Benson sees WAC adding schools rather than losing any to MWC

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"Absolutely not," Benson said. "The WAC has just as much to offer as the Mountain West."

Eight teams seceded from the WAC in July 1999 to form the Mountain West Conference. Last week, MWC commissioner Craig Thompson confirmed his conference would explore the possibility of expansion when its presidents meet next month.

Instead of fretting the loss of members, Benson said, the thinking is "just the opposite. We're in a position to have potential members."

Benson said the WAC could benefit from the domino effect created should Miami leave the Big East Conference and join the Atlantic Coast Conference. A depleted Big East could lead to moves that would make some teams available to the WAC.

"The WAC is in a good spot to benefit from realignment," Benson said.

Of the current pool of available schools, Benson said, none "would enhance the value of WAC. ... If other schools became available because of potential changes in conference membership, then we would evaluate our options and make decisions based on that."

Benson has favored increasing the WAC's 10-school membership, which would lead to two divisions and a football title game.

"I think the 12-team model is a model that can be beneficial," he said. "But (expansion) has to be under the right circumstances and the right membership."