Fighting Muskie
Senior Chief Realignmentologist
Posts: 11,918
Joined: Sep 2016
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I Root For: Ohio St, UC,MAC
Location: Biden Cesspool
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RE: Had the MWC added Fresno St instead of New Mexico
(06-03-2021 08:30 AM)solohawks Wrote: (06-03-2021 07:44 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote: I still think this WAC in the SWC footprint would suffer a C-USA problem in 2001 (TCU) and 2005 (others).
I’m also a little unsure how former SWC members Rice, SMU, and TCU would feel about sharing a conference, even if it’s just from 1999-2004 with programs like UNT, Ark St, ULL, and/or LA Tech. Rather than hold their nose and accept nearby programs of perceived lower quality, the block of 6 you described might have preferred to bolster the Western wing with adds from the Big West and move to a divisional format. I’m actually quite surprised the real 1999-2004 WAC didn’t go down this avenue:
West: Hawaii, San Jose St, Fresno St, Nevada, Boise St, Utah
East: UTEP, SMU, Tulsa, Rice, LA Tech, Ark St (we’re still presuming TCU leaves in 2001)
This move would also likely killed Sunbelt football in its crib, or at least delayed its start by 4 years.
I too am surprised the WAC post split never established a Southwest division and a Pacific division.
My guess is that it was a quality and perception issue. Utah St and Ark St/ULL weren’t considered up to snuff.
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06-03-2021 09:41 AM |
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