Every three decades or so, the mid-major football situation out West evidently has to destroy itself and regenerate. In 1962, the Western Athletic Conference formed from schools that thought they were too strong for their Border and Skyline Conference brethren. Original members: Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. For a moment, it appeared that Pacific Coast Conference castoffs Oregon, Oregon State and Washington State might join them, but they ended up part of what would become the Pac-8 Conference instead.

In 1998, the Mountain West formed from schools that thought they were too strong for the 16-team mega-WAC. Original members: Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah and Wyoming. The WAC would hold on for a bit by adding schools li

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