K
KingCougSCENARIO #1 - CONTINUED INDEPENDENCE
This is probably what it will be for the foreseeable future. Holmoe always hoping for that phone call from Bob Bowlsby from the Big 12. Playing with the Big Boys is fun...until it's not. I, as much as anyone, want to compete on that stage. But it seems like, every year, reality slaps me in the face and I go back to what I call "strategic scheduling."
What would that include?
I would have 9 core games that we play every year that included regional, other independent, and academy opponents:
Utah
Utah State
Weber State
Boise State
Hawaii
Notre Dame
Army
Navy
Air Force
You could fill the other 3 games any way you want, depending on how ambitious you're feeling.
SCENARIO #2 - BIG 12 INVITE
Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas , Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Texas Tech, West Virginia
This is obviously assuming we do get that call from the Big 12 at some point. Looking at the current Big 12 line up, where do we fit in? I'm guessing we'd be somewhere in the middle of the pack most years. We'd be a P5 team, and have the chance to go places if we won our conference, but how often would that be?
SCENARIO #3 - RETURN TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST
Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
My Cougar pride cringes when I even ponder this. But looking at the current MWC line up below, I wonder if we are closer to that conference than any P5 conference. I do think we would be at or near the top most years, competing mainly with Boise State for #1. And a trip to a NY6 bowl game would be ironically more likely. But a playoff appearance would never happen until it expanded to 8 teams. And even then, maybe not.
This is probably what it will be for the foreseeable future. Holmoe always hoping for that phone call from Bob Bowlsby from the Big 12. Playing with the Big Boys is fun...until it's not. I, as much as anyone, want to compete on that stage. But it seems like, every year, reality slaps me in the face and I go back to what I call "strategic scheduling."
What would that include?
I would have 9 core games that we play every year that included regional, other independent, and academy opponents:
Utah
Utah State
Weber State
Boise State
Hawaii
Notre Dame
Army
Navy
Air Force
You could fill the other 3 games any way you want, depending on how ambitious you're feeling.
SCENARIO #2 - BIG 12 INVITE
Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas , Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Texas Tech, West Virginia
This is obviously assuming we do get that call from the Big 12 at some point. Looking at the current Big 12 line up, where do we fit in? I'm guessing we'd be somewhere in the middle of the pack most years. We'd be a P5 team, and have the chance to go places if we won our conference, but how often would that be?
SCENARIO #3 - RETURN TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST
Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
My Cougar pride cringes when I even ponder this. But looking at the current MWC line up below, I wonder if we are closer to that conference than any P5 conference. I do think we would be at or near the top most years, competing mainly with Boise State for #1. And a trip to a NY6 bowl game would be ironically more likely. But a playoff appearance would never happen until it expanded to 8 teams. And even then, maybe not.