BYU football: Cougars weigh independence; other sports in WAC

PROVO — More conference realignment shock waves rocked the college football world Wednesday, with reports that BYU is on the brink of leaving the Mountain West Conference and declaring independence in football by 2011, with its other sports competing in the Western Athletic Conference.

BYU officials acknowledged the myriad reports of going independent, but did not confirm or deny them.

"We are aware of the many media reports and questions circulating about BYU's conference alignment," associate athletic director Duff Tittle said in a statement. "As Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe explained recently, BYU has been reviewing, and will continue to explore, every option to advance its athletic program. At this point, BYU has no further comment."

By Wednesday night, the MWC announced that Fresno State and Nevada are joining the MWC. During a teleconference with reporters, commissioner Craig Thompson said the timing of the announcement was driven by television negotiations with Comcast and CBS, not the mounting speculation about BYU leaving.

He added that the Cougars, for now, are still part of the conference.

"BYU is a member of the Mountain West," Thompson said, adding that the nine-team MWC "is soon to be an 11-team league."

Asked about BYU's future with the conference, Thompson replied, "I don't know BYU's intentions. Those are questions that need to be directed at BYU. They've participated in board meetings all week. BYU's been a full participant the last 36 hours in all of these conversations."

Two sources at Utah State who asked to remain anonymous told the Deseret News that BYU going independent is a very real possibility and Utah State would welcome it. If BYU were to make the move, the WAC would form a football scheduling collaboration with the Cougars that would help both the WAC and BYU fill out important late-season games.

But that was before Fresno State and Nevada agreed to join the MWC. The WAC is now left with only six football-playing schools.

So where does this leave BYU?

In July, Holmoe told reporters that, in an effort to enhance its position for the future, BYU has been examining every option.

The concept of BYU going independent has been brewing for months, particularly during and after the previous round of conference shake-ups. In June, Boise State left the WAC for the MWC and Utah bolted the MWC for the Pac-12.