Do I Hear Taps on Bagpipes?: Over the weekend, the dam cracked; yesterday, it broke. With three members already gone and a fourth negotiating, the WAC suffered the fatal blow -- at least in terms of being a football conference -- when the Sun Belt turned around and stole Texas State and Texas-Arlington. Assuming the Louisiana Tech move does indeed go through, this leaves the WAC with Idaho and New Mexico State on the football side, plus all-sport members Seattle, Denver, and... Boise State, who I completely forgot about yesterday. They can probably find a landing spot in the Big West, but Denver's still screwed.
And while there are some folks making noise about the WAC somehow pulling it together: forget it. To remain an FBS conference, the WAC would need to come up with FIVE new members, and every single one of them would need to come from the FCS ranks. That is not going to happen. To remain a Division I conference, period, they're going to have to find at least two members (four if Idaho and NMSU find new homes). If it's only two new members, that's something they can accomplish by inviting Utah Valley and Texas-Pan American. However, those are the only Division I schools west of the Mississippi who aren't already in a better situation than the one they'd be moving into... because right now, the only thing the WAC has to offer any potential member is an autobid in basketball.
If the WAC does indeed dissolve, it would mean more revenue for the non-AQ conferences in the final years of the current BCS contract (if not more revenue for everyone).
Meanwhile: Conference USA isn't done wreaking havoc. Brett McMurphy reports this afternoon that they aren't stopping with FIU, North Texas, UTSA, and Louisiana Tech. They're also planning to offer invites to UNC-Charlotte and... Old Dominion. Yep, that's right. This adds fuel to two separate bits of speculation: one, Appalachian State to the Sun Belt becomes much more realistic; two, VCU and George Mason bolting the CAA for the Atlantic 10 becomes even more logical. (That noise you hear is the sound of NBC Sports executives shrieking at the top of their lungs, demanding that their legal department get them out of the national TV deal they signed with the CAA.)
Blog-Friendly National Media Has Our Backs: Bill Hancock opened his gaping maw, and a spew of vomit spilled out when he singled out Manhattan for derision when he tried to pooh-pooh the idea of on-campus playoff games. Well, Jason Kirk thinks he's full of it. And so do Holly Anderson, Andy Staples, and Dan Wetzel. Jason gives us a direct shout out, and reminds everyone that the current record for College GameDay attendance is held by... uh... US. While we're busy sucking up to Jason, let's go ahead and point out that's he's doing a great job commenting on the BCS overhaul, including this piece examining what two bowls are likely to join the rotation.
Some Things Should Be Better Thought Out: Boston College has dismissed RB Montel Harris, who only happens to be BC's all-time leading rusher and he's still got a season to play. He might be headed to Temple, says Bruce Feldman.
This Will Not End Well: Last month, Montana suddenly fired coach Robin Pflugrad (of the hot cheerleader Pflugrads) and AD Jim O'Day without comment in the wake of sexual assault investigations involving the football team. Now? Grab your ankles, boys, the United States Department of Justice is now on the case. Seriously, for the Justice Department to step in here, this is bad. Bad stuff.
Speaking of Which: Graduating Michigan State guard Brandon Wood's been arrested for slapping a woman.
Some Guys, You Just Have to Support: In 2003, Austin Hatch survived a plane crash that killed his mother. Last year, he survived another plane crash that killed his father and stepmother. And now, he's going to be playing for the Michigan Wolverines in 2013.
Diablerie: Todd Graham says Pitt, which was his dream job, was not his dream job. Rutgers gots new duds. And just to prove that track is also a college sport, we present nine totally awesome seconds of Brigham Young steeplechase. You may wish to participate in EDSBS's Second Annual Charity Drive, benefitting Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta.