Thus far, my efforts to realign the conferences dramatically have produced retooled versions of the Sun Belt, Conference U.S.A., and the M.A.C. This brings me to the fourth league to have been rearranged at my whim, that being the Mountain West Conference.
Faith can move mountains, but I settled for moving the Mountain West.
The M.W.C. originally seceded from the Western Athletic Conference and I have attempted to restore a measure of the Mountain West's original W.A.C. feel through the following conference arrangement:
Northern Division:
Boise State
Brigham Young
Idaho
Utah
Utah State
Wyoming
Southern Division:
Air Force
Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado
Colorado State
Hawaii
Did you know that Kristin Davis was born in Colorado? That has nothing to do with anything, really, but, since my readers demand a daily dose of Davis, I had to come up with a reason for referring to her.
The Falcons and the Rams already have a Mountain West pedigree, so let's drop the pretense and bring the Buffaloes into the league, as well. Arizona and Arizona State each played in the W.A.C. for 16 seasons before joining the Pac-10, but the Wildcats' and the Sun Devils' coastal credentials remain suspect, so I have returned them to the successor league to the conference in which they belonged all along. All three Utah schools and both Idaho schools are united under the M.W.C. aegis, as well.
Air Force and Wyoming will be permanent interdivisional rivals, in order to pair what are alphabetically the first and last teams in Division I-A. Now that Dan Hawkins is coaching in Boulder, let's see how an annual Boise State-Colorado rivalry goes. B.Y.U. and C.S.U. have been known to get a little nasty with one another, so let's let them mix it up every year, also.
The Pillsbury dough coach could make life interesting in the refurbished Mountain West Conference.
I feel sorry for Utah State, so I would allow the Aggies to get out of Logan long enough to visit Honolulu every other year. With Dennis Erickson and Mike Stoops on the sidelines, Arizona-Idaho could be fun, which leaves Arizona State to square off with Utah on a yearly basis.
I'm for letting the Broncos' N.F.L. stadium in Denver host the M.W.C. title tilt, too.
Here now, I give you the Mountain West Conference.
Coming up next . . . the newly-formed Central Conference.
Go 'Dawgs!