BOISE -- A series of dominoes finally fell today after weeks of talking about it.
Brigham Young University announced its intention to go independent in football and join the West Coast Conference in most other sports for the 2011 season.
That decision provided some good news/bad news for WAC schools, including the University of Idaho.
To make independence possible, BYU and the WAC agreed to some football games for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
Of all the schools, the University of Idaho is left with the short end of the stick.
"Initially we were interested in the WAC because we thought that would be the best opportunity for schedule arrangement," said BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe.
Holmoe made the announcement Wednesday that BYU will go independent in football for the 2011 season.
Instead of the WAC, as originally leaked a few long weeks ago, BYU will place its other sports in the West Coast Conference, which includes other private schools such as Gonzaga and St. Mary's.
Not long after BYU ended its news conference, WAC Commissioner Karl Benson held a teleconference about the future of the WAC.
"The WAC is announcing the creation of a membership committee to begin the process of identifying and evaluating prospective new members for the WAC," said Benson.
Instead of fading away, the WAC appears to be ready to fight for its existence, and is making plans to add two or three teams to replace Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State which have announced their departures.
"Have there been casualties in both the WAC and Mountain West because of that? Absolutely. But again, it's not the first time that there have been casualties in the West or in the East or anywhere in between," said Benson.
In the meantime, the WAC and BYU agreed to a series of football games for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
"The specific games that will be played and where and when they will be played will be announced in conjunction with BYU in the very near future," said Benson.
What we do know is that the University of Idaho will play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah sometime in 2011.
And that BYU will not travel to the Kibbie Dome in Moscow - the only WAC school BYU will not visit.
"It was their demand, so to speak, that this agreement would not agree a BYU at Idaho game," said Benson.
In exchange, BYU will play a home-and-home mens basketball series with the Vandals sometime in the future.
As for BYU's independence, ESPN agreed on an eight-year deal to broadcast at least four BYU home games on their network of stations.
Notre Dame also agreed to six football games with the Cougars.
