33: How good is the Mountain West Conference in football?

[@kendrickmelville5804]

20:50 regarding the PAC/MWC merger, I think Wazzu and OSU would be great additions to the MWC or reverse merger (however it's done). Regional schools keep costs down while adding quality competition. I agree with Mark Moss, I just wish the MWC could jettison the bottom two MWC teams like UNM or SJSU/Hawaii in the process to stay at 12. But the PAC 2 has about $250M for a war chest and could help buy out to reform the PAC as I'm sure most would think it has a better brand than the MWC. I don't see how the PAC/MWC could get AAC teams unless there was a pod of 4 of them like UTSA, Memphis, Tulane, and UNT, but the buyout for the AAC and MWC would deplete the PAC's saving. Moss makes a good point about the ACC, but I think the lawsuits and buyouts for FSU, Clemson, UNC, UVA are too much, and the recent leaks that the SEC and BIG10 aren't interested in adding FSU because they don't add value comparatively and are considered toxic (ironic considering SEC added Texas, the most toxic brand in existence). I suppose it all hinges on the lawsuit verdicts but I'd bet that the ACC stays as-is until 2036 (end of GOR/media contract). Regarding Boise St's regression to the mean over the last decade, there is a growing talent drain in the West, as fewer and fewer are playing HS football primarily in California and the result is that the talent pool is concentrating in the east side of the US and I think that's why the conferences are eyeing to live east of the I-35 corridor, and preferably east of the Mississippi. BSU has had a smaller talent pool to pull from and with the advent of Hudl and recruiting services, it is much harder to find hidden blue-chip talent.

[@letsgoshirts]

Excellent points. Appreciate the insight

[@ellish3894]

So I had a similar dream where Boise State was down at the half at Georgia Southern. I woke up before the end of the game as well....

[@brandonminert6169]

starting to become a premonition. :(

[@ellish3894]

@@brandonminert6169 I didn't wake up with a massive feeling of dread and actually thought we finished strong and won. I'm gonna go with that feeling!

[@brandonminert6169]

@@ellish3894 Glad we won then 😆🤣

[@ToBasqueO]

They said on KTIK last night that Liberty is the front runner for the playoff and we are #2. That is just the odds makers in Vegas, doesn’t really mean anything. But it does boil my blood a little since Liberty has such a horrible schedule. Hopefully little things like that gets the team fired up too.

[@ItzShadyGamez]

Dope podcast. Y’all made some good points about being wary of Coach D’s defensive acumen. It’s like I had a Vietnam flashback when one of you brought up that play against CSU when Simpson ended up one on one with Horton on the biggest drive of the game. It’s easy to get caught up in all the hype with how well he’s done this off-season and how likable of a person he is, but damn lol. The one point that should be added onto that is that in 2022 we had the 7th ranked defense in country in regards to yards allowed per game. So maybe it was a talent issue because we lost Skinner, Matlock, Tyrique Jones, and Biggers after that season who all made an NFL roster this past season (although just briefly for Jones and Biggers). This season I’m honestly not sure if we have a legit NFL prospect on the defense. Maybe Simpson by 2025 but outside of that it’s grim.

[@jeh58]

Many Beaver fans is still fixated of trying to keep up with the Jones's but myself I would be happier just being at the next level down. I am fine with the Beavers being a G5 team.

[@daytonrobison7774]

Good episode as always. Idaho’s tax rate does drop to 5.695% this year, so it’s getting better.

[@jeh58]

Beaver fan here, I would like a conference with some of the MWC. To drop the costs of the MWC teams would be 9 of the MWC teams voting to dissolve the conference.

[@SurfCityBill]

As much as I'd like to see this, I just don't believe it'll happen. With no existing Pac TV deal, there is no known benefit for the 9 teams to dissolve

[@jeh58]

@@SurfCityBill I think you are most likely correct, but in realignment these days nothing would surprise me.

[@braydenwhite9217]

One point that I havent heard argued much when it comes to conference realignment and NIL. I think the G5 teams having an automatic bid in the playoff helps with recruiting to G5 and hurts lower P4 schools. Kids are competitive and want to win conference championships and play on the biggest stage. Schools like Boise and Tulane and Memphis give them that chance. A school like Pitt or Indiana might be able to offer more money, but cant pitch a chance to be in the playoff. Unless further realignment or playoff rule changes, I think the interest in G5 schools will continue to grow compared to mid or low P4 programs.

[@MarkMoss-ql3wx]

I had not thought of this specifically but you make a good point, and I assume that probably helps some of the top G5s at times. Thanks!

[@danielsimon4015]

YES. I'm the first! I heard that Houston continues to search for AD, and that it's still a 50-50 scenario. If we lose Dickey we're in big trouble.

[@itskeaton7249]

Prater roasted me one time for saying we need to fire Tim Plough and said that there's ZERO chance he would be fired mid season. (this was a few days before the UTEP game) Prater compared TG to to Michael Penix last year and claimed that Penix was just as elite of a runner as TG. Like the guys content but when he misses he misses badly lol

[@MarkMoss-ql3wx]

Can’t disagree… there’s been lots of head scratchers for sure….

[@brandonminert6169]

Haha. Yeah that happens.

[@jaredheward7700]

If we are going to schedule FCS it should be Idaho or Idaho State. I also wish we played BYU in basketball every year. That would fill Extra Mile Arena every time. I am ok with taking BYU fans money. Question for next podcast who would you like to play every year? Fresno State, Nevada(stinks lately) in football

[@DavidGonzalez-jb2mg]

Good show boys! Sounds like Fresno and Boise are on track to be the Oakland A's of college football and can't keep up with the payroll.

[@brandonminert6169]

Good comparison

[@letsgoshirts]

I think both those schools are in better spots than most the G5s (not all). But yeah, no way to compete financially with most the P4 schools.

[@ToBasqueO]

It breaks my heart what is happening to college sports. It feels like corruption and greed at its finest. I can understand some NIL money with limitations and some increased transfer opportunities with limitations…but this is turning into chaos. I miss the good old days of going to college and playing sports and getting a degree.

[@SurfCityBill]

Defense is the big questionmark. Not just in the secondary but on the line. If Boise St can't put pressure on the QB, then our pass defense will be exploited.

[@joshcurran3756]

Didnt our dc come from kent state,do you think its was an accident that sdsu's head coach is from kent state

[@MarkMoss-ql3wx]

Our DC has been here for a few years as a D line coach. Before that he was at Nebraska. Our Safeties coach just got here from Ball State where he was the DC. Not sure of any Kent State connections on our staff though

[@clintlehar952]

Just found this…the guy who keeps talking isn’t all that correct. Wyoming beat TTU last year as #25, they beat Mizzou who was ranked at the time, and many of the original MW teams have beaten “P5” teams. I think he forgot teams are East of ID and UT

[@MarkMoss-ql3wx]

I just went back and double-checked. According to ESPN stats, neither TTU nor Missouri were ranked in the AP poll when WYO beat them. Maybe they were ranked in the coaches poll….? Or maybe ESPN is wrong. And yes, we did mention there have been many victories over P5 teams since 2015, but to your point did not list them, or give a number. Hoping to see some more MW vs. P4 this up one season

[@Rwolf12]

The reason they weren't included was both were the first game of the season so it was based on preseason polls but as a wyoming fan we need more recognition, we were 9-4 last season but are predicted to only win 6.5 which is absolutely crazy even if we do have a new coaching staff(mostly internal hires) and new qb we return a large portion of our team and were able to be competitive even though our offense was rated in the 100s for basically every stat because the defense is top tier

[@tommygun5498]

UNLV Football, is a sleeping giant. This, guy in the middle, doesn't know anything about our football team this year. We, have almost everybody back on offense and defense. The loss, at QB was the only one that may hurt us. He transferred to USC. UNLV, plays in a state of the art 1.9 billion dollar stadium. Allegient Stadium. Yes, UNLV football has been really bad, but we are getting better in football. Las Vegas, is a good TV market and it's "Vegas Baby!" Who, doesn't want to go to Las Vegas.

[@letsgoshirts]

We've been hearing UNLV is a sleeping giant for decades. Same with SDSU. I agree with you, they are. Those two teams should perennially be at the top of the MW, and in no way should a smaller school in Idaho be better than them in bball or football. Let's see if UNLV can turn a good year in to a trend. I'm all for it. Would love to see MW get stronger across the board.

[@tommygun5498]

@@letsgoshirts UNLV football, hired the right guy in Barry Odom. He, was the former coach at SEC Missouri, from 2016 to 2019. UNLV, will be in a bowl game this year. Boise St, might be better in Men's basketball than UNLV, right now. But, my question to you guy's is. "Why, haven't you won at least 1 game in the NCAA Tournament?" 0-10? Wow, talk about being bad, when it really counts. Same, for your women's basketball team in the NCAA Tournament. 0-6 lifetime. Is, there something in the water there?

[@robbierobinson3528]

Just FYI BSU came back to beat Georgia Southern 42-28

[@brandonminert6169]

#neverindoubt

[@Archy_Tect]

I only get the big 4 holidays off.

[@brandonminert6169]

😬😬😬

[@joshcurran3756]

Can atheletics have an endowment.

[@jaredheward7700]

Logan is a beautiful place but Utah State fans are brutally awful. They have all the animosity of BYU and U of U church ball attitude but with bitterness of a red headed stepchild.

[@MarkMoss-ql3wx]

lol. Bad combo, ouch!