The Mountain West-Conference USA alliance never materialized, but might we have one emerge out of the Big Sky Conference and the Western Athletic Conference? That's the latest news Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman is reporting. University of Idaho President Duane Nellis recently said that the two conferences are looking to form two eight-team leagues that each maintains an automatic NCAA postseason bid in non-football sports.
The WAC will have only four members once July 1, 2013, comes around, which means that, if this alliance goes through, teams from the Big Sky will relocate to the WAC. Denver, Idaho, New Mexico State and Seattle -- the four remaining WAC schools -- are all in the geographic area that the Big Sky occupies, making the alliance that emerges a truly regional conference.
Of course, none of this settles Idaho's future in football. Independence is looking like it will happen -- for at least two years -- but the state board of education still needs to sign off on any contracts the school has with other universities. Only one is currently signed.
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