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•NMSU should remain in the WAC for non-football sports and play independent FBS football after our agreement with the Sun Belt Conference expires in 2018.
•NMSU should join the Horizon Conference for non-football sports and play independent FBS football after our agreement with the Sun Belt Conference expires in 2018.
•NMSU should align with the Big Sky Conference, move all of our sports to this conference, and enjoy FCS football.
•None of the above.


http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/sports/ ... /83937868/

I would say Big Sky but then again, 15 members?

UND likely moved to the Summit/MVFC.

Also, horizon? Really?

clenz wrote:Also, horizon? Really?

That was my first thought. Why would anyone in the Horizon League want that?

The only thing I can think of is one of two things

1: Horizon is the only non-football league willing to let them keep FBS football and be a member

2: They want to play on the Horizon with the perception they will dominate the league, as they have the WAC

As much as New Mexico State would help the Big Sky strength wise in both Football and Basketball, the Big Sky already has 14 teams and that is enough. In the 3 FCS options they have (Big Sky, Missouri Valley, Southland) I think the Southland is the best option, I did a little research (being bored) to see travel distance between New Mexico State and the other conferences. Travel hours and miles is based on road travel

Average Travel hours to Southland Schools- 12.18 hours
Average Miles to Southland Schools- 867.8 Miles
(two schools 1,000 miles+ away / Nicholls St (1,104), Southeastern Louisiana (1,102).

Average Travel hours to Missouri Valley Schools- 19.1 Hours
Average Miles to Missouri Valley Schools- 1,276.3 Miles
(Only One School less than 1,000 + miles away / Missouri State (957) ).

Average Travel hours to Big Sky Schools- 16.5 Hours
Average Miles to Big Sky Schools- 1,123.4 Miles
(8 of 14 schools 1000+ miles away, EWU, UM, MSU, CSUS, UCD, UND, PSU, UI)

Regardless, New Mexico State is in a rough place location wise, they are very far from just about anybody at the FCS level, but regardless they would still be better suited for the Southland, and unlike the Big Sky (14) and Missouri Valley (10) they have an uneven amount of schools 9. Adding NMSU would bring the Southland to 10 schools.

Southland seems like a better geographic fit, but I can understand why they're looking at the Big Sky, as there are more flagship/Land grant type schools in the Sky.

Even though the addition of the NMS Aggies would have helped the Big Sky strength wise, Im glad that they decided not to drop to the Big Sky, at 14 and 12 the Big Sky is Big enough and doesn't need any more teams.

Wildcat Ryan wrote:Even though the addition of the NMS Aggies would have helped the Big Sky strength wise, Im glad that they decided not to drop to the Big Sky, at 14 and 12 the Big Sky is Big enough and doesn't need any more teams.

I agree with this, though I figure NoDak will bolt for the MVFC/Summit eventually. That whole "cold war" with NDSU is likely the only reason they ended up in the Big Sky in the first place.