That is the big question. Where is the money going to come from?

We are on the same page in regards to the future of UC Davis football. Where we differ is the money part.

If you can provide the solution for funding all of this change, I'm sure everyone will be on board. The honest fact is, We.....are....not....ready. We aren't. Maybe in a couple years things might change, but for the near future, the move to FBS is in my opinion 50/50 at best.

I'm gonna be a bit harsh but it needs to be said:

1. The plan under the current renovation is to be complete within 5 years. Adding addition seating to that plan to increase capacity doesn't seem impossible. - Have you ever managed a construction project? Do you know the costs associated with building, especially in California? The zoning and environmental impacts that have to be done? Project overruns? Labor shortages? etc. Let's pretend the goal is for 2028, you think the stadium can do all this in 24 months? Not happening.


2. I think this whole changing this is possible, but its all guessing at the moment. I still think positioning ourselves in that lower FBS bracket instead of FCS before those hypothetical changes happen is a good idea. NDSU moved to the MW after the media deal was completed.

What is the benefit of paying millions dollars to join a conference you are not even sure will exist in 2030? What economic benefit does being grouped with the Ball ST, Reno, etc. have prior to the next TV deals? There is none. Whether this happens in 2029 or 2039 there is no incentive to rush playing FBS football. NDSU is a 10 time national champion with a national reputation and a state support, Davis is not even close to that. To compare NDSU to UC Davis is like comparing apples to oranges. NDSU is now on the hook for some serious $$$. That bill isn't going away, they will have to pay a lot of money.

You need to show how UC Davis can make more money moving to FBS vs just adding expenses.

3. I think the third one is more complicated, but I think joining the conference that all our other sports are in, continuing to compete in a regional conference like the MW, and increased exposure make it worth it, especially considering the MW schools we have close by.

I get it. You want to UC Davis on ESPN and playing bigger schools for the pure entertainment of it, but that is not how life works. Davis is not a big time sports school. It never was and it will never be. Davis at its core is a research university. Athletics are a byproduct of the university. That is it.

I want you to go to campus and go stand on our old field by Hickey Gym. Go look at that area. That was the site of UC Davis football for decades. I can't tell you the amount of time my butt was numb from sitting in those metal bleaches. The current stadium didn't come about till 2007. That means in 20 years we have gone form a DII school to people wanting Davis to join the MWC. That is a pretty big move already and you want us to move even faster? For what?

Here is what you have to understand. Everything costs money. A lot of money. I want you to start putting a price tag on ever wish you want to happen for UC Davis.

Example: "I want to move to the MWC by 2028." Breakdown how much that will cost and where you are going to get the money do make it happen. This will help you better understand the effort needed to move to the FBS.

yeah that isn't happening. Davis isn't close to moving up before 2030 at the earliest if at all. Why?

1. Stadium is not ready for an FBS invite (this will take years to complete. Funding, construction, etc.)
2. TV deals are set for 2029. The FBS as we know it will change from how we know it. Nobody knows what happens to the current FCS teams or the lower FBS teams in the new TV deals.
3. Economic benefit: Cost of moving to FBS has to show a positive net income vs an added expenditure. What is the point of moving up to FBS if it costs the university $5M in expenditures?

If you want an honest timeline, look more for a 2030-2040 timeframe.

And what is your current time frame?

Why? What is it that you hope he will say?

Why are you in such a rush to move to the FBS? Explain what is the difference between moving in 2026 vs 2030?

Yup it looks like one last stab....this might actually kill the entire program.

Yup. SACST is not getting any shared revenue from the MAC and must pay for all visiting teams travel? OMG.....this thing will be lucky to last 2 years....

That has to be one of the worst business deals I've ever see. It's completely unsustainable.

I've got a couple I'll be taking him :)

I'll be there.

Great for SACST to move to the MAC. I wish them well. However, none of SACST has anything to do with the future of UC Davis sports. Nothing.

UC Davis is moving slowly on purpose. There is no need to rush to FBS. When we move it will be on our timeline not anything SACST or other school decides to do.

Looking forward to the next season!!

You are great my man, don't lose your enthusiasm!! Talking Davis sports is so fun today, because we are close to taking the next step. We can all feel it. Wait till next year, I'm telling you 2026 might be the year we break through :)

Ah yes, the classic “in what world?” question — probably the same world where conference realignment makes sense and geography still matters. So… clearly we’re already in a fantasy novel.

Look, I’m not saying Stanford and Cal are about to hand-deliver an invite wrapped in a bow and an NIL collective, but college athletics has been operating on pure chaos lately. Ten years ago if you told me teams would be flying across three time zones for a “regional” conference game, I would’ve asked what you were drinking and if you brought enough for the class.

You’re not wrong that the Mountain West feels like the more logical fit today. But logic hasn’t exactly been driving this bus — it’s more like money grabbed the wheel while tradition was shoved into the trunk.

And the whole “move up to FBS ASAP” idea sounds great until you remember it costs roughly the GDP of a small island nation. You don’t just wake up one morning and decide, “You know what? Let’s double the athletic budget and see what happens.” That’s how universities end up hosting emergency bake sales outside the stadium or the university drops the program.

As for academics, I get the flagship comparison — but let’s not pretend conference invites are based on who has the prettiest research labs. If that were true, half these leagues would look like a TED Talk instead of a football schedule. UC Davis can compete with anything Cal or Stanford can do in the classroom --->you are just in love with silly narrative that both programs are elite.

Honestly, the real move is winning. Win a lot. Pack the stadium. Become annoying to ignore. Conferences don’t chase you because you fit neatly into a spreadsheet — they chase you when you start messing with their TV numbers.

So yeah, Mountain West might be the practical path… but in this era? Think bigger. Just be patient.

Before you go crazy with the MW talk, just keep in mind the conference might not even exist as it does now when the next TV deals are negotiated. The conference realignment isn't close to being done. There are real geographical and financial problems out there in college football that need to be fixed. All I'm saying is be patient. Who knows maybe in 2030...Stanford, Cal, UCLA....all are looking for a new home...and they might be looking for a high academic school in a growing TV market is all I'm saying.

Fantastic post!!

Excellent news! Congrats coach!

I agree. I've said it before I was never the biggest CP fan, but in a season you are going to lose games. Are you expecting perfection every week? If so, you are going to be disappointed watching any sport.

A digital board with needs....like "Help support our local athletes...our goal is fund XX parking passes...food...etc" Put a QR code so people can donate and see where their donation is going. Love this idea.