While the Big 12 and SEC wait on Missouri to decide where it wants to play, Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference announced a major change to the landscape of college football.

Here is the official release with a dateline from Irving, Texas and Colorado Springs, Colorado:
The Mountain West Conference and Conference USA have unanimously come to an agreement in principle to consolidate their member football programs into one large association.

Commissioners of the two leagues formulated this creative and innovative plan with the support of the presidents, chancellors and athletics directors. The 12 members of Conference USA and 10 football-playing members of the Mountain West will join forces for this strategic landmark in college football.

“The role of a conference is to provide its members with the best possible environment in which to conduct their intercollegiate athletics programs,” said Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson. “Rather than await changes in membership due to realignment, it became clear the best way to serve our institutions was to pursue an original concept. The Mountain West and C-USA share a number of similarities, and the creative merger of our football assets firmly positions our respective members for the future.”

“The potential of this association is very exciting,” Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said. “By taking an innovative approach, we feel we can offer tremendous opportunities for exposure and stability without breaking up the regional rivalries that truly make up the college football tradition.”

UNLV President and Mountain West Board of Directors Chair Neal Smatresk said, “In an era of uncertainty in intercollegiate athletics, this collaborative partnership with C-USA lends stability and credibility to our collective football enterprise. We are excited about the prospect of having teams in five time zones and the many possibilities created by this extremely bold and proactive step.”

Conference USA Board of Directors Chair and Tulane president Scott Cowen said, “We are very pleased to be moving forward with the Mountain West Conference on this high potential, unique partnership. Together, we will better position our conferences and member universities for the future with its appeal and its reach across the United States.”

The current 22 members are located in 16 different states, offering a prospective 16-hour window for competition. Conference USA has existing television partnerships with Fox Sports and CBS Sports, as well as ESPN for its championship game. The Mountain West has partnerships with CBS Sports and Comcast/NBC Universal.

The two conferences will merge into a separate football-only entity without affecting their status within the NCAA structure. (Source)

14 thoughts on “Conference Realignment: Conference USA & Mountain West form ‘football association’”

  1. Well that ought to phuck the pooch pretty good since the Big East was going to extend invitations to Air Force and Boise State on Monday and expected them to accept. This shyt is getting crazy now. We’re gonna end up with a bunch of phucking high schools getting AQ status.

  2. I wish I knew. They talk completely phucking crazy. They are actually ecstatic about having teams in 5 time zones. What’s up wid dat shyt? Everybody else is trying to stay away from even two different different time zones because of the expense of travel just for football not to even mention title 9 sports. Jesus Christ, are they phucking losing it? Oh well it’s their azzes not ours1 RTR!

  3. This is phucking hilarious. A bunch of un-entitled teams trying to blaze trails to establish a sense of entitlement.

  4. SOMEBODY’S got to pick up the states of Kansas, Iowa, etc. and you name it! It’s a back-up plan in case the BIG-12(10 or 8 or 6 or 4) falls apart — C-USA will most likely benefit from the BIG-12(10 or 8 or 6 or 4) bust and the MAC will too! Why not combine?!? It would replace the BIG EAST automatic bid wouldn’t it? I’ll have to check on that …

    p.s. – not worried here as a solidified Crimson Tide fan 😉

  5. So Bama doesn’t want Missouri in the SEC unless they go to the east? Know why ..because they don’t want Auburn to have a better recruiting foothold iin Georgia and Florida.

    And..you idiots say that Bama isn’t worried about Auburn. the UAT AD is so insecure that he can;t even worry about his won athletics …he has to worry about keeping others down. I realize that you are a bunch of insecure rednecks on this blog, BUT …so is the Alabama athletic department?

    Losers!!!!.

    Here’s the article

    http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/alabama_would_support_adding_m.html

  6. Now that’s about phucking stupid since Awbie is already more Georgia than Alabama and closer to Florida than Bama is. Hoopster you’re a dumb phuck and the way your team is playing I would get the phuck out of here if I were you! Bama doesn’t want to lose the Tennessee game which is older and more traditional than the Iron Bowl. They also don’t want 5 of the SEC’s traditional powers in the East together. Go back and play with your CheezeDick. RTR!

    1. Tell that to that Bama homer …..John Solomon. He’s got it right. Sure Bama wants it cake (Tenn game), but don’t think for a minute that those paranoid folks on the REC aren’t consumed with trying to keep Auburn down. Auburn gave up Tenn AND Fla when we went to the west. How about you self-consumed fools give something up.

      1. Maybe they should just move Auburn to the east with the rest of the little boys of the SEC. Did you give up Georgia? No, just Vandy, who is neck and neck with Auburn in wins. That crap cuts both ways, Hoopty. Every team gave up games to accommodate the split into divisions. But only a delusional Auburn fan like you could see it your way. Everything is Bammer’s fault! Please.

  7. Also you’re a phucking week and a half late on that subject. Bama never said that regardless of what some dumbass reported twisted around in his column. That is nothing more than a stupid assed supposition that some creative dreamer came up with nearly two weeks ago and is still being bandied about. Go away azzhole, It’s Tennessee week for us, and you motherphuckers have a much more serious problem to worry about this weekend. RTR!

  8. Keep trying to shove your weight around Bama. What are you gonna do when the SE gets tired of you? The Big 12 is now realizing that they are better off without Texas …..maybe the SEC would be better off not having self-consumed rednecks always manipulating the SEC.

    Don’t say that you don’t. Ol RC will brag on here how $aban is untouch-able. A perfect example of your arrogance.

    1. Bama isn’t pushing any weight around. They have 1 vote out of 12, just like Auburn. You just hate being in the shadow of Bama all the time, and that is something you need to learn how to live with. I know it can be hard, and I know you thought after last season, it would change everything. But as you can see, it has not. How arrogant are you, coming on a Bama site, and saying such stupid things? If you were really that smart, you would know better than that.

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