WKU and MTSU - To MAC by next week?
- Thread starter elpasoeagle
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Doesn't adding more conference members mean you have to split the pie more ways?
When you're a super-conference SEC, then adding Oklahoma and Texas with their massive followings will grow the pie for everybody, so everybody gets a bigger slice.
But I'm not sure how much WKU and MTSU will grow the pie for the MAC.
When you're a super-conference SEC, then adding Oklahoma and Texas with their massive followings will grow the pie for everybody, so everybody gets a bigger slice.
But I'm not sure how much WKU and MTSU will grow the pie for the MAC.
Is it crazy to think that regardless if all this movement, I think in 10 years the Power 5 will be on its own and be in a Super FBS or FBS1. MWC, MAC, AAC, Sun Belt will be relegated to FBS2. Then the best team from FBS2 will get a chance to make the playoffs with FBS1 schools. FBS 2 will still go to lower tier bowls. These are all power and positional moves by ESPN and P5. UTEP will have to hope CUSA survives somehow by adding FCS schools or hope they're added to MWC if Big 12 or Pac 12 take some MWC schools. If not at least in Football UTEP will have no choice, but to be forced in to FCS. This unlikely reality, isn't as unlikely as it may sound.
There's one more shake up coming. There are only going to be four power conferences. That's how it's always been planned. The Big 10 and Pac 12 will kill the Big 12. This will happen sooner rather than later. That's when UTEP will find a conference home.
There are too many schools in the Big 12 that don't fit in either the Big 10 or Pac 12, which both highly value AAU membership. (The only non-AAU member of the Big 10, Nebraska, was an AAU member when they joined.) They want flagship schools, strong research institutions. With UT departing, the only remaining AAU schools in the Big 12 are Kansas and Iowa State, and I don't see the Big 10 salivating over either of them. A case could be made for Kansas on the strength of their basketball team, but basketball isn't the driving force behind these realignments: football is.
The Pac 12 also values AAU membership (Berkeley, UCLA, Arizona, Stanford, Oregon, USC, Washington, and Colorado are all members), but that aside, who's the Pac 12 going to take? I don't see either the Big 10 or the Pac 12 going after the remaining Texas teams (Baylor, Tech, Houston, TCU); they're just not good fits, culturally, and they don't bring the eyeballs that UT or even A&M (both AAU members) would. Who wants Oklahoma State? Who wants West Virginia? Do you really think the Pac 12 wants BYU?
The Big 10 and the Pac 12 have already picked whom they wanted to pick from the Big 12. The Big 10 is more likely to try to raid the ACC again than go after any remaining Big 12 schools.
What's left in the Big 12, for the most part, aren't the flagship research universities that the Big 10 and Pac 12 want, but by adding Houston, Cincinnati, and BYU, they have a core of very good athletic programs that will remain very formidable on an athletic basis. We know how good the Houston and Cincy football teams have been in recent years, and in basketball, I think the Big 12 is arguably the best conference right now. And I think getting out from under the thumb of the entitled Longhorns is a blessing in disguise for them; they're now a real conference, instead of UT + everybody else. I don't think the Big 12 is on the verge of collapse.
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La Tech, FIU, and UTEP. Add NMSU, Liberty, and Umass? That’s 6, and two FCS teams? Can CUSA be saved? This gets worse by the week.
I think UMASS is desperate to get into a conference. They have put alot of money into the football program. It's crazy how we have to try and be in a conference with a team from far west TX, southern NM, Louisiana, South Florida, Virginia, Connecticut and Massachusetts. This is just crazy. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the CUSA meeting rooms on what's the next play. UTEP, La Tech, FIU can try and rebuild CUSA with Texas/Louisiana Alabama, Georgia teams (Mc Neese St. Sam Houston St Tarleton St. Kennesaw St Jacksonville State) and Liberty. Or go to the WAC who's wanting to go FBS anyways, but not sure if that's a possibility. They're looking to add Mc Neese St. as well. WAC can add 3 established FBS programs like Utep, NMSU and La Tech and then get at least 3-5 of the others FBS ready in the next 2 years and UTEP and La Tech go to Waco for basketball and other sports. I don't know just spit balling as the snow ball rolls faster down hill.
UMass and UConn do not count for anything. CUSA needs all sport members. Talking about UMass/UConn right now is getting way ahead of it. CUSA needs 5 more all sports members, first. Then they need to make sure they all have similar sports to satisfy requirements. FIU and LaTech have baseball. FIU has men’s soccer. Of course, UTEP has neither.
For the FCS option, it is doable. And while fans might want to move up, do the Presidents and regents.
From a budget, if you look at ULM and their 15-17 million dollar budget, there Texas FCS schools already have a higher budget - Lamar, SFA, SHSU, and ACU. If you look at other conferences you could possibly pull teams from WAC. Southern, or MVC. So yes, it can be done. UTEP needs to keep investing and show the MWC they are serious. The one thing that is probably most important for the survival of CUSA - REPLACE JUDY!
From a budget, if you look at ULM and their 15-17 million dollar budget, there Texas FCS schools already have a higher budget - Lamar, SFA, SHSU, and ACU. If you look at other conferences you could possibly pull teams from WAC. Southern, or MVC. So yes, it can be done. UTEP needs to keep investing and show the MWC they are serious. The one thing that is probably most important for the survival of CUSA - REPLACE JUDY!
