The University of California, Davis, will join the Big Sky Conference for football in 2012, a move that will build on Aggie rivalries and offer new opportunities for postseason play. It will also provide a full schedule of conference games and reduce the team's traveling time and expenses.

The conference and UC Davis announced the news today (Sept. 7). Doug Fullerton, commissioner of the Big Sky Conference, extended the offer to UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi, who accepted on behalf of the university.

"UC Davis is a top-tier university in so many ways," Katehi said. "Competing in the Big Sky Conference will bring even more recognition and excitement to our university and its Intercollegiate Athletics program."

The Big Sky currently includes Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Sacramento State and Weber State (in Utah). With all Big Sky competitors in eight western states, student-athletes will miss fewer days of classes, and travel expenses are expected to be lower by eliminating travel to the east and southeast starting in 2012.

The conference change for UC Davis affects only football, and UC Davis will remain in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), which is distinct from the subdivision that plays bowl games.

UC Davis' announcement comes as several schools are switching conferences. In fact, UC Davis and Cal Poly, now football members of the Great West Conference, will join the Big Sky together. The Aggies remain committed members of the Big West Conference, which, although it does not sponsor football, provides competition for 18 of UC Davis' 22 other intercollegiate sports (four teams belong to other conferences).

To join the Big Sky, UC Davis will pay an entry fee of $150,000, standard for conference membership adjustments, and an annual membership fee of $10,000. UC Davis officials expect to recoup the entry fee, which will be paid over three years, with increases in television and Internet video-streaming revenue generated by the conference. UC Davis currently pays an annual membership fee of about $9,000 to the Great West.

With football schedules for this season and next nearly set, the new conference realignment will not take effect for two years.

Enhanced competition

When the Aggies do compete in the Big Sky, the expanded conference is expected to comprise 11 of the 13 western-most FCS football programs. UC Davis has played several Big Sky teams over the years and has three on this season's schedule: Portland State, Weber State and Sacramento State.

Joining the conference will intensify the Aggies' Causeway Classic rivalry with the Sacramento State Hornets. The programs share history in three conferences but have not played in the same league since 1993. The move also allows UC Davis and Cal Poly to continue their storied rivalry, nearly even over its 35-game history.

"The Big Sky is recognized as one of the top Football Championship Subdivision conferences in the nation," said Fullerton, the conference commissioner. “The addition of two great institutions like Cal Poly and UC Davis gives us more depth to compete for additional playoff berths and enhances our profile throughout California.

"This is a great fit for both institutions and the Big Sky Conference," Fullerton added. "We are bringing in two strong western FCS programs."

The commissioner said the addition of UC Davis and Cal Poly is part of an expansion that could lead to a 12-team football conference with two six-team divisions.

Scheduling and postseason play

Fullerton said the new teams would benefit from a full slate of conference games and an automatic play-off bid for the 20-team FCS championship. As a member of the Great West, UC Davis on occasion has had to pay game guarantees to non-conference teams to round out its season schedule, and has not had a shot at an automatic berth for postseason play.

UC Davis Head Coach Bob Biggs said, "This is a great direction for our football program. We look forward to building regional rivalries where postseason consideration could be on the line."

Competition closer to home

Added Greg Warzecka, director of athletics at UC Davis, "This is an extremely exciting day for our football program and the institution. Our fans will not only be able to watch some great teams come to Aggie Stadium, but they will have a much better opportunity to travel to road games."

Since beginning competition in Division I in 2007, UC Davis has played games in Massachusetts, North Dakota, South Dakota and Arkansas. During its reclassification period from 2003-06, the Aggies also traveled to Texas and Ohio. As an independent in Division II for most of the 1990s and early 2000s, UC Davis played regular season games against teams as far away as Michigan and Pennsylvania.

"The Big Sky offers great competition and it also eliminates the need to travel across multiple time zones," said Warzecka. "Not only will that help our program contain costs, but it will help our team be more ready for the games."

UC Davis will end its eight-year affiliation with the Great West at the end of the 2011 season. The Aggies belonged to the Far Western Conference from 1925-81, the Northern California Athletic Conference from 1982-92 and the American West Conference in 1993.

The Great West

"The Great West has been a wonderful home for our football program for several years, and we've built some lasting memories, including two league titles," Warzecka said. "It has allowed us to play for conference championships, our players to earn individual recognition and the Aggies to continue or renew long-standing rivalries.

"This is a move, however, that is best for our institution,” he added.

The Great West currently comprises football members Cal Poly, North Dakota, South Dakota, Southern Utah and UC Davis.