Yikes. Pretty bad quote by LA Texh AD https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/l...k7bTYJJulWv8rZ5NvKBP9XwKijItUn8DuOCwYiHGVL8OY
"But I think for us, you know, you’ve got understand… if we all of a sudden decided there was going to be a membership expansion in Conference USA, I think there would be numerous individuals from that league that would be interested in joining and paying a premium that we all pay to be in this league." CUSA charges admission?
Why would anyone want to be in CUSA that isn’t currently stuck there? Sun Belt, Fun Belt. Meanwhile no one knows where to watch CUSA games (or cares).
Sounding more and more like it'll be USM, Marshall, James Madison, and Old Dominion. Announcement some time next week. Not wild about Old Dominion because they're one of those big commuter schools that I hated playing in C-USA. But the Tidewater area supports them decently (they rank highly in ticket sales/contributions) so whatever. Basketball and baseball are above average at least. I'm a big JMU guy. Great FCS program that can compete immediately. Fit the Sun Belt model of Southern(ish) public schools in smaller markets with a passionate fan base. Hopefully, one of the C-USA leftovers drops and we stay at the FBS number of 130 so as not to dilute the talent pool. For us, travel will be so much better. Drivable trips to 5/6 division opponents. Fewer trips to some of the cooler college towns in the east at 14 but that's the trade off for a geographically-sensible alignment. Hate it for LaTech but they've done it themselves with the way they've treated ULM/ULL/SBC over the years. Selfishly, I want them in the same league for travel and rivalry purposes.
Island of Misfit Toys Conference: FIU Liberty LA Tech MTSU New Mexico State UConn UMass UTEP Western Kentucky There's really no good landing spot for any of these if CUSA dies. Does CUSA just take Liberty's money? Add them, NMSU, Eastern Kentucky, and someone else desperate to come up? Seems mostly they're just staving off their inevitable demise.
The remaining schools could come up some football scheduling alliance and then put their non-football teams in a regional conference (UTEP in the WAC, FIU in the A-Sun, WKU/MTSU in the MVC, etc.). That's 4 built-in games. Then add 3 more from UConn/UMass/NMSU/Liberty. Then you're just having to schedule 5 "non-conference" games which I guess is kinda doable.
From a purely geographical standpoint it makes sense but they already have 12 football members so I think at that point you're looking at having to add another. NMSU has been sitting there for years available so it obviously wouldn't be them. I'm also not sure they have the type of investment into athletics the MWC would want.
What's the benefit for the MAC here? Splitting a (maybe) slightly larger pie 14 ways instead of 12 doesn't make much sense.
The cusa wasn’t exactly thriving but it’s nuts to see that a conference got completely vaporized over like a three month period.
Is Tarleton State even FCS? I thought it was Division II. If you’re that desperate, take Abilene Christian and at least get a hoops brand.
They just moved up to the reformed WAC (FCS). My minimal understanding is that they're dumping a ton of money into athletics trying to climb the latter. What does this do for MTSU and WKU? They have to add something in the east too. I know EKU wants to move up. The Sun Belt seems primed to snag JMU so not sure what their options look like on that front. Oh wait yes there is...Liberty
If I were them I’d want to see if the Sun Belt has more room. That’s actually a sneaky fun conference now.
I lived in Texas off and on for 10 years and I have no idea where Tarleton State is in the state. It could be in the Panhandle for all I know.
The Sun Belt accomplished what CUSA (and now the AAC kinda sorta) should've been trying to do instead of compiling schools in or near large cities. I don't think it's outrageous to think a decade from now the Sun Belt is the premier "G5" conference if the current structure still exists.
As should NM State. Haven't they been in and out of conferences for a while now? I know they money is good, but some schools should take a look at Idaho
So their response is to add two of the worst division one programs, and a school no one will take because they’re a breeding ground for future school board meeting protesters?