WAC schools stay put for 2011; Air Force scrambles for another football game

Colleges and Universities A-Z Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs
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<p>October 28, 2010 2:56 PM
FRANK SCHWAB
THE GAZETTE</p>

<p>With Thursday’s official announcement that Fresno State and Nevada won’t join the Mountain West until 2012-13, Air Force suddenly found itself with an open date for next year’s football season.</p>

<p>“I’m scrambling around right now trying to find out what we’re going to be doing,” said Air Force senior associate athletic director Jim Trego, who handles a lot of the Falcons’ football scheduling.</p>

<p>The conference had been hoping the two schools would come in next year, but an agreement was reached with the Western Athletic Conference. Nevada and Fresno State – which agreed to join the Mountain West this summer - will stay in the WAC until June 30, 2012 and each will pay a $900,000 exit fee.</p>

<p>“The Mountain West Conference looks forward to the addition of Boise State University next summer and subsequently Fresno State and Nevada the next year,” Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said in a statement. “Plans for future scheduling will now begin in earnest.”</p>

<p>Air Force had been preparing for the possibility of an eight-team Mountain West. Now it knows it has to land another opponent. Trego said many schools are filled up for the 2011 season because schools generally schedule games years in advance. Air Force already had South Dakota, Army, Navy and Notre Dame on its nonconference schedule for next year.</p>

<p>Air Force usually schedules one big-name nonconference team each season, and Notre Dame fills that slot. Trego said he doesn’t want to schedule another BCS conference opponent, but will if he has to.</p>

<p>Trego said he thinks the Falcons can land an FBS opponent. He said Texas-El Paso is an option, perhaps for a home-and-home series.</p>

<p>“I’m pretty certain we’ll end up with an interesting team,” Trego said.</p>

<p>Since the MWC schedule hasn’t been mapped out, Trego doesn’t know exactly what date he has open for the fifth nonconference game, which is another challenge to work around. Although the conference wanted to have all 10 members next year, Trego said the extra date can be a positive.</p>

<p>“That’s the way I’m looking at it,” Trego said. “I’d like to get a team we can be competitive with. I’m looking at it as a positive.”</p>

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<p>Well, I’m all for them finding a more eastern team to play - like PITT. :)</p>

<p>Lots of shake up in those western conferences lately. Any idea why? Is it all about money?</p>

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<p>How about the University of Dayton, and play in Dayton? i’d enjoy that… lol. or play at Miami University (that’s the original Miami, the one in Ohio). We’d be almost a lock to win that. lol</p>

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<p>Penn State!</p>

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<p>I’d be all for Duke. Army and Navy both play Duke. Why not AF?</p>

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<p>Penn State, Temple, Rutgers, Maryland or any Mid-Atlantic team would be great for me.</p>

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<p>If AF played a few more eastern games, it might turn the heads of some kids who might not want to consider a CO school. Of course, we all know there is much more to any service academy then just “college” but sometimes I think USAFA gets the short stick since it is not on the eastern seaboard like the rest of them.</p>

<p>Still laugh when I hear folks say “yeah, I went to that little engineering college in the Rockies.”</p>

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<p>Ah, I don’t use that one.</p>

<p>I simply say: “I had to skip college, I was institutionalized for 4 years…”</p>

<p>That usually turns a few heads.</p>

<p>Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83</p>