After the recent “Pac 2” media days event during which representatives from the lone two remaining schools in the Pac-12, Oregon State and Washington State, spoke to the media, I found myself thinking “at least they’re in on the joke.” Offering up an open bar to drown out their sorrows, the once fabled Pac-12 went on about its business. I have to say…college football expansion talk always fascinated me. I’ve been a fan of the sport for decades now, and when all the dominoes began to fall, I would’ve bet money that the Pac-12 would be one of the last conferences standing, proud and tall. Yet, here we are.
This isn’t meant to be a lamentation of the conference. I’m looking forward to where these two schools end up. The Mountain West looks like a step down in competition, but from a geographic standpoint, it makes the most sense. One would think that the Mountain West would be eager to add programs of such esteem. But, Dennis Dodd recently penned an article for CBS Sports stating that the conference could be cooling on the prospects of adding Oregon State and Washington State. I find that interesting, but it makes sense. We’re not talking about the revenue juggernauts that Oregon and USC are. The financial impact of adding the two schools wouldn’t be that dramatic. And, with the advent of the 12-team College Football Playoff, member schools may like their chances to go on a run with the conference field as it is now, without adding two good programs to compete and dilute their odds. It’s a good read if you’re as fascinated by where these two schools land as I am.
Think about the implications of this move, though. The stakes are high. This isn’t something to be taken lightly. We have “after dark” football games to consider for the sickest sect of college football fans. There’s a branding opportunity here, and the Mountain West has the chance to step up and become that zany west coast conference where all the magic happens late for those of us in the eastern and central time zones. My plea is for all involved to consider us, the former “Pac-12 After Dark” fans who could theoretically become “Mountain West After Dark” fans. We need to find a home as well.
There’s just something special about staying up past midnight on a Saturday night in the fall. On a good college football Saturday, you’ve been up since it was time to make your Starbucks and McDonald’s run and sit and watch College Gameday. Maybe you’ve opened up the windows in your home and let that cool autumn breeze flow through. You’ve watched an 11AM Big Ten kickoff at Northwestern, the SEC at 2:30, and you’ve watched the week’s biggest prime time game. You haven’t stopped drinking since kickoff, and now you find yourself having to stay up and chug some water before bed so you’re not hungover for the NFL Sunday that follows. There’s nothing better to sober up with than a gallon of water and some crazy west coast action.
That’s where the real hidden gems lie, and that vision is why I hope that whether or not Oregon State and Washington State eventually join the Mountain West, the conference will make an effort to give us some high quality affairs on Saturday night. They have the time zone to do it. And, really…it’s pretty much their show now as far as conference rivalries go. Sure, we may get the occasional 10PM kickoff between UCLA and Rutgers, but where’s the fun in that? Where’s the conference pride and all of the intensity that comes with a good rivalry game? Can UNLV-Nevada capture that magic? Maybe. One thing’s for sure – I’m so addicted to this sport that I’ll give it a shot and hope they succeed.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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