The Western Athletic Conference Board of Directors have scheduled a conference call to discuss possible replacements in the wake of the departure of Boise State.

The conference call, involving presidents and chancellors of the eight other member institutions, could come as soon as today.

The Broncos notified the WAC that the 2010-11 school year will be their 10th and final in the conference before joining the Mountain West Conference July 1, 2011.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said conference bylaws call for the remaining board to convene a membership meeting soon after any departure. Benson said they will discuss "potential options" and set a timetable for possible expansion.

"We’ll do so in a deliberate and thoughtful manner," Benson said.

If the WAC is to add a new member in time to coincide with Boise’s departure date, it would likely have to act between this July 1 and Sept.1, as most conferences have deadlines by which notification must be made.

Expansion would have to make sense, Benson said, "because we’re not going to do it just to do it. This is not going to be a desperate act. We can stay at eight (members)."

Benson declined to discuss potential candidates but North Texas, Texas State, Sacramento State, Portland State, UC Davis and Montana have been the most prominently mentioned.

Only North Texas of the Sun Belt Conference participated on the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A) level last season.

The Mean Green of North Texas turned down WAC overtures in 2004 as a replacement for Texas-El Paso.

The remaining schools would require at least two years to transition to full FBS membership from Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).

An NCAA moratorium on moving from FCS to FBS is expected to expire next year.

Boise State stands to forfeit its proportional share of the 2010-11 WAC revenue, approximately $1 million to $1.5 million, as a condition of withdrawal.