If UTEP and Rice leave we need to find a way to get the hell out of this conference.

The only reason UTSA turned down MWC a few years back was due to the travel with Texas mates.

CUSA-W and CUSA-E might as well be completely difference conferences. I have zero interest playing MT, Marshall, WKU, Charlotte, or ODU. I'm sure most feel the same about us.

I can just sense the folks in Harrisonburg are like "YESYESYESYES!!!"

(12-11-2015 02:50 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  UTEP I'd expect. Rice...yikes, will you just commit to a bigger budget so you can run with the other big schools? Nobody understands why you don't just do it already. YOU COULD STAMP YOUR TICKET MOST ANYWHERE.

I'm sure they have their reasons for doing what they're doing, but it does seem as though they should either push all the chips to the center of the table in an effort to get P5 consideration, or fold their hand and take it to the UAA, where if nothing else, academic profile won't be an issue (though they'd have to house football elsewhere, since the UAA no longer sponsors it).

(12-11-2015 02:31 PM)49erlew Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 02:15 PM)solohawks Wrote:  16 would work this time. Take the 4 Texas schools from CUSA and bump Utah st and boise to the west. Everyone is happy. Dont know if the 4 CUSA Schools would be interested but it would work

If they want them, they can have them IMO.

Not a single negative sentiment to any of those schools.

Anything that makes C-USA more geographically concise is a plus.

CUSA has 4 Texas members. How does losing 2 of those make us more geographically concise? If they go UTSA needs to follow. I'd much rather travel West than East. We have major pipelines in Cali.

(12-11-2015 03:03 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  I can just sense the folks in Harrisonburg are like "YESYESYESYES!!!"

Unlikely, for two reasons:

1. No financial incentive to go above 12 again.
2. If they were to expand, it'd almost have to be two western teams to make up for the loss of UTEP and Rice. Some combination of Texas State, UL Lafayette and Arkansas State. There's no obvious team to join JMU in the east, unless Liberty makes a miracle pitch or Appalachian is enticed by being in a division with Marshall, Charlotte and ODU. Can't be one east, one west, because then you'd still have the problem of splitting Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.

Interesting note is the support for BYU is 'fractioned'. So, I guess the only spot left for BYU is the AAC as a football only member.

(12-11-2015 01:52 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  But why would Rice want the MWC, unless as mentioned earlier, the TV contract is going to be so onerous that anything else would be better? I thought they'd hold out for the AAC, or the Big 12 in a dream scenario.

Personally, I would much rather see Rice go to the AAC than MWC, even with UH no longer in the AAC for that scenario to happen. Much easier travel and some good academic schools. Very few of the MWC schools interest me and none of them would really be rivals in any true sense (at least in CUSA we have close in-state programs). But it is still a step up in the G5 world, albeit a very small step.

The problem for CUSA would become losing 2 decent markets, even if Rice doesn't throw around much weight in the Houston market.

(12-11-2015 03:08 PM)SApuro Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 02:31 PM)49erlew Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 02:15 PM)solohawks Wrote:  16 would work this time. Take the 4 Texas schools from CUSA and bump Utah st and boise to the west. Everyone is happy. Dont know if the 4 CUSA Schools would be interested but it would work

If they want them, they can have them IMO.

Not a single negative sentiment to any of those schools.

Anything that makes C-USA more geographically concise is a plus.

CUSA has 4 Texas members. How does losing 2 of those make us more geographically concise? If they go UTSA needs to follow. I'd much rather travel West than East. We have major pipelines in Cali.

I think he's reacting to hawks' suggestion that all four Texas schools join the MWC and make the Texas-Louisiana/Arkansas border the western extent of CUSA.

(12-11-2015 03:09 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 03:08 PM)SApuro Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 02:31 PM)49erlew Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 02:15 PM)solohawks Wrote:  16 would work this time. Take the 4 Texas schools from CUSA and bump Utah st and boise to the west. Everyone is happy. Dont know if the 4 CUSA Schools would be interested but it would work

If they want them, they can have them IMO.

Not a single negative sentiment to any of those schools.

Anything that makes C-USA more geographically concise is a plus.

CUSA has 4 Texas members. How does losing 2 of those make us more geographically concise? If they go UTSA needs to follow. I'd much rather travel West than East. We have major pipelines in Cali.

I think he's reacting to hawks' suggestion that all four Texas schools join the MWC and make the Texas-Louisiana/Arkansas border the western extent of CUSA.

Yeah you're right. I wouldn't mind that but a pie cut 16 ways makes for awefully small slices. Add it Boise taking 1/2 of it doesn't help either.

most everyone in this conference has their eyes on the exits.

this only further confirms what everyone knows: CUSA isn't built to last.

I think MWC sees a near-future circus and is making a preemptive move and expanding with very fitting schools (save BYU, who they really want) because the 800 lbs gorilla, Big XII [see CFP, who loves conference championship game winners] still will (IMHO) expand with Cincinnati and Houston, forcing AAC to replenish...causing other moves, like having the CUSA to add 2, 4 or 6 schools.

(12-11-2015 02:58 PM)PaulDel2 Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 02:05 PM)Orange County Owl Wrote:  While the travel for us (Rice) would be theoretically worse, many MWC schools are near airports with easy access from Houston (Vegas, San Diego, Albuquerque, San Jose, Colorado Springs, El Paso assuming they go as well, even Boise).

Remember that both Rice/UTEP have a history with many of these schools (albeit mixed).

Yes, you have a history and you left it because you didn't like the travel.

I think we both left the WAC after the 04 season because we saw the writing on the walls. It was a dying conference and CUSA provided an upgrade for us.

If we do get invited and accept the invitation to the MWC neither one of us would really play any of the old WAC foes we have history with. The 04 WAC consisted of current MWC members Boise St, Fresno St, Hawaii, Nevada and San Jose. All of them would likely continue to play in the West division with Boise St most likely moving over to the west.

We wouldn't be returning to the old WAC we left. It would be a new conference for us. The Mountain division would have Utah St, Wyoming, Colorado St, Air Force, UNM, UTEP & RICE. With two cross division games against western teams.

From a UTEP perspective it makes perfect geographical sense for us to make the move if presented. For RICE it's not an automatic. Who knows maybe the MW is leaning to reach 16 one day. I could see UTSA and Wichita St joining the MW in the future.

Craig Thompson: Idaho and NMSU inquired about possible membership in this conference. Any comments or suggestions about this?

Presidents and ADs: *crickets*

Thompson: OK. Next topic......

(12-11-2015 03:18 PM)HeadsetGuy Wrote:  I think MWC sees a near-future circus and is making a preemptive move and expanding with very fitting schools (save BYU, who they really want) because the 800 lbs gorilla, Big XII [see CFP, who loves conference championship game winners] still will (IMHO) expand with Cincinnati and Houston, forcing AAC to replenish...causing other moves, like having the CUSA to add 2, 4 or 6 schools.

Some Rice fans thinking we are a lock to the AAC if Houston gets promoted to a P5 like the Big 12. Talking to the MWC right now does not make sense, unless we know the AAC doesn't want a fourth private university.

I agree with the person who earlier said this might be a bad omen for the new C-USA television contract.

(12-11-2015 02:58 PM)PaulDel2 Wrote:  

(12-11-2015 02:05 PM)Orange County Owl Wrote:  While the travel for us (Rice) would be theoretically worse, many MWC schools are near airports with easy access from Houston (Vegas, San Diego, Albuquerque, San Jose, Colorado Springs, El Paso assuming they go as well, even Boise).

Remember that both Rice/UTEP have a history with many of these schools (albeit mixed).

Yes, you have a history and you left it because you didn't like the travel.

We did not leave because of the travel. We left the WAC because all the good teams left.

(12-11-2015 03:13 PM)monarchoptimist Wrote:  most everyone in this conference has their eyes on the exits.

this only further confirms what everyone knows: CUSA isn't built to last.

Pretty much the case for any G5 conference teams.

Good for them. Makes sense.

I hope the TV contract in the MWC is good, not just in terms of $$$$ but in terms of exposure. We will be the only team in the Central time zone. Our travel crowd will pretty much be parents + 50. I expect the same from most of the others when they come to Houston. Hard enough to get fans in our stadium from San Antonio, Denton, and Ruston, all within driving distance.

The MWC I think sees that CUSA is down and now is the time to strike back into Texas while the schools are willing.

Going with 4 schools in Texas for the MWC is very doable because they can slide both Boise and Utah State to West division. From the sound of it they want to just stick with the higher profile UTEP/Rice.

It also does give the MWC some padding against a move by the AAC, either to prevent it from happening or more schools post raid.

Seriously doubt this is going to happen. What incentive is there for the MWC to go to 14? None.

If there were opening I could understand it but not when they already have 12 members.

As the article says when quoting the MWC sources, it's just talk and no action is imminent.

UTEP and Rice are staying put. Sorry but you guys are stuck with us.