Wouldn't it seem more likely that the MWC would take teams from the WAC instead of from C-USA. To be honest, I don;t see why it would go down any other way if there is expansion at all.

OMG when will football season begin?!?

It depends. Fresno, Boise, and UTEP would all make excellent additions to the MWC. Fresno has had problems with shady activity. Boise seems the best fit to me, but UTEP has such great fan support and market possibilities. I think they are more likely to get Boise than UTEP. If they really want to step it up, they should pick up all three...I don't see that happening.

chieffan19 Wrote:Wouldn't it seem more likely that the MWC would take teams from the WAC instead of from C-USA. To be honest, I don;t see why it would go down any other way if there is expansion at all.

When expansion is discussed on the MWC Board, it normally centers around Nevada, Boise State, Fresno State, Houston, and UTEP. Not necessarily in that order.

The MWC would be a step down for UTEP and Houston.

Baseball and basketball are much worse..

Football is debatable... A sub .500 CUSA team went undefeated in their league last year. Argue that.

chieffan19 Wrote:Wouldn't it seem more likely that the MWC would take teams from the WAC instead of from C-USA. To be honest, I don;t see why it would go down any other way if there is expansion at all.

UTEP would be an ideal member of the MWC. I'd hate to lose UTEP, but if the MWC ever looks to expand I expect them to come hard afer UTEP.

Fresno State and Nevada would make the best additions to the MWC. Fresno State helps out in football and baseball. Nevada is decent in football and good in basketball. Helps the MWC eliminate the WAC as a potential challenge for Non BCS supremecy and starts to make the MWC a conference capable of competing with the PAC 10. Boise State football is too much of an unknown element with Dan Hawkins and the Broncos really don't have anything else to offer the MWC.

3601 Wrote:UTEP would be an ideal member of the MWC. I'd hate to lose UTEP, but if the MWC ever looks to expand I expect them to come hard afer UTEP.

Being in a league with 3 other teams in Texas is more ideal.

I'm pretty sure their administration wouldn't trade being aligned with institutions like those in CUSA West to go into the Mountains. Specifically, their President loves being associated the academics in the West. CUSA also connects them with their large alumni bases in Houston and Dallas.

She isn't going to cut those ties to align with Boise State and Fresno State.

Do you realize how ridiculous that is? A 12 team MWC would be a huge step down (with no more money in the pot).

SPECoog518 Wrote:Football is debatable... A sub .500 CUSA team went undefeated in their league last year. Argue that.

Didn't an 0-11 MAC team win C-USA last year?

Eliminate Houston and Nevada from that discussion. Neither team meets MWC standards. We aren't going to add teams that don't travel to bowl games and can't fill their own stadium. We aren't going to add Houson. You can bet Boise, Fresno, and Utep are in constant dialogue with the MWC leadership though. All of the three lobbied to get into the MWC during the last expansion, and are probably still lobbying the MWC.

Cowboy Junky Wrote:and are probably still lobbying the MWC.

Keep dreamin Junky

CatsClaw Wrote:

SPECoog518 Wrote:Football is debatable... A sub .500 CUSA team went undefeated in their league last year. Argue that.

Didn't an 0-11 MAC team win C-USA last year?

Didn't know Tulsa played in the MAC...but what do I know.....

Quote:UTEP would be an ideal member of the MWC. I'd hate to lose UTEP, but if the MWC ever looks to expand I expect them to come hard afer UTEP.

Maybe it's me, but I just don't see the logic why UTEP would want to go the MWC. Nothing against the MWC, but its not like its a step up for anyone in CUSA. Also, UTEP is still in Texas and the last time I checked, there were four teams in CUSA from Texas.

Sir Galahad Wrote:

Quote:UTEP would be an ideal member of the MWC. I'd hate to lose UTEP, but if the MWC ever looks to expand I expect them to come hard afer UTEP.

Maybe it's me, but I just don't see the logic why UTEP would want to go the MWC. Nothing against the MWC, but its not like its a step up for anyone in CUSA. Also, UTEP is still in Texas and the last time I checked, there were four teams in CUSA from Texas.

UTEP has history with the MWC schools, except for TCU and UNLV. UTEP does not belong in a conference with schools from West Virginia and Florida, it does not make geographical sense. Nor should it for Marshall and UCF to be in the same league with a school from West Texas.

MinerThreat Wrote:UTEP has history with the MWC schools, except for TCU and UNLV. UTEP does not belong in a conference with schools from West Virginia and Florida, it does not make geographical sense. Nor should it for Marshall and UCF to be in the same league with a school from West Texas.

Well all that "history", along with $4, will get you a Venti Caramel Machiato at Starbucks when it comes down to it.

If UTEP pulls a TCU and heads for the mountains, you deserve what you get, which by looking at TCU, turned out to be nothing.

3601 Wrote:

chieffan19 Wrote:Wouldn't it seem more likely that the MWC would take teams from the WAC instead of from C-USA. To be honest, I don;t see why it would go down any other way if there is expansion at all.

UTEP would be an ideal member of the MWC. I'd hate to lose UTEP, but if the MWC ever looks to expand I expect them to come hard afer UTEP.

The question I have is could the MWC+UTEP have a shot at landing
the Sun Bowl.....

I can't see UTEP turning down the MWC if the Sun Bowl is part of the package.

BrokebackCowpoke said

Quote:We aren't going to add teams that don't travel to bowl games and can't fill their own stadium.

I see that according to the NCAA that last season Wyoming fans packed 'em in at a whopping 63.38% of capacity.

UNLV was at 54.11%


Yeah...that's packing 'em in there buddy.

FastCat Wrote:

MinerThreat Wrote:UTEP has history with the MWC schools, except for TCU and UNLV. UTEP does not belong in a conference with schools from West Virginia and Florida, it does not make geographical sense. Nor should it for Marshall and UCF to be in the same league with a school from West Texas.

Well all that "history", along with $4, will get you a Venti Caramel Machiato at Starbucks when it comes down to it.

If UTEP pulls a TCU and heads for the mountains, you deserve what you get, which by looking at TCU, turned out to be nothing.

UTEP is a prize among the "alliance" schools. Any alliance conference would be lucky to have UTEP. I'd like to keep the Miners here, they are a great conference brother, even accounting for the distance.

catdaddy_2402 Wrote:BrokebackCowpoke said

Quote:We aren't going to add teams that don't travel to bowl games and can't fill their own stadium.

I see that according to the NCAA that last season Wyoming fans packed 'em in at a whopping 63.38% of capacity.

UNLV was at 54.11%


Yeah...that's packing 'em in there buddy.

Shhhhhhh, don't question his deluded beliefs, his head might explode. On second thought...

Sir Galahad Wrote:

Quote:UTEP would be an ideal member of the MWC. I'd hate to lose UTEP, but if the MWC ever looks to expand I expect them to come hard afer UTEP.

Maybe it's me, but I just don't see the logic why UTEP would want to go the MWC. Nothing against the MWC, but its not like its a step up for anyone in CUSA. Also, UTEP is still in Texas and the last time I checked, there were four teams in CUSA from Texas.

Might not be a step up, but think about it like this. MWC is a more respected football conference (sorry guys, it's just the truth). Football makes the money. If that's not enough, they'd likely win the conference in BBall every year. That's not something they could be so confident about in CUSA. On top of that, there are fewer schools to dish the money out to. I personally want Louisiana Tech in CUSA and I want UTEP there when we get in, but thre are reasons that UTEP would look at the MWC. I assume Mr. Banowski put some pretty heavy penalties on early departure...that could keep them around a little longer. Wanna keep UTEP, get some stability. Make CUSA the hands-down best non-BCS football conference. Once that happens, UTEP wouldn't think of jumping.