How pathetic of a conference will that be? Sounds like a great way to drop to FCS by default
Well they won't drop to FCS so you can keep that opinion in your pocket. Liberty waxed a good UAB team this year and will go to a bowl for the 3rd time in a row. James Madison is a top 5 FCS school that will have immediate success once they go FBS and have the extra scholarships. The names may not be familiar to you, but I assure you they'd both destroy Rice or N. Texas! It's not an ideal situation for Utep of course. However right now conference USA is just trying to survive, under a new landscape where if you're not in a P5 conference, alliances are unstable at best.
I like how you’ve done your homework and how optimistic you are about all of this. Reading your take is encouraging
It is what it is, I don't like any of the current options very much actually. We just don't have much choice. If I had to be honest I'd be more of a fan of going independent in Football. Then play 2 money games a year, which would make us more than our CUSA contract currently anyways. Continue to build football and the fan base back and maybe try to be more attractive in 5 or so years. Men's basketball and other sports can play in WAC or Big West. That's if CUSA can't save this conference without going half FCS teams to move up. That option I'm not a huge fan of, cause it'll be a Meh conference, but we have to pick the lesser of 2 evils.
I had previously stated I didn't think BIg West would take Utep it's more likely the WAC, but I still have time in life them as a possibility. As with the other issue, it doesn't really matter. We were already traveling far in CUSA so not much changes and as far as N. Texas, UTSA, Rice they left us so not much we can do about that now can we. Except convince Sam Houston, SFA etc... To move up as I've said already.
Exactly. We would also miss out on the playoffs money distribution and the exit fees. The 3 - 5 teams left over will do what they have to do to make sure CUSA stays at the FBS level. I'm not sure if it's 6 teams or 8 that are needed but they'll get them.
Got ya, I wasn't aware of all that. Well then best of luck to CUSA pulling a rabbit out of their A$$
The Sun News article posted here said it's $300K for having a decent APR.
That's why we and the others left behind will do whatever is necessary to make CUSA remain an FBS conference.
@JCorona I want your honest thoughts and opinion here. With no bias for UTEP or myself. You’re the AD or President, who is making the real decision to move conferences at Sam Houston St. We will assume the following:
We can't be in a conference with the Texas Southland additions in the WAC. The perception alone would kill UTEP basketball. Either you tie yourself to LA Tech and follow them or you join the Big West. With subsidies the Big West would have no issues with us at all.
Guess who is being reported as CUSA additions? McNeese St and Sam Houston. McNeese is still in the Southland and SHSU was there last year.
You implied that in post 14. I explained to you in post 15 why they would.
I did not imply anything. I presented a scenario with several “would be facts” and “possibilities”; to gauge your thoughts on the matter. Since you seem more level headed than some of the others.
If just Sam is added I'm fine. McNeese is a good fcs name. I didn't want to be a conference with five of them. Especially with the 2 who recently transitioned from to d2. I. I can handle one especially because it's the strongest of the bunch.
Sam Houston probably won't join CUSA. It is too unstable. They joined the WAC for a better conference knowing that they would move up to FBS eventually with the rest of the Texas teams. I don't think they would move up knowing that CUSA reached out to them in desperation and how unstable that conference will be. Probably the same for McNesse as there has been talk for a WAC invite. The Texas 4 need time to upgrade their facilities before they go to FBS.
Those conversations are already happening. How do you know it's not SHSU and McNeese calling CUSA?
McNeese is probable honestly. Fan talk doesn't want them in the WAC because of low academic standings. Hell if SHSU wants to jump ship right away to go FBS that is understandable. I think that the stability of the conference would play a factor for some of the more solid FCS schools knowing they will go FBS soon. Could be that CUSA poaches the Texas 4 and screwing over the WAC but I would think that would be iffy at best.
WAC Tournament is in Las Vegas at the Orleans Arena, more like 1400 by car. Less so depending on what airport SHSU uses.
Terrible deal. You can't build a program being independent.
They have some good ideas over there at MWC but I think Indy is the way to go. Schedule all the schools we've always wanted to play, form an scheduling alliance with MWC and fill it in with NMSU, UCON, Army and other indy's (Notre Dame?)
I suggest Independence in football 6 months ago. Called stupid and awful for UTEP.
Says who. You think playing North Dakota is better? NMSU is doing okay plus they get the NCAA tournament cash every year. El Paso could host the WAC tournament every other year or at least play in Vegas. I'd travel there.
Why would the MWC make a scheduling alliance with UTEP? Our schedule would look like NMSU's. We're not Notre Dame and we're not Army.
Minerforlife says playing FCS teams is crappy. But a league with NMSU and some FCS move ups is better now. Okay…………….
Have you seen NMSU's football team lately? They're not doing okay.
Yeah but did you make a cool map to go with it...
