cal Poly will be out of football in ten years if they don’t move up; and become another CSU has been. Let UCSC have niche club sports.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Notice how the 4 sports that Davis cut are sports that the WAC do not sponsor?
June 8th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Concur with Randy Rogers….strike while the irons are hot (or at least as hot as they will ever be or no football at all)….James mentions the 1990’s as “was the time” to make a move….my recollection was that there was more apathy back then. Certainly there is more interest today.
Take the university to a new level…it will be costly, but there are donors, corporate sponsors, and fans that will, in time, back a move and put SLO on the D1 athletic map.
June 8th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
What will happen to soccer? It’s more popular than football and we have a rivalry with UCSB!
June 10th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
I am not sure what would happen to soccer, I am sure they will find a home. They average about 2,500 fans per home game compared to football who averaged just under 10,000 so while I would say it is very popular, I would not say it is more popular than football.