The Mountain West Conference has landed two more members after a week that can only be described as a whirlwind. News broke early this week that the BYU Cougars had arranged a deal with the Western Athletic Conference that would allow the Cougars to play football as an independent (with several WAC teams on its schedule) and let the Cougars play the rest of their sports as members of the WAC. The Cougars were looking to broadcast their games on their own station, BYU TV, in order to maximize revenue for the school. When news broke the Mountain West Conference reacted quickly by inviting Utah State, Fresno State, and Nevada to join the conference. As part of the BYU deal to the WAC, the WAC teams signed a $5 million dollar buy-out clause to not leave the WAC. Utah State declined the invitation first, citing loyalty to BYU. Nevada and Fresno State wasted no time in accepting an invitation to play in the Mountain West Conference. Karl Benson of the WAC is said to be forcing the two schools to wait until 2012 before they can move to the MWC and forcing them to pay the $5 million dollar buyout. As of right now the BYU Cougars are still a member of the MWC with no plans finalized for them. The WAC, who will be left with six teams, may be looking to the FCS to fill some of its holes. Rumors are running around that Houston could become the 12th member of the MWC, but those reports have yet to be verified as truth.
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