(11-28-2017 04:48 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(11-28-2017 12:43 AM)NeptunianEmp Wrote:  Both NMSU and Idaho were not extended invitations to continue in the SBC. The claim was travel distance which was especially strenuous for games at Idaho. The SBC also decided not to keep us when the NCAA ruled that a conference needs only 10 football teams to have a conference championship.

Depending on how this current season finishes out, and with our future schedules, we may be re invited to the SBC. There are some universities that wanted us to stay and we very well could move over there for full membership if the WAC continues to implode.

No one will blame NMSU if that happens and they have to do what's in their best interest. But I would be a little disappointed because I see you as a western school at your core. I can't picture Troy, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina or Georgia Southern as your rivals. NMSU's ideal conference is probably the 90s Big West with a Texas State or USA tossed in.

Its entirely possible that you just named four of the schools that might have voted to block NMSU. USA might have been opposed too if that meant they'd be in the East division (USA strongly prefers staying West). Georgia State might have been another. I think the vote was 7-5 or 6-6 on NMSU's admission. Flip 2 of them, and you might have the numbers.

The problem for NMSU right now is that unless they're paired with JMU, or some school looking to defect from CUSA East to the Belt (unlikely), there's no one there that can provide a benefit to the Eastern schools in return for adding NMSU. Missouri State doesn't do it. Jacksonville State isn't getting a bid so long as Troy, USA, and Georgia State are in the league, there's no team in Florida that is that is capable of being considered in the medium term, and EKU just isn't going to be that much of a draw either. The FBS independent in the footprint is a complete and total non-starter for the league (I see 2 votes for admission for them - max).

Basically, the way NMSU gets in.....the Western schools, who largely (and some of them STRONGLY) want NMSU in the league hold up the application of JMU until they cave in on NMSU's application. Some of the Western schools are actually somewhat irritated (I wouldn't say pissed, but irritated) about NMSU's non-extension and would be very willing to return the favor as a way of getting what they want.