(11-05-2021 11:36 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

If true, that only works if they are keeping WKU and MTSU.

(11-05-2021 11:40 AM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(11-05-2021 11:36 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

If true, that only works if they are keeping WKU and MTSU.

definitely looks legit-

I’m starting to think MTSU and WKU are staying in C-USA, and the league will settle at 9 all-sports members. It would be a solid basketball league, and they could have an 8-game round robin in football.

I think they are working on Missori State and Chattanooga in as 10 and 11. There are lots of schools contacted CUSA for all sports.

(11-05-2021 12:43 PM)shizzle787 Wrote:  I’m starting to think MTSU and WKU are staying in C-USA, and the league will settle at 9 all-sports members. It would be a solid basketball league, and they could have an 8-game round robin in football.

That would be ideal for CUSA. The last thing they want is to have half or nearly half of their conference be FCS call-ups. It is better than disappearing altogether but not a great option.

Liberty, WKU, LT, and NMST is probably a multi bid basketball league. Huge coup in saving the conference if it holds.

Don’t think Liberty would have joined unless they had assurances from WKU and MTSU. Not sure they can stay at 9 long term but rebuild now with the coming exit fees and add slowly.

Conference USA survives.

(11-05-2021 02:04 PM)3BNole Wrote:  Liberty, WKU, LT, and NMST is probably a multi bid basketball league. Huge coup in saving the conference if it holds.

People keep saying this but 2019 SoCon had 4 top 75 teams and one AP#18 and still got 1 bid.

Two bids is a fantasy for most Conferences not in top 7-8 leagues. A 6-7 seed is more realistic and could make a lot more noise, and earn more credits, than two 12-15 seeds

Yes, but how many people even realize there is a southern conference during basketball season?

Quote:1. New Mexico State officially accepts invitation to join Conference USA

OR

2. The Mid-American Conference officially invites Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee to join the conference

Doesn't make sense. WKU & MTSU only want to leave if they don't take New Mexico State? Don't see that as the reason.

Look, CUSA is going to be FCS 2.0. Much of CUSA didn't like where it was going, and with everyone leaving & CUSA having to go so FCS -- whether it's super small due to boltings or more FCS than FBS -- it's not wanted by WKU & MTSU.

WKU & MTSU already Knew CUSA was going to get NMSU if they were to likely survive.

If staying was all based on CUSA surviving and getting the Oh-So-Glorious NMSU, you wouldn't get all these press releases of a bigger scope. They would just be Talking to the MAC some, that's it. WKU & MTSU leaving is the only thing that threatened CUSA from possibly not surviving, as we knew FCS teams would like to jump up + you could get NMSU and very possibly Liberty.

The better rationale from your direction would be "If you guys get [basically what's now had] + UConn & UMass for all sports, then we're staying. If you don't get the latter, we'll stay if the MAC agreement is too tough for us."

Essentially, it boils down to the MAC agreement being good enough for them. It'd take a Lot More than getting (lol) NMSU to make them drop their pens and go running back. :)

I think there is enough there with exit fees, what is it, 9 exiting schools * 4 million? That’s 36/5, so 7 million per remaining school. You can’t possibly make that up in the MAC in the first 4-5 years after expenses. Bring in next best Indys and two solid FCS names and you have an excuse to carry on. Think it’s the right decisions for MTSU/WKU. MAC offer likely sucked.

(11-05-2021 03:44 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  I think there is enough there with exit fees, what is it, 9 exiting schools * 4 million? That’s 36/5, so 7 million per remaining school. You can’t possibly make that up in the MAC in the first 4-5 years after expenses. Bring in next best Indys and two solid FCS names and you have an excuse to carry on. Think it’s the right decisions for MTSU/WKU. MAC offer likely sucked.

Well, if they can get the cream of the crop from FCS? C-USA could be stronger than AAC in the future.

(11-05-2021 03:44 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  I think there is enough there with exit fees, what is it, 9 exiting schools * 4 million? That’s 36/5, so 7 million per remaining school. You can’t possibly make that up in the MAC in the first 4-5 years after expenses.

Not to mention, MTSU and WKU can be the "big dogs" in C-USA 3.0 (or whatever version we're on now) as opposed to the "outsiders" in the Midwest-centric MAC.

Stick around, win a bunch of games, collect those exit checks and wait for the inevitable openings — and invites — from either of those conferences where the Toppers and Raiders would rather be than the MAC.

(11-05-2021 03:10 PM)msm96wolf Wrote:  Yes, but how many people even realize there is a southern conference during basketball season?

ETSU being ranked in the early 90s made me know there was SoCon.

(11-05-2021 03:14 PM)toddjnsn Wrote:  

Quote:1. New Mexico State officially accepts invitation to join Conference USA

OR

2. The Mid-American Conference officially invites Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee to join the conference

Doesn't make sense. WKU & MTSU only want to leave if they don't take New Mexico State? Don't see that as the reason.

Look, CUSA is going to be FCS 2.0. Much of CUSA didn't like where it was going, and with everyone leaving & CUSA having to go so FCS -- whether it's super small due to boltings or more FCS than FBS -- it's not wanted by WKU & MTSU.

WKU & MTSU already Knew CUSA was going to get NMSU if they were to likely survive.

If staying was all based on CUSA surviving and getting the Oh-So-Glorious NMSU, you wouldn't get all these press releases of a bigger scope. They would just be Talking to the MAC some, that's it. WKU & MTSU leaving is the only thing that threatened CUSA from possibly not surviving, as we knew FCS teams would like to jump up + you could get NMSU and very possibly Liberty.

The better rationale from your direction would be "If you guys get [basically what's now had] + UConn & UMass for all sports, then we're staying. If you don't get the latter, we'll stay if the MAC agreement is too tough for us."

Essentially, it boils down to the MAC agreement being good enough for them. It'd take a Lot More than getting (lol) NMSU to make them drop their pens and go running back. :)

That might be the case, but to coin a phrase "it ain't necessarily so."

The reason why it may be more than the MAC agreement being "good enough" is that WKU and MTSU aren't just looking at the MAC agreement. They're also looking at the unfolding CUSA situation.

.

The risk of leaving was the greatest when it seemed possible that the CUSA would go out of existence, but that moment has passed.

Now that the CUSA has a plan will enable it to move forward, strengthened by the addition of Liberty, SHSU's FB program, and NMSU's potential as a basketball program, WKU and MTSU no longer have the primal fear of having to make their way forward as FB independents.

There may also be some other factors, being discussed behind the scenes, that might help to persuade WKU/MTSU to stay. One possibility is that CBS/Stadium might up the ante and offer more revenue to keep them aboard (the MWC apparently used this tactic to keep AFA & CUSA aboard).

Other possibilities is that WKU/MTSU might be persuaded to stay if the CUSA would take certain steps, such as adding another school in their region that would help them cut travel costs.

(11-05-2021 05:33 PM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  

(11-05-2021 03:44 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  I think there is enough there with exit fees, what is it, 9 exiting schools * 4 million? That’s 36/5, so 7 million per remaining school. You can’t possibly make that up in the MAC in the first 4-5 years after expenses.

Not to mention, MTSU and WKU can be the "big dogs" in C-USA 3.0 (or whatever version we're on now) as opposed to the "outsiders" in the Midwest-centric MAC.

Stick around, win a bunch of games, collect those exit checks and wait for the inevitable openings — and invites — from either of those conferences where the Toppers and Raiders would rather be than the MAC.

They already are. WKU and MTSU lead the conference in all-sports conference titles in current Conference USA.