Fresno St & Nevada invited

[DJT]

COLORADO SPRINGS -- The Mountain West Conference has extended invitations to Fresno State and Nevada.

The MWC announced Wednesday that it has offered the Bulldogs and Wolf Pack an opportunity to leave the Western Athletic Conference join the league that's losing Utah next season but gaining Boise State, another WAC school.

The MWC announcement came just minutes after league member BYU acknowledged reports that the Cougars could be going independent in football and joining the WAC in all other sports. The BYU statement stopped well short of confirming any of the reports, saying only that the school will explore its options.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson was out of the office Wednesday and did not immediately return calls and e-mails seeking comment.

One roadblock?

After Boise State left, the remaining WAC members -- Fresno State, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Hawaii, Idahos, Nevada and Utah State -- signed a $5 million buyout agreement that would be assessed to any member that left the conference within the next five years. The schools took that move to keep other members from following the Broncos to the Mountain West.

This could be problematic for Fresno State and Nevada, who have had budget concerns, a source told ESPN's Joe Schad on Wednesday.

"We are honored to have received the invitation to join the Mountain West Conference," Nevada president Milt Glick said in a statement. "We are seriously considering the invitation, and do so with the best interests of our athletics program, University, community and Wolf Pack fans as our priority."

The MWC believes that, pending the approval of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, BYU will declare in independence in football and take the rest of its sports to the WAC.

Man every thing is getting jacked up in college sports.

 

[Mooche]

Really is insane. So much conference traffic.. Honestly. It is tough to keep up with right now.

 

[jHammack]

BYU should really change their minds about leaving the MWC.. The MWC is going to be a pretty good conference and with BYU they might have had a shot at an automatic bid.

 

[Mauersota]

The WAC is pretty much useless now lol.