What is Boise State Football’s Future, Pac-12 or Big 12?

Boise State football fans are trying to figure out what's next for their team amid the news that USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12. Wishful Bronco fans wonder if the Pac-12 could invite Boise State to join their beleaguered conference. Although Boise State joining the Pac may be a long shot, who would've thought that USC and UCLA would ever leave for the Big 10?

Let's review what we know right now:

The Pac-12 and the Big 12 announced that they will now look to expand. Before we get to the Pac-12, let's look at the Big 12. Many Bronco fans believe Boise State missed out on the conference's last round of expansion. The Big 12 invited four teams, BYU, Houston, UCF, and Cinncinatti, to replace Texas and Oklahoma, who announced they're leaving for the SEC. Bronco Nation believed that if the conference looked to expand again, then Boise State and San Diego State would be the two teams who would be invited. That scenario seems to be dead in the water right now.

The Big 12 will aggressively look to poach three or four schools that make geographical and financial sense. Those teams are Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State. Those teams have thousands of fans and television dollars attached to them. The larger the fan following, the more a conference can charge for its media rights.

Boise State had a great run with Chris Petersen, but the program's current state doesn't attract a significant amount of dollars to earn an invite to the Big 12. Our television market is not big enough to warrant a second look.

If the Pac-12 decides to raid the Big 12, look for them to go after Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, or Baylor. Those schools are not ideal, but they bring in the Texas footprint, which means more television eyes.

College football experts now say there will be only two power conferences in the next few years, the SEC and the Big 10. The future for Boise State Football is to work to rebuild the legacy of dominance. More than ever, the Broncos have to win the Mountain West Conference. If you win the conference, you can be invited to a New Year's Six Game.

Then again, perhaps we'll be covering Boise State playing in another conference in the next few years. Stranger things have happened!