I think NMSU is more likely to drop football than join the Southland. Not only is the conference a bad match academically and perception wise, but NMSU recruits heavily in Texas now, and basically only has the FBS label as advantage over schools like Sam Houston and SFAustin. As an FCS member that advantage would disappear. We get a few hidden gem players each year now ,but as an FCS team in a Texas centric league even that would end.

The Big Sky is a tough match geographically because of the distances and smaller cities, but I think because the Western location would put NMSU on more or less the same recruiting situation within the conference, and it is a better match academically and school mission wise, it is a more likely destination than the Southland.

Not to say NMSU wouldn't drop football instead of any FCS, but if we go FCS, I think it is Big Sky.