3. West Coast Conference
Just like the AAC, the WCC also is sending a program to the Big 12. The BYU Cougars were a former conference rival to San Diego State Basketball, before becoming an independent in football and placing all of the other sports in the WCC. For the most part, it proved to be a successful long-term move for the past decade that worked out since they’re now in the Big 12.
The Aztecs could make a similar move if push comes to shove and the top two options aren’t available. Like BYU, they can make football independent and focus on basketball, which is fully the face of the athletic program. There are plenty of positives, including being paired with arguably the top western basketball program overall in Gonzaga.
It’s a league that has also had success outside of the Bulldogs, with Saint Mary’s and San Francisco recently making the NCAA Tournament, while programs such as LMU and Santa Clara being top-100 programs. Plus, they’d have a natural rival already set in San Diego in the league.
Hypothetically, is the easy geography that comes with the WCC more beneficial than having the football team in a conference? BYU was able to avoid that question in the latest round of realignment and if things go left, San Diego State may have to deal with that.
But hopefully, the program ends up in one of the two obvious landing spots.