Rumors abound regarding potential Mountain West shake-up

By Ryan Greene

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 | 2:10 a.m.

These days, it seems like everyone has a rumor or an opinion on which direction conference expansion is going.

It's widely assumed that the rest of the country is waiting on eggshells while the Big Ten gets its plans in order, but reports are now beginning to seep out suggesting that the Mountain West might not be so patient.

The presidents of the nine member schools will meet in Jackson Hole, Wyo., for three days in the first week of June. It's beginning to sound as if a good amount of those talks will revolve around Boise State.

Talk beneath the surface began to heat up last summer about the league potentially inviting Boise State to become the 10th member, which would instantly give the conference's football clout a boost.

The thought is that it could also help land the MWC an automatic Bowl Championship Series berth down the road.

"This is a discussion of interest to the presidents of the Mountain West Conference, and what's going on in the league is something we're all watching," UNLV president Neal Smatresk said Monday. "We're considering our options, and I'm sure there'll be some discussion on how we'll maintain a strong Mountain West Conference at the upcoming meeting in June."

Smatresk, who is dealing with several issues within his university not related to athletics — such as program cuts stemming from a budget shortfall — isn't tipping his cap much these days in regards to the Boise State rumors.

San Diego State president Stephen Weber didn't spill any beans either, but he offered a bit of insight into the situation last week in an Idaho Statesmen report.

He said that no decision has been made regarding Boise State.

"Anybody that thinks they have a clue doesn't have a clue," Weber told the Statesman. "I expect the conversation to be, 'Is it time to expand?' That's sort of the threshold question.

"In the past, it's tended toward, 'No, it's not. We don't see any reason to change.' My personal opinion is there are more of my colleagues that are likely to say yes."

The motivation behind potentially bringing Boise State into the Mountain West would be revenue generated from football.

While the MWC has landed three monster paydays via at-large berths in BCS games — Utah in 2005 and 2009, TCU in 2010 — Boise State has also made two. The Broncos pulled off one of the biggest upsets in bowl history by knocking off heavily favored Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, then took out TCU four months ago in the same bowl game.

"If you don't take (expansion) seriously, you can get slapped pretty hard and left at the altar, to use that analogy," UNLV athletic director Jim Livengood said two weeks ago. "Until it happens, it's so hard to guess because there are so many moving parts in this expansion thing, and really the driver, if you will, is going to be the Big Ten and what the Big Ten does.

"It's crazy, and there's a new rumor each day as to who's doing what to whom."

Still, it's mostly speculation at this point, and tightened lips are abound.

But more could be known once Smatresk and his fellow presidents return in early June.