UC Davis Joins the Mountain West Conference in 2026 as the 10th Member - MWC Additions Continue

[@leehallman7764]

Been calling for them to join for months now!

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

I like the moves the MWC Commissioner is doing, as they are taking care of different sports and not making moves just for football.

[@htvlogs80]

True, but remember football is what generates the most money.

[@AdventistHeretic]

This is good for everyone.

[@ABQREDorGREEN]

This is a very forward looking add from Gloria Navarez. UC Davis is one of the top Academic Universities in the US. They have a massive endowment of over 2.5 Billion dollars. And they are interested in building their athletic programs, including Football. She picked them up before they were ready to move to the FBS, and it takes away the opportunity of other conference competitors (whack Pac). UC Davis's market is one of the top 30 Largest markets in the US, so it's excellent for our Media partners along with the coming addition of NIU.

[@TheBiosimilars]

UNLV would rather be with UC Davis than the Pac schools? Huh. I will say that if the Pac had hired Nevarez as commissioner, there's no way it would have fell apart. She's doing a good job with what's available to her

[@terryfox9344]

UC Davis is an excellent addition to the MWC. I was wondering whether the conference was looking at them, as you rarely mentioned them. They will far and away be the academic star of the conference. I don't understand why the football team is being left behind. You have given some possible reasons, and if the idea is to move up in a couple years, the MWC will agree, and they can use the time to expand facilities to increase revenues, then it makes sense. As for NIU, I assume that they have decided to move their football program to the MWC, and the rest of their programs to either the A-10, Big East, Horizon, or MVC. If I had to guess, I believe that they fit best in the MVC. Maybe that is better for them than the MAC, but I'm not sold on it.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

I have heard many NIU fans and alumni say they thing MVC is a better fit then the MAC. Guess we shall see.

[@taylernorris5647]

The Mountain West needs to add SacST and NMST and call it a day.

[@jackmatheson4671]

I really like the UC Davis logo. Clean, simple, distinct. Sac State logo is a mess.

[@willcooper6980]

So it appears to me that it's Pac12 v2.0 or bust for Sacramento State with this move. UCDavis takes care of that geographic area.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

We would concur.

[@Joe-m2d]

Wow! UC Davis is an academic heavyweight. Research comparable to B1G Ten & ACC universities. Comparable to UC Berkeley. Athletically a sleeping giant. A very forward looking choice.

[@stevenbenson9387]

How does this effect Sac State's chances of Pac12 or Mountain West?

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

I would think it substantially hampers any hope of a MWC invitation.

[@BrianH16]

Are you going to talk about the GCU news about being sued by the WCC

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Yes. We look to get deeper into that in the near future.

[@dl-ce3so]

Good addition.

[@thatcollegefootballguy]

I don't see NDSU as a backup plan. I see them as a partner with NIU. It may take 5 years for UC Davis to bring their football program in. UC Davis and GCU as Olympic sports members. NIU and NDSU as football only members. Tarleton State comes in later as a full member. When the UC Davis brings in their football program, bring in another Olympic sports program. Like Santa Clara are Long Beach State or some other school I can't think of. 12 football schools 12 Olympic sports schools The Mountain West really would be back in business.

[@jeh58]

Wow,didn't expect that. A win for UC Davis, but very questionable for the MWC.

[@YellowstreakBison]

I'm surprised UC Davis is holding back football. Their football program is very good. UC Davis revenue is far better than most of the FCS.

[@WillCarmineCompton]

Did you not watch the video?

[@Gamedayprod4life-b7s]

Can you please tell me why NDSU hasn’t moved to mountain conference, please?

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

Maybe they said no?

[@TheFranchiseCA]

Because they're really far away, even from Wyoming and Air Force, and would have to add sports.

[@ironwill1362]

MW should add Sac St and UC Irvine

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

Sacramento State had their chance, but they want the Pac-12. Might get their wish if Memphis etc. doesn't change their mind. As for UC-Irvine, sure, why not?

[@hunttx19]

Interesting move. Not sure rather Gloria is playing 4D chess or grasping at straws. Either way time will tell…. Plenty of other schools that are ready to move football immediately. Tarleton? NDSU? Interesting…..

[@Lawomenshoops]

But, whenever they move up to FBS, they won’t be eligible for FBS bowl games.

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Correct. They will have a 2 year probationary period.

[@badbeav5061]

Gloria is desperate😂

[@TheBigMountainPodcast]

Nope. Not in the slightest.

[@badbeav5061]

@ Grand Canyon and now Davis 🤔 i think she is buddy

[@N1oreo1]

@@badbeav5061Nope. But the PAC is. Who are they going to add? Cause it ain’t Memphis or Tulane and time is running out. PAC was desperate enough to add Utah State right away after talking so bad about their programs just days before. They’ll end up disbanded or with an FCS school. Boise and Gonzaga are the only shining stars of the PAC which is sad. The other programs are trash and keep getting worse by the day. No one’s gonna pay big money for 2 trashy former power schools that no one wanted. The PAC is worse off.

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

@@N1oreo1 - The Pac is still working on bleeding as much money out of those piece of 19th letter 8th letter 9th letter 20th letter networks, 10th letter 1st letter 3rd letter 11th letter 1st letter 19th letter twice!

[@PCSPounder]

Yes and no. Don’t know if I characterize Davis as a sleeping giant, but they have mostly good bones. I do question Davis citing increased ticket sales as paying for this. Not that there aren’t other sources… just that UC students throughout the system are more invested in study than sports.

[@toddlemieux2339]

one conference gets to play Gonzaga the other gets UC Davis. being left behind sucks

[@Lawomenshoops]

Look at a map! What area won’t have a MWC school in the western part of the US? That area has a second largest media market, LA, and wherever San Diego’s media market is! UC San Diego is better academically than Davis. But they have been D1 for only four years. Then the obvious thing about competing with San Diego St. I wonder if the MWC looked at UC Irvine and UCSD, along with Davis and decided that Davis would bring more to the table. Irvine, despite being good in basketball, hardly makes a dent anywhere else in the LA area. Obviously , both Irvine and San Diego do not have football and neither will start football! But I can’t believe the MWC would give up such a valuable area!

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

They still may go after them, you 13th letter 15th letter 18th letter 15th letter 14th letter!

[@PCSPounder]

We do look at the map. Prominently not shown in that map is the University of Southern California, which pretty much dominates college football attention in Los Angeles… and beyond. This tends to include UCLA. Also not prominently shown is Long Beach State, Fullerton State, and UC Santa Barbara, all of whom HAD football programs, and could not support them, which mostly demonstrates the effects of the first part of this argument.

[@Ki14-Valdez]

Yikes UC Davis? They’re only committed to investing in their education programs not athletics. Plus, they don’t have a strong athletic following.

[@FelixChavez-xx9bg]

The MWC has become weak & getting weaker. By adding UC Davis, the MWC is now an athletic joke!

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

And who would you have gone after? Stanford and California? Have fun trying to find someone that would be "worthy" to join, 13th letter 15th letter 18th letter 15th letter 14th letter!

[@MrProy33]

Lol. Adding FCS schools doesn't make the conference stronger; it makes it more like an FCS conference. This weakens and humiliates the MW brand, if that's even possible at this point. Not sure why you mention UCD academics. Has nothing to do with athletic excellence. Literally nothing. As someone who lived in the region for years I can say confidently that nobody supports Davis athletics. Even in the Causeway Classic, the big game, Sac State usually brings more fans than Davis can muster.

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

Thankfully, 13th letter 15th letter 18th letter 15th letter 14th letter 19th letter like you aren't making the decisions!

[@Joe-m2d]

Outside of the Ivy League almost all of the largest research universities are in the B1G Ten, ACC, SEC & Big 12. Billion dollars annually in research dwarfs athletic spending. If they can turn their donors interest towards athletics that could be huge. Does the MWC provide the platform for such growth? Maybe & if it did the potential is huge.

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

@@Joe-m2d - Which is why the Pac-12 will probably grab Rice from the AAC.

[@MrProy33]

@@Joe-m2d It never has translated that way for tue MW schoole, and there is nothing to suggest it will. And the Ivy leagues are almost all either FCS or D2, so academic spending does not equal athletic success. Ask Rutgers.

[@Joe-m2d]

@ Look at research spending. Not academics generally. There is no MWC school that is even close in research spending. The Big Ten has 4 of the top ten research spending schools in the country (based on 2022 survey). If a top research school’s donors want a a great athletic program they can have one. It is just a matter if that is what their donors want. Joining a more competitive athletic conference has had such an effect on other universities. The only question is that what UC Davis donors want? Look at Tulane.