Boise State Football: The Big East, the WAC and Why It Isn't Time to Panic

The latest news of conference expansion, or rather conference destruction, has sent a few Boise State fans running for the proverbial Big East exit door.

However, there is certainly no reason for the Broncos to panic, as time and money are on their side.

The recent news of San Jose State, Louisiana Tech and Utah State leaving the WAC has made some question whether or not Boise State has made the right decision leaving the Mountain West for the Big East in football.

The reason the questions are swirling is because the WAC conference will no longer exist—at least when it comes to a football conference. New Mexico State and Idaho are the sole remaining football playing partners after this latest conference shuffle.

If you remember, the WAC is where Boise State planned to house its Olympic sports while football was slated to join the Big East. The WAC house now seems to be crumbling, and it has the Broncos scrambling for another possible home.

However, the way it looks now, Boise State has two options still on the table.

Option No. 1

The WAC may have a future as an Olympic sports conference, and that fits fine in the plan for the Broncos.

Seattle University and Denver have already committed to the WAC, and Idaho and New Mexico State are still there. This leaves the door open to add a couple schools like Cal State Bakersfield and Utah Valley. Both of these universities applied to join the WAC but were turned down previously.

If those two schools were added into the mix, the WAC would be at seven schools. Also, the WAC could look to add some other schools from the Big Sky or the Great West.

It appears very possible to salvage the WAC and re-assemble it into an Olympic sports conference. Of course, the dangers there are Idaho and New Mexico State leaving. Both will have to find a conference for their football programs if they don't want to go independent.

Option No. 2

Even if the WAC fails as a viable option for the Broncos, they could still make a deal to join the Big West.

This may be the best plan for Boise State to take. However, it may take some extra cash to do it.

Hawaii recently announced that they would join the Big West in its Olympic sports. However, they had to be willing to pay travel subsidies for the schools traveling to the islands.

Boise State is not as far as Hawaii, but in a California bus league like the Big West, the Broncos will have to pony up some cash to gain acceptance into the conference.

How much cash is anyone's guess, but it would presumably be less than what the Warriors will have to shell out.

The Big East is Better for the Broncos

When people discuss the changing of conferences for the Broncos, the biggest thing they talk about is the Automatic Qualifying Conference equation. Now that the A.Q. status is going away for all conferences, many people think that what Boise State did is a mistake.

However, the A.Q. thing was only one small part of a very big picture. There are certainly other very good reasons for the switch.

First, the money is the big issue. With the Big East getting ready to pen a very large television deal, the Broncos are set to earn far more than they currently receive from their share in the Mountain West.

Not only that, but the Big East does have a better reputation than the Mountain West.

With the A.Q. status gone, it will take a lot to get into a four-team playoff, (or whatever playoff system they come up with next). Still, It would be hard to believe that a Mountain West team would get in any kind of playoff before a Big East team would.

Compare the competition in each conference.

In the Big East you have the likes of Louisville, SMU, Houston, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Navy, San Diego State, South Florida, Central Florida, Memphis and Temple.

In the Mountain West you have Nevada, Fresno State, Hawaii, Colorado State, Air Force, New Mexico, UNLV, Wyoming and now Utah State and San Jose State.

Some say the WAC is dead as a football conference, but the truth is it only changed its name.

When you look at these two schedules and compare the competition, which one is better? Without a doubt it is the Big East.

If Boise State wants to continue to climb the ladder of football success, they must continue the path they are on.

If they balk and decide to return to the new-old WAC, you can believe the effects would be great.

For starters, the Broncos may lose their amazing head coach who strives for excellence and a challenge. Going backwards is not Chris Petersen's way of life.

Not only that, but try inspiring a fan base with going back to the conference that took away blue on blue uniforms and a decent television presence for the Broncos.

New teams coming to Bronco Stadium just as it is expanding is just what the doctor ordered. Fans will line up to buy tickets for Boise State versus Houston, SMU or Rutgers. Boise State versus Utah State, Hawaii and San Jose State—not so much.

The Broncos have been there and done that.

Boise State has moved beyond the level of competition the Mountain West offers. It would be selling itself short by staying in such a conference.

The unknown is a scary thing, but it certainly isn't the first time the Broncos took it on.

The whole history of Boise State is to travel the unknown with a pioneering attitude and some hard work. There is no reason for that to change now.

The bottom line is that the Broncos do not have to panic and neither do their fans. The future is still very bright in Boise, and the sky will always be blue.