The worst kept secret in the latest round of conference realignment revolved around Wichita State wanting to leave the Missouri Valley Conference to boost their profile, specifically in basketball.
News started in May of 2016 and it was the Mountain West that the Shockers wanted to join, and maybe even considering reviving their football team. Wichita State did a feasibility study and it would cost the university more than $40 million and a football budgets that start around $6 million annually. That movement seems to have stalled.
The Mountain West requires football to be part of the league — which is why adding Hawaii as a football-only member works — but adding the pedigree of Wichita State which has been to a Final Four, had an undefeated regular season and three seasons with 30 or more wins and all within the past five years would help the Mountain West.