Utah to the PAC 10? Not BYU? It could happen

[Iceaxe]

Also.... If I were a zoobie I'm pretty sure this would be killing me..... To BYU fans this has to be like a girl thinking she is a 10 and suddenly being told she's really a 6.

[Reedus]

Also.... If I were a zoobie I'm pretty sure this would be killing me..... To BYU fans this has to be like a girl thinking she is a 10 and suddenly being told she's really a 6.

Byu never had a chance nor will ever with their stipulation of not playing on Sunday. Be interesting of who the better footbal program will be now between Boise, TCu and BYU

[accadacca]

Boise.

They will have a senior QB (and others) their first year in the MWC...

If I was the MWC I would look at adding Nevada, Fresno and I guess Houston.

[accadacca]

Got this via email from Utah...

Join Us Inside Rice-Eccles Stadium Today to Watch this Historica

Ute Fans-You are invited to celebrate this historical day with us by watching the press conference from inside Rice-Eccles Stadium on the video board. Please enter the stadium through the West gates. The press conference begins at 1:00 PM and parking will be limited. If you cannot make it to the stadium, click here to watch online. GO UTES!

[Scott Card]

Utah fans.... Be careful what you wish for.... I'm old enough to remember when AZ and AZ State were kings of the WAC and BYU and Utah were mid-tier programs.

The AZ schools moved up to the Pac 8, which became the Pac 10, and were never heard from again....

This ought to be THE concern for Utah -- a conference cipher.

Congrats Utes! Big money on the way. As a Cougar fan, I really am not that jealous, mad, or bummed. I must not be getting it or something. Everyone tells me how I ought to be jealous or mad or bummed out or something. It really doesn't bother me other than the rivalry is pretty much gone. That part bugs me. What the game will mean in the future is that we are just another non conference game for each other in the grand scheme of things.

It will be interesting to see what happens in a couple of years with the BCS review. The Utes record will still help the MWC as I understand it and we get to bring on Boise St.'s record to boost the conference stats. Could be that the MWC will also be a BCS conference shortly.

BTW, thanks for the Seattle post Ice. Interesting take. I think he was spot on about the Utes program and coach. Well, we'll see what happens. As for this year, I pick TCU to again win it all.

[accadacca]

It really doesn't bother me other than the rivalry is pretty much gone. That part bugs me. What the game will mean in the future is that we are just another non conference game for each other in the grand scheme of things.

Disagree. You think a BYU vs. Utah game is going to be just another game and not a rivalry? Sorry, your high...the stakes will be higher.

[Iceaxe]

Disagree. You think a BYU vs. Utah game is going to be just another game and not a rivalry? Sorry, your high...the stakes will be higher.

Youngin's....

Us silverbacks are old enough to remember when Utah's big rivalry was Utah State. Back in the day Utah State was nationally ranked and both schools were in the Skyline Conference. That used to be "The Game" to see every year.... but when the Skyline conference broke up the rivalry was soon "just anther game". Same thing will happen with BYU. It might be big for a few more years but will never be what it is now.... In a few years I'd be surprised if Utah keeps BYU on their schedule as a yearly game.

Back in the 60's and earlier Utah used to stomp BYU... then Edward's came along and BYU stomped Utah for 20 years... Utah and BYU were not a real rivalry until Mac came to Utah...

[Iceaxe]

The Utes record will still help the MWC as I understand it and we get to bring on Boise St.'s record to boost the conference stats

NOPE.... the MWC loses Utah's stat's... just like they gain Boise States.

As I see it the MWC as a whole broke about even on the deal. They traded Utah for Boise State.... six of one, half a dozen of the other....

The current BCS agreement expires soon.... when that happens I expect to see anther big shake up... if I were the MWC I'd just sit on my hands and do nothing.... certainly not add more bottom feeders.... if the MWC wants to expand they should wait for the next shake up and see which current BCS schools are left without a seat when the music stops.

[DiscGo]

My thoughts are as follows:

I'm disappointed Utah left. I don't blame them for leaving to a more prestigious conference for an extra 8+ million a year, but I'm disappointed because with Boise State there would be 4 good teams in the MWC which could have led to the MWC really being a good conference.

I'm curious what will happen going forward. Will Utah become a power house Utah team picking up their first picks of recruits in the State using the PAC-10 as a recruiting tool? Will Utah become white noise in the PAC-10 and then increase BYU's recruiting by allowing them to play for a conference title every year?

I believe this was the right move for Utah (at least for the short term) and I am curious what the long term affects will be.

[Deuce]

I have not fear that Utah will compete fine in the PAC12.... Not unlike we as the MWC have been saying our teams would do if they were in the PAC10 to begin with....

[Kent K25]

Disagree. You think a BYU vs. Utah game is going to be just another game and not a rivalry? Sorry, your high...the stakes will be higher.

The stakes are anything but higher. What used to be a regular conference championship deciding game is now a non-conference game. Nothing special. The luster will wear off rather quickly. Plus...Give them a few years and they won't even be playing each other yearly...they'll be scheduling new non-conference opponents.

[Iceaxe]

FWIW: BYU just became a pre-season game for Utah. The Utes can lose to the coug's and it doesn't hurt their chance to play in the Rose Bowl in the slightest.

Heck... if the Utes finish mid-pack in the the PAC 10 there is a good chance they will meet BYU in the Las Vegas or Poinsettia Bowl...

[Scott Card]

So you are sayin' that the MWC will continue to dominate the PAC 10 or 12 are you....

[accadacca]

So you are sayin' that the MWC will continue to dominate the PAC 10 or 12 are you....

4A vs. 5A

[Iceaxe]

So you are sayin' that the MWC will continue to dominate the PAC 10 or 12 are you....

I was just thinking about how much fun the BYU vs Utah riverly has been the past 20 years.... and how the Utes moving to the PAC will eventually change things.

The part that scares me is Utah might get to the same number of Rose Bowls as Arizona.

[Scott Card]

I know what you are saying. That is the part that I will miss too. I wonder who our new respective rivals will be? I would guess for BYU it will be Boise and then TCU but I don't see any of those games being like the Utah/BYU rivalry with the state either wearing red or blue. And who will Utah consider the one team to beat? Oregon? Colorado? Usually proximity makes a huge difference to a rivalry.

What is your take on the Rose Bowl. Doesn't that contract end in 2012 too?

[Iceaxe]

What is your take on the Rose Bowl. Doesn't that contract end in 2012 too?

The PAC 10 owns the Rose Bowl... I don't know how their current contract is written up but I'll promise you that the PAC 10 didn't give up any rights to that game.....

Remember.... the Rose Bowl has special rules that apply... even in the BCS. The Rose Bowl was the late comer to the party and the BCS had to give the Rose Bowl pretty much everything they asked for to get them to join the "mythical championship" party.

Originally the Rose Bowl... the granddaddy of all bowl games.... was supposed to match up the best team in the west against the best team in the east.... it was the original national championship game.... that is why it carries so much weight and prestige.

[accadacca]

Pac-10 busters...

[Iceaxe]

Look at the dog chain on that guys neck!

Don't let my wife see that.... she is always looking for a good way to keep me on the porch.

[Scott Card]

Let's see if the Utes (and Cougs) can get past TCU before you start all this Pac 10 or 12 busting stuff. TCU in the, what? The Mountain West, is THE team to beat at present, in the Mountain West......Did I mention the MWC?