Take Your Pick: What Schools Should Be The Mountain West's 11th And 12th Member?

The NCAA conference realignment has taken a toll on almost every conference imaginable. The Mountain West has gone through moments of great highs and lows. In the MWC's fight for Automatic Qualification in the Bowl Championship Series, they are left with two very important choices.

Since 2005, the Mountain West Conference has contained nine different teams. However, they still are not recognized as an automatic qualifying team for a BCS bowl game. There are currently six teams that automatically receive a bid to the BCS: the SEC, Pac-10, Big 12, Big 10, ACC, and the Big East. In the wake of the conference realignment, the MWC realized an opportunity to not only gain schools, but also to hold on to successful programs looking to leave for AQ conferences.

The first rumor involving the Mountain West was the addition of Boise State University, which had been looking to take a step-up from the less competitive Western Athletic Conference. This addition was made official on June 11th. This gain for the Mountain West would soon turn to a move to save the conference.

Just like the MWC, the Pac-10 had set its sights on expansion as well. The conference was looking to add two experienced football programs to bring the total to 12 teams. A privilege that comes with 12 teams is the ability to hold a championship game, with two "divisions", containing six teams each. The Pac-10 began their search in the Mountain West.  

On June 16, the Pac-10 sent the invitation to the Utah Utes to expand the conference and leave the MWC. The next day, the invitation was accepted. The Mountain West was back where they had started; nine teams.

Realignment talks heated up once again when reports surfaced that BYU had looked into football independence, and leaving the MWC in all other sports. When rumors reached MWC headquarters, the Mountain West rapidly sent invitation to Fresno State, Utah State, and University of Nevada, Reno. Fresno State and Nevada accepted quickly, but Utah State declined the offer and stayed in the WAC.

On August 31, BYU made it official that it was going independent in Football, and would join the WCC in all other sports. With the subtraction of BYU, and the addition of Fresno State and Nevada, the Mountain West was looking at a 10 team conference in football.

As expected, the MWC was not done upgrading their conference. On November 19, the Mountain West and the University of Hawai'i had agreed to a deal involving a leap from the WAC to MWC in football only. All details have yet to be finalized, but the Warriors are expected to join the conference.

More conference realignment news surrounding the MWC surfaced just a week later, when TCU accepted the invitation to join the Big East in all sports. This would leave the Mountain West with only 10 schools in football. No more invitations have been sent out as of yet. The Mountain West does have two questions to answer: who will be the 11th and 12th members?

The not-likely:

Gonzaga: Gonzaga is a huge basketball school, and often plays Mountain West Schools. However, conference realignment is more focused on football, rather than basketball. While some fans would enjoy this addition, and while Gonzaga would be more than happy to make the switch to the MWC, the Mountain West realize that there are more important Schools "up for grabs," and Gonzaga is probably a "last resort."

New Mexico State: While the Aggies are in desperate need of a rebuilding phase in their football program, it won't happen in a switch to the Mountain West. The closest the Aggies will get to the MWC is out of conference match-ups.

The possible:

San Jose State: The Spartans have the ability to spark a MWC conference rivalry with Fresno State and San Diego State. The addition of San Jose State would eliminate the WAC on the pacific coast. Furthermore, this addition could collapse the WAC, and the Mountain West could pick and choose between the teams with out a conference. A downside for the Spartans is the mediocre football program, which would need a lot of improvement.

Houston: With the departure of TCU, the Mountain West have lost an entire state as well. If the MWC can gain a school, or two for that matter, the Mountain West could expand their "range" in the United States. The state of Texas is still in the western region. So adding an improving football program in Houston could make up for the loss in a Texan university.

The probable:

SMU:  Southern Methodist has the opportunity to make one giant leap from Conference-USA to the Mountain West. If both SMU and Houston are added, a rivalry could develop, not to mention build a stronghold in the state of Texas. If SMU can improve at the football level, don't be shocked if an invitation is sent.

Utah State: Utah State has already received one invitation this year to join the Mountain West. However, the Aggies turned down an invitation and stayed loyal to the now crumbling WAC. Utah State, despite their past ignorance, could get a second chance for redemption to join the Mountain West. If the Aggies join the MWC, the Mountain West would have at least one university in the state of Utah. Before the conference realignment began, the Mountain West held two schools: BYU and Utah. Both are set to depart from the Mountain West.

If two of these select universities join the Mountain West, the conference can hold a championship game to determine a conference champion. In the past, record has determined the MWC Champion. For the first time since its inception in 1999, the Mountain West could draw up two "divisions" of 6 teams each. Along with a championship game, the MWC could also gain an automatic qualification bid to a BCS bowl game, something that has never been granted to the Mountain West. It is clear that this conference has much to gain in the coming months.