UMass AD says there could be more FB Independents

[MinerInWisconsin]

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...alignment-starts-up-again-in-next-five-years/



FeralFelidae and Hot For Keitha both mentioned on another thread that UTEP FB needs to taste some success, even if it is against a weaker schedule. Army is a good example of using an easier schedule to create momentum. NoNCAAWinsSince1992 has brought up the idea of FB indy for UTEP numerous times. So how could this work for UTEP since we don't have the greatest basketball conference destination available.

First, UTEP would lose CUSA payout of a couple of million per year, that's a normal year not a covid year. Second, UTEP would have to seek a possible bowl connection like NMSU did the year they won the Arizona Bowl.

Here is Army's 2020 schedule:

Bucknell, @Rice, Oklahoma, @Miami (Ohio), Princeton, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, AFA, @Tulane, @UMass, @UConn, Navy.

Three FCS schools, a power 5 at home, several very beatable (for Army) FBS schools. In a good year that's 9 or 10 wins for Army. In a mediocre year it's 6 or 7 wins. UTEP might be able to build a good program playing a schedule like that.

Where could UTEP put their non-FB sports? WAC would be one possibility. Anything else?

Discuss.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

I don’t know how many teams have the situation like UConn had.

UTEP basketball sucks, so no “better” conference would want just UTEP basketball.

I have suggested this because we suck in Conference USA and I would not want to remain in a 14 team, 1 bid league with teams in Florida, West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia.

 

[JCorona]

If we really want to weaken our schedule even more. I didn’t know we could get any weaker than a CUSA schedule, but if that’s what we want in order to win games, then we should want this to be a reality.

WAC FOOTBALL!!!

• WAC West – Dixie State, Southern Utah, UTEP, New Mexico State
• WAC East – Abilene Christian, Incarnate Word, Tarleton State, Houston Baptist

Boom. Year after year of division and conference titles. After we dominate that for a few decades maybe the SB or CUSA will invite us.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

If we really want to weaken our schedule even more. I didn’t know we could get any weaker than a CUSA schedule, but if that’s what we want in order to win games, then we should want this to be a reality.

WAC FOOTBALL!!!

• WAC West – Dixie State, Southern Utah, UTEP, New Mexico State
• WAC East – Abilene Christian, Incarnate Word, Tarleton State, Houston Baptist

Boom. Year after year of division and conference titles. After we dominate that for a few decades maybe the SB or CUSA will invite us.

I would bet that maybe 1 or 2 of those teams would go FBS. The WAC with UTEP minus Chicago St is not a bad basketball league. Same amount of bids with better travel.

 

[Autograph Boy]

I would bet that maybe 1 or 2 of those teams would go FBS. The WAC with UTEP minus Chicago St is not a bad basketball league. Same amount of bids with better travel.

Plus a rival with GCU would be great. You know GCU students will come here. Would be awesome!

 

[JCorona]

Plus a rival with GCU would be great. You know GCU students will come here. Would be awesome!

Or we could schedule a series with them ooc.

 

[Autograph Boy]

Or we could schedule a series with them ooc.

But we wouldn't play them twice every year. Can't really have a rivalry not doing that.

 

[JCorona]

I would bet that maybe 1 or 2 of those teams would go FBS. The WAC with UTEP minus Chicago St is not a bad basketball league. Same amount of bids with better travel.

They’re all FBS in the dream scenario. We get to win games and everyone is happy. The south side of the Sun Bowl would probably need to be expanded. Those games against Tarleton St would easily sell 60k tickets without the help of Aspire. We would probably have to fire them too. Wouldn’t need them anymore. A 10 win UTEP team hosting Southern Utah. Espn game day would probably want to host that event.

 

[Autograph Boy]

They’re all FBS in the dream scenario. We get to win games and everyone is happy. The south side of Sun Bowl would probably need to be expanded. Those games against Tarleton St would easily sell 60k tickets without the help of Aspire. We would probably have to fire them too. Wouldn’t need them anymore. A 10 win UTEP team hosting Southern Utah. Espn game day would probably want to host that event.

ESPN Game Day did visit South Dakota State.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

If we really want to weaken our schedule even more. I didn’t know we could get any weaker than a CUSA schedule, but if that’s what we want in order to win games, then we should want this to be a reality.

WAC FOOTBALL!!!

• WAC West – Dixie State, Southern Utah, UTEP, New Mexico State
• WAC East – Abilene Christian, Incarnate Word, Tarleton State, Houston Baptist

Boom. Year after year of division and conference titles. After we dominate that for a few decades maybe the SB or CUSA will invite us.

I was thinking we might have a bit of a serious discussion about this. UTEP is deep in the doldrums athletically and while Indy for FB may not be the answer, it may turn out to be a good thing.

I certainly don't think the WAC as a football conference should be given a 2nd thought. UTEP could play a couple of payday games to make up for lack of a conference payout. UTEP could keep NMSU on the schedule plus two FCS teams as Army does. That's 3 winnable games right off the bat. Then a mixture of FBS schools from CUSA, MWC and SBC. Get some momentum going for the FB team and who knows, we might someday have a good enough team to be taken seriously by the MWC for full membership. But build athletics up with a football team that can first win the easy games, attract more fans due to some wins happening, attract better athletes over time, etc. That's all I'm saying. I would much rather UTEP suddenly gets good in FB and miracles of miracles, they win CUSA, win a bowl game, no indy needed.

 

[JCorona]

I was thinking we might have a bit of a serious discussion about this. UTEP is deep in the doldrums athletically and while Indy for FB may not be the answer, it may turn out to be a good thing.

I certainly don't think the WAC as a football conference should be given a 2nd thought. UTEP could play a couple of payday games to make up for lack of a conference payout. UTEP could keep NMSU on the schedule plus two FCS teams as Army does. That's 3 winnable games right off the bat. Then a mixture of FBS schools from CUSA, MWC and SBC. Get some momentum going for the FB team and who knows, we might someday have a good enough team to be taken seriously by the MWC for full membership. But build athletics up with a football team that can first win the easy games, attract more fans due to some wins happening, attract better athletes over time, etc. That's all I'm saying. I would much rather UTEP suddenly gets good in FB and miracles of miracles, they win CUSA, win a bowl game, no indy needed.

There's nothing holding us back right now from hosting two FCS teams. Hit the road to P5 teams on the other two ooc games and we offset the costs. We already play NMSU every year. There's the three winnable plus eight guaranteed games against teams from one of the worst-rated football league in the nation.

I believe we will sink to the level of our competition. Weaker teams around us don’t strengthen us, we strengthen them.

There’s no reason we shouldn't be in the top half standings of CUSA right now. Charlotte, ODU, and UTSA football didn't even exist prior to CUSA 3.0. WKU, UNT, MTSU, FIU, and FAU are all somewhat new to the FBS level. We've been here playing bad football long before their programs existed at the FBS level. The problem is us not the teams we play. I don’t think changing the names of our opponents will cause more wins until we change the names of our Athletic Leaders.

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

Plus a rival with GCU would be great. You know GCU students will come here. Would be awesome!

Dumb idea dude! Much better to have games vs Middle Tennessee and FIU. Who wants to play games in a new, packed arena in Phoenix? I prefer playing (and losing) in front of 1,000 people in Ruston, LA and Boca Raton.

 

[shyminer81]

Bringing the WAC back, is something that seems possible.

UTEP, NMSU, UTSA, Rice, UNT,Texas State? A decent centralized foundation. Would UTSA, UNT, Rice, Texas St want to though? CUSA, probably wants to get rid of UTEP anyways...

 

[Hot For Keitha]

If those teams wanted a league with us we should jump at it. Regional, division one competition that doesn't much alter our place in the college world and allows us to establish geographical and cost-efficient rivalries to build a better product.

Unfortunately, I could see them happy to dump us out of CUSA and move on. We bring nothing currently.

 

[Cube Jack]

While we're dreaming, I'd like world peace

 

[NoNCAAWinsSince1992]

Potential UTEP schedule:
2 FCS home games
3 P5 road games
NMSU
Liberty
At BYU
Rice
at UTSA
at UConn
UMass

Flip it the following year. Maybe not getting BYU at home. Sign them for a 1 for 3 deal. Sign home and homes with Rice and UTSA. Better schedule or same then what we play now.