If we go to 12 who do you want (choose 2) poll?

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

If GCU comes anywhere close to these predictions, it's only a matter of time before the Mountain West adds them as the 12th team for non-football sports.

That's why it's important to get them now. The mvc and MWC are very close in RPI rankings. Adding gcu and have them blossom in the mvc will will at the very least keep us the same if not jump them because the rest of the league is getting more competitive too.

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

That'd make no difference. Grand Canyon would choose either a Gonzaga/St Mary's/BYU/Cali-centric league or UNLV/UNM/SDSU/CSU league (whoever offers first) even if MVC hit the '06 jackpot all over again. There's no scenario the MVC could sway GCU to stay if WCC or MW offered.

[mvfcfan]

I think that the MWC will take New Mexico State at some point in the near future to get them up to 12. New Mexico State will add a rivalry (with UNM) to the MWC and give them a 13th football member. (Hawaii is a FB only member).

I also think it is Grand Canyon's best interests to either stay in the WAC or wait until the WCC comes calling. A move the MVC just doesn't make too much sense for them. I think that GCU and CSU-Bakersfield both have reasonable chances of getting invites to the WCC if they both keep winning.

That's why NMST and GCU don't make much sense. As soon as they get invites to the MWC and to the WCC they'll both be gone. NMST will go MWC as soon as they get the call because of FBS football. GCU would not want to stay MVC when they'd be literally on an island all alone without NMST. With the WCC being a legit basketball conference (Gonzaga, St Mary's, BYU) that makes more sense for GCU in the long run.

Other potential losses for the WAC include UTRGV, who I could see going to the Southland Conference that currently has 13 members. Chicago State might shut down, but then again they could survive. UMKC is probably going to return to the Summit League at some point.

If all of the above happens that leaves Seattle, Cal Baptist, and Utah Valley. Utah Valley could probably get an invite to the Summit League with Denver as their travel partner so that would bring them up to 10 (assuming UMKC rejoins and IPFW leaves). The Big West would probably take Cal Baptist and Seattle. CSU Bakersfield, if they didn't end up in the WCC, would be able to go to the Big West as well.

I think the WAC will fold up shop within the next few years and the Summit League will end up getting some of the leftover teams from that conference.

The big question is what is the MVC going to do in the meantime? There is really only one team that might leave (and I doubt they will) and that is Illinois State if they decide to go the FBS route and go to the MAC. Besides that I don't really see us losing anyone in the near future. It would be nice to go to 12 to give us some cushion and have a conference that is geographically central. When you start getting too expansive you make the conference less stable. That is why I think MuSu and ORU are the best options. NKU might be a good option down the road should they continue their success and say we lose ILST or someone else.

[uniftw]

NMSU getting into the MWC is about as likely as BYU rejoining, and UNM will lead the charge against them.

Hawaii is on the edge of ending football.

[MOST]

So "MOST", as a Missouri State fan are you for or against adding Oral Roberts to the league? I'm an Indiana State fan, but it's my opinion that if we add Murray State as a #11 that ORU is the best #12 option.

More ambivalent than "for" ORU in the MVC. ORU not especially good the last few years--see their 150 plus RPIs since joing the Summit. Don't see what they bring to the MVC. Another "private" that MVC does not need. ORU has some internal religious issues that I understand is severely hampering their recruiting. ORU at Tulsa extends the MVC footprint and increase everybody but the BEARs travel costs. Adding ORU simply for a MO State travel partner is a weak argument. Probably best for ORU to "wait out" and remain in the Summit.

[Redhawk]

So "MOST", as a Missouri State fan are you for or against adding Oral Roberts to the league? I'm an Indiana State fan, but it's my opinion that if we add Murray State as a #11 that ORU is the best #12 option.

More ambivalent than "for" ORU in the MVC. ORU not especially good the last few years--see their 150 plus RPIs since joing the Summit. Don't see what they bring to the MVC. Another "private" that MVC does not need. ORU has some internal religious issues that I understand is severely hampering their recruiting. ORU at Tulsa extends the MVC footprint and increase everybody but the BEARs travel costs. Adding ORU simply for a MO State travel partner is a weak argument. Probably best for ORU to "wait out" and remain in the Summit.

MOST: Some of your thoughts get really hammered on here...but this ^...you are 100% spot on!

[musiccitybulldog]

I would think the Valley would go after teams like Morehead State and Austin Peay before ORU.
They both have reasonable NCAA records in recent times.

[VUGrad1314]

I would think the Valley would go after teams like Morehead State and Austin Peay before ORU.
They both have reasonable NCAA records in recent times.

ORU is not an appealing addition to the MVC at this time but there is at least a reasonable argument one could make for them, particularly if the rumors of them requiring faith tests for athletes aren't true or they agree to stop doing that. There is,to my mind, no such argument that can be made for any OVC school outside of Murray State and Belmont. There is almost zero chance those additions end up doing anything for the conference in the short or long term. I would rather see if UIC or UWM can get their act together or roll the dice on NKU being legit, or add schools like Green Bay and UDM than APSU or Morehead State. Leave the Horizon League to consider such schools, we in the MVC need to set our sights much higher than this.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I would think the Valley would go after teams like Morehead State and Austin Peay before ORU.
They both have reasonable NCAA records in recent times.

ORU is not an appealing addition to the MVC at this time but there is at least a reasonable argument one could make for them, particularly if the rumors of them requiring faith tests for athletes aren't true or they agree to stop doing that. There is,to my mind, no such argument that can be made for any OVC school outside of Murray State and Belmont. There is almost zero chance those additions end up doing anything for the conference in the short or long term. I would rather see if UIC or UWM can get their act together or roll the dice on NKU being legit, or add schools like Green Bay and UDM than APSU or Morehead State. Leave the Horizon League to consider such schools, we in the MVC need to set our sights much higher than this.

Agreed 100%. If the MVC cant pull two of St. Louis, Murray State, Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, North Dakota State, or South Dakota State then just stay at 10.

[mvfcfan]

If I had to choose from that list NDSU and SDSU would be my top two picks and it's not even close. They've both done more than enough to prove that they belong in the MVC for all sports. It would also be a gateway for UND and USD to eventually get added which I am in favor of.