RE: Should MWC drop Hawaii for UTEP?
UTEP would go the MWC if asked by themselves or with another school (like Rice for example). Wouldn't matter. Why? Because we have our biggest rival in that conference: New Mexico. Sure, both football programs are awful right now (well they've been bad forever LOL) but the UTEP-UNM basketball rivalry game would be the best in the MWC just like it was in the Ol' WAC days of the 80's and 90's.
Another reason is because we have history with Colorado State, Wyoming, Air Force, New Mexico, Hawaii, San Diego State and Fresno State. Nevada and Boise State were conference mates for a four or five years before UTEP left for C-USA. San Jose State was there but we never developed any emotion or hatred towards them and I'm sure they felt the same about us. Utah State was never in the WAC while UTEP was there but they have a good basketball program and it's making progress in football. Add the fact that most MWC schools fit the UTEP/El Paso profile of a urban school that's the only game in town (e.g. Albuquerque, Boise, Fresno, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Colorado Springs, etc) and it's a no brainer.
With that said, UTEP wouldn't mind staying in C-USA. Some cynics would say "well that's because you have no other options" and perhaps it's true but unlike the past 15 years when UTEP was left behind by the MWC defectors in the WAC with a bunch of schools UTEP had no history with (except for Fresno and Hawaii) and later when Rice, Tulsa and SMU left for C-USA.........UTEP is not currently desperate to leave the conference it's currently in like in the WAC days. Back in 2004, UTEP saw the writing in the wall that the WAC was a dying conference and wanted to get away as far as possible from Karl Benson. Sure, C-USA 3.0 is not the conference UTEP joined in 2005 and it's far from being perfect but it's a much better conference than the one UTEP was 10 years ago (WAC) where everybody was begging the MWC to take them and where it lost its Texas connection once SMU and Rice decided to leave. That's why UTEP came out of nowhere and took what was considered Louisiana Tech's spot after TCU announced it was going to the MWC.
But if UTEP ever goes to the MWC and loses its Texas connections (which has tried really hard to build when the SWC refugees were invited to the WAC-16 in the mid 90's) don't count on other Texas FBS schools in playing UTEP in OOC games in football. For decades UTEP was invisible in the rest of the state due to geography and being in a Western based conference. I'm sure the likes of Rice, SMU, Houston, North Texas, Texas State and UTSA wouldn't see the upside of playing UTEP. It benefits UTEP but they gain nothing in return except for UTEP fans filling their stadiums and arenas but that's it. Same goes for Tech, TCU, Texas, Baylor and A&M. Those would be money games with no return games to El Paso especially for UT and A&M. UTEP would not be in position to demand a one and one to some of those Texas schools because they'll know we really want the exposure and they gain nothing in return since El Paso offers little FBS caliber recruits (but it's a fertile HS baseball recruiting area) and it's a long drive from the state's biggest metro areas.
UTEP to the MWC is a double edged sword. On one side we would see familiar names on our schedule in FB and BB but our exposure in the rest of the state will be minimal to the point where UTEP would start recruiting more in California like it used to. Personally I would like to see UTEP in the MWC but at the same time I would be fine if UTEP stays in C-USA with Rice, UNT, UTSA, Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech in the same division. Like I said before, this is not the case like in 1998 or 2004 where we had to get out of the WAC. At least I don't see that feeling coming from our President and AD as it was in the WAC but I could be wrong.
As for Hawaii, they'll be fine and no, they're not going anywhere. They're staying in the MWC for FB and the Big West for BB/Oly sports. They have a good deal going on.
(This post was last modified: 12-02-2013 04:00 AM by UTEPDallas.)
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Should MWC drop Hawaii for UTEP?
