“Four Corners” schools to the Big 12?

[unihorn]

Sources briefed on the discussions say the conference has been in recent contact with the so-called Four Corners schools — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah — which has renewed optimism that convincing them to join is possible.

https://theathletic.com/4271149/2023/03/03/big-12-pac-12-realignment-news/

 

[unihorn]

Would be interesting to see what would happen with the remaining west coast schools. I'd imagine Oregon/Washington get poached by Big 10 but what about Stanford, WSU, OSU, Cal etc. Get picked up in MWC?

 

[PickMyAxe915]

Would be interesting to see what would happen with the remaining west coast schools. I'd imagine Oregon/Washington get poached by Big 10 but what about Stanford, WSU, OSU, Cal etc. Get picked up in MWC?

I'd expect that the PAC would take from the MWC as it is still the PAC and has AQs. Still a power conference.

Which would then open a possible door for utep.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

The Big 10 doesn’t need Oregon and Washington though. Flights from LA to Portland and Seattle are “not that much different” as flights from LA to Columbus and Indianapolis.

Big 12 should just invite San Diego St already. Pac 12 can’t expand without them.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

I can’t really predict what will happen with the MWC. Could go anywhere from “poaching” OSU and WSU to having SJSU, Wyoming, UNM, and Utah St joining CUSA. Lots of moving parts.

 

[PickMyAxe915]

I can’t really predict what will happen with the MWC. Could go anywhere from “poaching” OSU and WSU to having SJSU, Wyoming, UNM, and Utah St joining CUSA. Lots of moving parts.

The MWC has a relatively good media deal, so if they have to, they would poach from CUSA if anything.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

The MWC has a relatively good media deal, so if they have to, they would poach from CUSA if anything.

Depends on what happens. If the Pac 10 leftovers can pull from the MWC, the MWC Tv deal without UNLV, San Diego St, Air Force, Boise St, and Colorado St is just as bad as CUSA.

 

[chuwy9]

Other side of the country but it’s always a domino effect. Florida St and Clemson are unhappy about the money they’re getting. Supposedly the ACC has an “ironclad” agreement that would be expensive to break but I’m sure a loophole or a dump truck of $$$ will used to break it. Things are going to get interesting.

 

[chuwy9]

He’s been wrong before so grain of salt needed…..

 

[chuwy9]

Apologies unihorn, I see that you had already linked the Mandel article.

 

[PickMyAxe915]

He’s been wrong before so grain of salt needed…..

View embedded media

I really think this is a war of information between sides with different motivations: one side wants the PAC dead and other other does not.

One thing is for sure, the PAC will survive as it's an AQ/P5 conference. And hopefully it impacts the MWC enough to bring utep into the fold finally.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

I really think this is a war of information between sides with different motivations: one side wants the PAC dead and other other does not.

One thing is for sure, the PAC will survive as it's an AQ/P5 conference. And hopefully it impacts the MWC enough to bring utep into the fold finally.

UTEP’s worst case scenario has already happened. They’re in a conference with FCS move ups, poor performaning FBS schools, and far flung conference mates.

Best case scenario would be the Pac picking the MWC clean, and leaving behind UNM, Wyoming, Utah St, and few others. Those teams could then join CUSA or UTEP/NMSU could join what’s left of the MWC.

 

[PickMyAxe915]

UTEP’s worst case scenario has already happened. They’re in a conference with FCS move ups, poor performaning FBS schools, and far flung conference mates.

Best case scenario would be the Pac picking the MWC clean, and leaving behind UNM, Wyoming, Utah St, and few others. Those teams could then join CUSA or UTEP/NMSU could join what’s left of the MWC.

Utep fits best in a Texas and western based conference, so I hope your second scenario occurs. And hopefully there's a leftover California team or one added.

 

[JCorona]

The WAC 16 was the best conference UTEP will ever been in. Too bad we’re total losers and never receive invitations to the parties of the cool kids.

 

[unihorn]

NM has no “four corners” relevance hahaha.

 

[PickMyAxe915]

NM has no “four corners” relevance hahaha.

That's what I love. UNM views themselves above NMSU and UTEP but they have no shot at the PAC. They have a top 50 market too... but if the MWC gets raided. They get left behind.

 

[unihorn]

I really think this is a war of information between sides with different motivations: one side wants the PAC dead and other other does not.

One thing is for sure, the PAC will survive as it's an AQ/P5 conference. And hopefully it impacts the MWC enough to bring utep into the fold finally.

We need Hunt and Foster at the negotiating table not Wilson and Senter.

 

[Lil_Train]

We need Hunt and Foster at the negotiating table not Wilson and Senter.

Is Wilson even at the table?

 

[unihorn]

El Paso is in a great position to grow economically. The maquiladora business is already booming due to worries about China and high fuel/shipping costs, and it’s going to keep growing. Hunt and Foster can sell the El Paso/UTEP vision.

 

[unihorn]

Is Wilson even at the table?

🤷‍♂️

 

[JCorona]

Sell this vision to who? The only way we join the MW is when they’re that desperate for us. At that point it wouldn’t be any much better than what we’re in. Sure teams will be a little closer but they’ll be unrecognizable to most of us.

 

[unihorn]

Sell this vision to who? The only way we join the MW is when they’re that desperate for us. At that point it wouldn’t be any much better than what we’re in. Sure teams will be a little closer but they’ll be unrecognizable to most of us.

To something better — whatever that proves to be.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

The WAC 16 was the best conference UTEP will ever been in. Too bad we’re total losers and never receive invitations to the parties of the cool kids.

The “original” 10 team WAC was probably the best. Followed by the CUSA lineup when we joined.

 

[JCorona]

The “original” 10 team WAC was probably the best. Followed by the CUSA lineup when we joined.

Maybe from an athletic standpoint but for our alumni base in Texas, the WAC 16 was the best format. I wish the MW8 would have given it a chance. It would have turned into the strongest g5 league.

 

[utep2step]

El Paso is in a great position to grow economically. The maquiladora business is already booming due to worries about China and high fuel/shipping costs, and it’s going to keep growing. Hunt and Foster can sell the El Paso/UTEP vision.

“The City of El Paso International Airport and the Economic and International Development Department have partnered with the Aerospace Center and the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation at UTEP to offer manufacturing workspace and support to early stage, new or existing manufacturing technology businesses targeting the aerospace, defense or other advanced manufacturing markets.”-https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/innovation-factory

Got to sell it. One person who can sell it is Wilson given her top brass Air Force career.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

Sell this vision to who? The only way we join the MW is when they’re that desperate for us. At that point it wouldn’t be any much better than what we’re in. Sure teams will be a little closer but they’ll be unrecognizable to most of us.

“Better” is what most fans would call it. Wyoming, New Mexico, and whatever other leftovers are there, are better than FIU, Kennesaw, Jacksonville St, and Sam Houston. WKU and MTSU are “solid” programs, but would you want to stay in CUSA with them over Wyoming and UNM? I wouldn’t.

Give me a watered down, wal-mart store brand version of the MWC than the shit we’re about to be a part of.

 

[JCorona]

“Better” is what most fans would call it. Wyoming, New Mexico, and whatever other leftovers are there, are better than FIU, Kennesaw, Jacksonville St, and Sam Houston. WKU and MTSU are “solid” programs, but would you want to stay in CUSA with them over Wyoming and UNM? I wouldn’t.

Give me a watered down, wal-mart store brand version of the MWC than the shit we’re about to be a part of.

Yea. If at least four MW schools are leftover then it would be “better” for us.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

Yea. If at least four MW schools are leftover then it would be “better” for us.

They could join CUSA and limit the amount of games we play vs Liberty, KSU, JSU, and FIU. But, a lot has to happen for that to happen.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

Maybe from an athletic standpoint but for our alumni base in Texas, the WAC 16 was the best format. I wish the MW8 would have given it a chance. It would have turned into the strongest g5 league.

It would have been cool if the WAC 16 was given a chance to succeed and remained together.

The worst part of CUSA’s demise is that the chances for the alumni base to see games in person, is greatly diminished. No more games in San Antonio or “Dallas” for the first time since 1995. Games in “Houston” are a hour outside of the actual city.

 

[PickMyAxe915]

Is Wilson even at the table?

I can't really complain about Wilson because I like what she's doing for utep from an academic standpoint. Senter just sucks though.

 

[Lil_Train]

I can't really complain about Wilson because I like what she's doing for utep from an academic standpoint. Senter just sucks though.

Athletics are a huge part of the business of higher education in the US. University Presidents are closely involved in athletics at most D1 institutions. In private industry, it's like a CEO chosing to ignore issues within a money making department of the business. Fortunately, for Wilson and Senter they work at UTEP where employment is for life and there is no accountability.

 

[Firstdowndash]

So are we joining the MWC or not? What’s the latest? Let’s move ASAP.

 

[PickMyAxe915]

So are we joining the MWC or not? What’s the latest? Let’s move ASAP.

Have to wait for the PAC tv numbers to be announced. I'll assume it will be after the PAC basketball tournament ends or after the NCAA tournament.

Then dominoes should start falling. The PAC gets raided by the Big10/big12. Leaving 4 schools behind. They raid the MWC and AAC for ~6 schools, maybe more (SMU, SDSU, CSU, Tulane, Rice, etc). If enough is taken from the MWC to get them below 8 teams, then maybe utep has a shot.

 

[dementiajoe]

Have to wait for the PAC tv numbers to be announced. I'll assume it will be after the PAC basketball tournament ends or after the NCAA tournament.

Then dominoes should start falling. The PAC gets raided by the Big10/big12. Leaving 4 schools behind. They raid the MWC and AAC for ~6 schools, maybe more (SMU, SDSU, CSU, Tulane, Rice, etc). If enough is taken from the MWC to get them below 8 teams, then maybe utep has a shot.

What would the Mountain West want with UTEP? What does UTEP have to offer to a presumably watered down conference coming from another watered down conference? If the Mountain West didn’t want UTEP 24 years ago, what has changed since then?

 

[Sports Opinion]

Maybe from an athletic standpoint but for our alumni base in Texas, the WAC 16 was the best format. I wish the MW8 would have given it a chance. It would have turned into the strongest g5 league.

In my opinion the WAC 16 was the greatest mistake the WAC ever made because it was simply to big for its time and that caused the other schools to form the MWC and leave us behind. Besides the Texas schools didn't want anything to do with UTEP. For me the best format was the traditional WAC 10 from the 70's 80's and early-mid 90's

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

In my opinion the WAC 16 was the greatest mistake the WAC ever made because it was simply to big for its time and that caused the other schools to form the MWC and leave us behind.

UTEP was left behind because of UTEP. UTEP football was embarrassingly bad and basketball was on the major decline during Haskins last years. That is UTEPs fault and UTEPs only.

UTEP was attractive enough 5 years later to be with Memphis, UAB, and Houston though.

 

[axingfools1]

What would the Mountain West want with UTEP? What does UTEP have to offer to a presumably watered down conference coming from another watered down conference? If the Mountain West didn’t want UTEP 24 years ago, what has changed since then?

The 50/50 model?

 

[PickMyAxe915]

What would the Mountain West want with UTEP? What does UTEP have to offer to a presumably watered down conference coming from another watered down conference? If the Mountain West didn’t want UTEP 24 years ago, what has changed since then?

The MWC wanted utep back in 2011 and utep didn't feel the same way. The roles reversed in 2016 and 2021. Administrations have changed so animosity has changed.

Yeah, the MWC would be watered down but it would still be better for utep than the current CUSA. In CUSAs current footprint, we only recruit Texas. At this point, it would be better for UTEP to be in a western based conference that has a couple teams in TX instead. I am to the point where I would prefer utep be in the WAC (coming up to the FBS).

 

[dementiajoe]

The MWC wanted utep back in 2011 and utep didn't feel the same way. The roles reversed in 2016 and 2021. Administrations have changed so animosity has changed.

Yeah, the MWC would be watered down but it would still be better for utep than the current CUSA. In CUSAs current footprint, we only recruit Texas. At this point, it would be better for UTEP to be in a western based conference that has a couple teams in TX instead. I am to the point where I would prefer utep be in the WAC (coming up to the FBS).

Still to this day I have not come across anything from a reliable source that confirms UTEP rejected membership from the MWC. I still believe this was made up bullshit by someone that ended up becoming a fake rumor. If you have any links to disprove this, please post them.

 

[JCorona]

What would the Mountain West want with UTEP? What does UTEP have to offer to a presumably watered down conference coming from another watered down conference? If the Mountain West didn’t want UTEP 24 years ago, what has changed since then?

To survive as a conference. We’re one of two established fbs teams in the western part of the country.

A team to help them reach the minimum amount of teams needed to continue as a conference.

The MW wouldn’t have many other options to backfill with.