Mountain West And Conference USA Near Agreement For '13 Merger

An agreement for the projected new conference merging the Mountain West with eight members of Conference USA to begin operations in '13 "is just about complete," according to Irv Moss of the DENVER POST. UNLV President Neal Smatresk said that in addition to “securing a name for the new conference, a location for offices and naming a commissioner, the presidents of the involved institutions will be taking a hard look at expanding from 16 schools." They will also look into setting up a possible “multiround playoff system at the end of the regular-season football schedule." While Smatresk did not identify potential additional member schools, WAC teams are "in proximity to the Mountain West schools, and the conference is down to seven members for football." Interim WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd said, "Every conference is a target except for the big six. It's impossible for us to say right now what's going to happen" (DENVER POST, 3/22).