I can definitely see why UTEP would want to stay in a conference with UTSA and UNT, the closest thing to peer institutions.

Perhaps the answer is to form a breakaway conference of Texas schools that also acts as a defacto 2nd western G5 conference.

New Mexico State
UT El Paso
UT San Antonio
Texas State
North Texas
Rice
Arkansas State
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Lafayette
Southern Miss

This could be coming soon if CUSA's TV numbers are projected to drop for the next contract. This alignment would save on travel for the schools involved, even if the TV deal is similar money.

CUSA would then have to respond by doubling down in Georgia (GSU, GoS) and Alabama (Troy, USA).

CUSA West: Marshall, WKU, MTSU, UAB, Troy, USA
CUSA East: Charlotte, ODU, GoS, GSU, FAU, FIU

App St, Idaho and ULM would be left scrambling for homes....

(12-02-2013 04:38 AM)jdgaucho Wrote:  How does UTEP not even field a baseball team? I cannot imagine any Texas University without one.

And, do most Miner fans they feel like they belong more with the UAB's, UTSA's, Southern Miss's and WKU's? Or more like with the UNLV's, Colorado State's, UNM's and Utah State's??

No baseball for financial reasons. Used to have a baseball team but no campus ball park meant very little in attendance. If the money becomes available and a ball park can be built on or next to campus, I think it would be supported fairly well.

As for schools we belong with, the perfect fit was supposedly about to happen back when we were assured that the alliance was going to happen. Our prez and AD seemed practically giddy about it. At that time it looked like BSU and SDSU were going to the BE and the MWC and C-USA were going to join forces. With the configuration of the divisions, possibly 4 of them, UTEP looked to be joining a division with AFA, Wyoming, CSU and UNM from the MWC along with another team or 2 from Texas. Depended on how many members the alliance ended up with. When the deal fell apart there was a lot of disappointment in Minerland for sure.

Now, being in a conference division with UNT, UTSA, Rice, LT, USM, UAB will align us with some good basketball schools... LT, USM, UAB right now and also keep us in touch with the other major Texas cities and recruiting areas. Playing CSU and UNM out of conference is working ok but that likely won't go on forever.

(12-02-2013 10:51 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 04:38 AM)jdgaucho Wrote:  How does UTEP not even field a baseball team? I cannot imagine any Texas University without one.

And, do most Miner fans they feel like they belong more with the UAB's, UTSA's, Southern Miss's and WKU's? Or more like with the UNLV's, Colorado State's, UNM's and Utah State's??

No baseball for financial reasons. Used to have a baseball team but no campus ball park meant very little in attendance. If the money becomes available and a ball park can be built on or next to campus, I think it would be supported fairly well.

As for schools we belong with, the perfect fit was supposedly about to happen back when we were assured that the alliance was going to happen. Our prez and AD seemed practically giddy about it. At that time it looked like BSU and SDSU were going to the BE and the MWC and C-USA were going to join forces. With the configuration of the divisions, possibly 4 of them, UTEP looked to be joining a division with AFA, Wyoming, CSU and UNM from the MWC along with another team or 2 from Texas. Depended on how many members the alliance ended up with. When the deal fell apart there was a lot of disappointment in Minerland for sure.

Now, being in a conference division with UNT, UTSA, Rice, LT, USM, UAB will align us with some good basketball schools... LT, USM, UAB right now and also keep us in touch with the other major Texas cities and recruiting areas. Playing CSU and UNM out of conference is working ok but that likely won't go on forever.

Im a big supporter of the nationwide G5 concept (both the Big East version and the Alliance version) as I think that is the only model that hold any promise of improving the financial fortunes for G5 schools (well, at least those that don't get invited to a power conference).

Frankly, I think that Alliance concept would have placed CUSA/MW schools in a very strong position going forward. I can see it would have been great for UTEP. Too bad the parties chose to go a different way. Still, I agree with you that the MW would be UTEP's best option, but their current position is certainly viable until something better opens up. Its not like the desperate latter days of the WAC. CUSA is big enough and has enough options to stay viable.