re: WAC expected to add UTSA, TSU, & Denver

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The ONLY logical addition at this point for the WAC would be Montana.

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The problem facing the WAC is there really is no logical addition because there are no current FBS teams in the conversation. There is currently a moratorium on adding football teams to the FBS. I think sometime in summer 2011 is the soonest that new schools can apply to move up to FBS and then there is a two year qualification process they have to go through. This means that all the teams that stay in the WAC will have to play as football independents for the 2012 season and hope that UTSA and TSU pass muster and get into the FBS (I have no idea how often, if ever, teams try and don't make it).

I'm sure that the hope in all of this is that by adding UTSA they can capture a strong foothold in the San Antonio market (which does not have any true local competition) and that the inclusion of that market together with the Denver market in other sports will be enough to keep total revenue levels roughly the same. Although, I personally don't see that happening, at least not in the near future.

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This means that all the teams that stay in the WAC will have to play as football independents for the 2012 season

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This too. Unless I'm terribly mistaken, you can have a conference with any number of teams you like; the only minimum is the BCS's, which requires a conference to have at least eight teams for an automatic bid.

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20.02.6 Football Bowl Subdivision Conference. A conference classified as a Football Bowl Subdivision conference shall be comprised of at least eight full Football Bowl Subdivision members that satisfy all bowl subdivision requirements. An institution shall be included as one of the eight full Football Bowl Subdivision members only if the institution participates in the conference schedule in at least six men's and eight women's conference-sponsored sports, including men's basketball and football and three women's team sports including women's basketball. A conference-sponsored sport shall be a sport in which regular season and/or championship opportunities are provided, consistent with the minimum standards identified by the applicable NCAA sport committee for automatic qualification. (Adopted: 10/31/02 effective 8/1/05, Revised: 12/15/06)

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Unless I'm reading wrong, the schools that already have begun the process will be allowed to continue. That means TSU and UTSA aret affected.

This went into effect August 9, 2007. So if TSU and UTSA had already started the process three years ago then they would not be affected.

However, my understanding is that they would start the process upon receiving the invitation to join the WAC. UTSA has not even fielded a team yet, so I'm not sure how they could have applied for FBS status back in 2007.

I think the WAC has already said they are going to wait for Montana for when they want to move up

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Texas State is moving to FBS. FWIW, it would be a good move to add the Cajuns and Warhawks along with maybe North Texas or Arkansas State to create an eastern division and cut down on travel costs; especially for minor sports.

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North Texas has been invited to the WAC multiple times, and I believe ULL has been invited at least once, and they've both turned the WAC down. *shrug*