What if UTEP was asked to leave C-USA?

[MinerInWisconsin]

Remember when Temple was booted from the Big East for lack of competitive football? Both NMSU and Idaho have been kicked out of the Sun Belt conference at the end of 2017-18 school year due to geography and lack of decent football.

If UTEP were winning, having big crowds in football and getting to the big dance now and then in mbb there wouldn't be any question that one day the MWC would come calling. But with an anemic football program, a mediocre mbb program and an inconvenient geographical situation, might C-USA ask UTEP to either get their athletic department going or please leave by such 'n such a date? Could happen. If so, what would UTEP do?

 

[Minerforlife]

Not going to happen. No chance at all.

 

[allminer]

Maybe that's the plan?

Before anyone goes ape$h!t, I say that facetiously of course.

 

[jdubb66]

Perspective. 17,000 fans was what N. Texas was drawing when they were winning. I don't thinks SMU gets that now.

 

[utep2step]

Remember when Temple was booted from the Big East for lack of competitive football? Both NMSU and Idaho have been kicked out of the Sun Belt conference at the end of 2017-18 school year due to geography and lack of decent football.

If UTEP were winning, having big crowds in football and getting to the big dance now and then in mbb there wouldn't be any question that one day the MWC would come calling. But with an anemic football program, a mediocre mbb program and an inconvenient geographical situation, might C-USA ask UTEP to either get their athletic department going or please leave by such 'n such a date? Could happen. If so, what would UTEP do?

I agree, it will never happen. Get left behind again is another story.

 

[JCorona]

Western Kentucky finished in the top25 with a 12-2 record last season. They couldn't draw 17,000 to the CUSA championship game. The conference knows our potential if we ever get our act together. If we had that record and hosted a conference championship game we would easily hit over 45k.

 

[kickballpro]

Well, you look at the situation NMSU is in. I think UTEP would have to join a low major in Basketball (C-USA might not even be a mid-major anymore) most likley the WAC and go independent in Football. Obviously a sever drop in revenue and budget would adversely impact the program. Dropping a Division should never be an option as it is a completely asinine decision.

I hate when people call the talk show and say that UTEP should drop. If we drop, they do realize that it won't be D1 UTEP playing a D2 schedule right?

 

[utep2step]

Western Kentucky finished in the top25 with a 12-2 record last season. They couldn't draw 17,000 to the CUSA championship game. The conference knows our potential if we ever get our act together. If we had that record and hosted a conference championship game we would easily hit over 45k.

The Sun Bowl would sell out, IMO. WKU and La Tech are in the bottom half of the league for overall attendance but are better programs on the field as compared to UTEP. MTSU is one or two notches above them and is more competitive and consistent as compared to the Miners. One site grouped the AA, MWC, Sun Belt, MAC and CUSA attendance figures (article was written in 2015) and UTEP was the only one in the top 10 with close to 29,000. Last year took another hit and this year will probably be Lee/Bailey era numbers or worse.

http://www.minerrush.com/2015/4/7/8148419/group-of-five-attendance-numbers-aac-mw-mac-sun-belt-cusa

 

[unihorn]

subjunctive = were

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

NMSU was not kicked out because of poor football and geography. Sun Belt wanted all sports members for division reasons and NMSU refused to move all non-football sports from the WAC. Money was an issue because the Sun Belt wanted monetary concessions from NMSU as well as Idaho to "join" the Belt for all sports. Rumor has it that the entire meeting between all parties took less than 20 min. NMSU and Idaho weren't going to pay to join a conference they were already part of. The Sun Belt felt they had leverage on both schools and they could use this leverage to their benefit and like many a Carl Benson move it didn't end well.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

NMSU was not kicked out because of poor football and geography. Sun Belt wanted all sports members for division reasons and NMSU refused to move all non-football sports from the WAC. Money was an issue because the Sun Belt wanted monetary concessions from NMSU as well as Idaho to "join" the Belt for all sports. Rumor has it that the entire meeting between all parties took less than 20 min. NMSU and Idaho weren't going to pay to join a conference they were already part of. The Sun Belt felt they had leverage on both schools and they could use this leverage to their benefit and like many a Carl Benson move it didn't end well.

Sorry but you have NMSU's situation with the SBC ass backwards. NMSU proposed to give the SBC travel subsidies to not only stay in the conference but to join all sports. NMSU wanted all sports in the SBC.

http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015...-sun-belt-millions-in-travel-compensation-for

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

By the way, I'm not saying this will happen but I am saying that the UTEP administration better pull it's collective head out and make a real effort to have winning FB and MBB programs because those are the programs that are noticed on a national scale. Don't put yourself in a position of weakness when the time comes for further conference realignment.

 

[Tribalwarriorx]

I agree, it will never happen. Get left behind again is another story.

I'll opt for the get left behind thing. Can't see CUSA asking (or telling) them to leave, but I can certainly see UTEP getting assigned that one seat in the caboose.

 

[MEXTEX1]

I watched the MW juggernaut San Jose St vs Nevada last Saturday night. Absolutely awful crowd attendance - as seen on tv. The people on this list bemoaning why UTEP isn't a member of MW might wonder why SJS is in & UTEP is not.

 

[kickballpro]

By the way, I'm not saying this will happen but I am saying that the UTEP administration better pull it's collective head out and make a real effort to have winning FB and MBB programs because those are the programs that are noticed on a national scale. Don't put yourself in a position of weakness when the time comes for further conference realignment.

I understood, completely hypothetical talk.

But now that Coach Floyd has said we are a 12 hour drive from anywhere, maybe geographically we could be out like NMSU is.

 

[MinerDave]

If we get kicked out of Conference USA we would play NMSU 12 times, each of us win 6 games and make a bowl every year. WIN WIN

 

[LaserCoog]

I'll opt for the get left behind thing. Can't see CUSA asking (or telling) them to leave, but I can certainly see UTEP getting assigned that one seat in the caboose.

You don't need to be a partner at BDO to figure out UTEP likely cannot indefinitely sustain its current revenue trend line without risking being permanently relegated to the collegiate athletic outhouse, regardless of conference affiliation. Stull has drilled holes with his BB and FB hires that may take years to overcome, if ever.

 

[liebestraum]

Well, you look at the situation NMSU is in. I think UTEP would have to join a low major in Basketball (C-USA might not even be a mid-major anymore) most likley the WAC and go independent in Football. Obviously a sever drop in revenue and budget would adversely impact the program. Dropping a Division should never be an option as it is a completely asinine decision.

I hate when people call the talk show and say that UTEP should drop. If we drop, they do realize that it won't be D1 UTEP playing a D2 schedule right?

OK - just to clear up something. D1 has two facets: FBS, FCS. Right now UTEP is in FBS (not that we ever do much "B", but that's our cross to bear). FCS is still division 1 - it includes North Dakota State, Sam Houston State, Montana, Villanova, etc. These are very good teams (ask Iowa about NDSU). I'm not saying UTEP should drop to that level, but again, it is still D1. They just don't go to bowl games because, well, they actually play for a national championship - playoffs and everything.

Division 2 is a level below that - think Tarleton State, Angelo State. UTEP would never drop to that level. Well, it could happen - just like the Cubs could win the World Series. Hahahahaha.... yeah, right.

At any rate, UTEP will probably stay in the FBS but will operate only in the margins - which is pretty much what we're doing now.

lieb

 

[Tribalwarriorx]

I watched the MW juggernaut San Jose St vs Nevada last Saturday night. Absolutely awful crowd attendance - as seen on tv. The people on this list bemoaning why UTEP isn't a member of MW might wonder why SJS is in & UTEP is not.

It wasn't always that way for San Jose St.