I agree with your assessment for now that UNT would be in the best position to move. Lots of positive momentum with recent football success, and certainly a big push on facilities. LaTech is standing still at best. I suspect CUSA may have noticed that in the last go-around when they added UTEP; plus its a very small market and can be tough to get to. Depending on how soon the next move comes, I think UNT will have other competition from within the SBC to move up. UNT will have to do a lot better in the spring sports; specifically basketball for CUSA to really want them. And of course, there is always the current CUSA schools that may try to block certain schools from getting in. I don't know how the administration officials really feel; so everything I know is heresay at best. SMU doesn't want UNT, Tulane doesn't want LaTech, or the Cajuns for that matter. Memphis doesn't want MT, etc, etc. Who knows the real truth! Anyway, I see LaTech moving farther behind in the pecking order as time goes by. Just my 2 cents.

La tech started out the favorite to get CUSA's third spot and ended up 3rd behind UTEP and UNT. I do not see how thay can hold out for long in the WAC. They would like to get into CUSA but it may be a few years before that happens. Only three of our teams (UCF, ECU and Marshall) could leave and open up a spot. The other 9 schools seem very solid in the league. All that said it may be 10 years before we get an opening. Who knows what might be avilable by that time. La Tech would be much better off in the Sun Belt playing a couple of CUSA teams in non Conf every year.

TopCoog, Perhaps you have more "insight" into how things played out this last go-around; but I'd suspect LaTech was #2 behing UTEP, but in front of UNT. Even the UNT faithful admit they were not ready this last time; but they are definitely putting a lot of effort into being ready the next time. I wish public universitys in the state of Louisiana had the same opportunities (budget wise) that other state universities do. WKU doesn't even play D-1A football; but their overall budget is almost double the Cajuns and LaTech. Similar for the Florida schools.......their athletic budges dwarf ours. By the time the next shuffle comes, I'd bet the average CUSA athletic budget is at or above $20M.

Most CUSA budgets are over that now...ours is 26. La tech may have been 2nd but I heard that at the end UNT moved passed them on the basis of the visit by the consultant to Denton. He was impressed with what he saw. Both school will get in at some point in my view and will be good additions.

Actually not expanding had more support than UNT or La.Tech and several schools that had assured Tech they had their support ended up speaking against them.

TopCoog Wrote:Both school will get in at some point in my view and will be good additions.

You say that like we strive to be in CUSA. I think SBC in a few (5-10) years will be past MAC and CUSA in football. We need 1 more member (WKU) and we'll be on a correct scheduling format. Certain teams are already better. As a conference, not yet, but soon.

Jury still out on WKU to the MAC. But, personally I would love to see the Sunbelt get to 12 teams (WKU and LaTech included.) Other two teams not as clear. Perhaps with another bowl game or two and 12 team format w/ championship game could lure Ga. Southern. I have no idea on the last slot. But I really like the idea of a championship game. That is huge to me. And I think that could really help change perceptions.

Raider_ATO Wrote:You say that like we strive to be in CUSA. I think SBC in a few (5-10) years will be past MAC and CUSA in football.

:laugh: Come on now lets get real here (we don't need to start comparing do we) Maybe the MAC and the WAC. Let me remind you there is a reason our #4 plays your champ.

As far as expansion. Hopefully more for geography reason we will find our self in the Big East next time around. TopCoog you need to substitute Memphis for Marshall in your 3 candidates. Marshall's academics kept them out of CUSA for years until we were raided and had little choice. The Big East voted on them and only WV vote in favor of them they seem like a slim possibility IMO. UCF I doubt gets in because the Big East wants USF to have an advantage and UCF only undermines that potential, and potential is what their bid to the Big East was based on. Memphis is a legit candidate and probably has the edge on us, but who would have thought that 5 years ago and who knows 5 years from now. Things change but I could see us both getting in.

Anyway as far as replacements in CUSA, I think you will find other teams outside Texas will not go for another Texas team quite as quick this time around. I think N. Texas did end up ahead of La Tech, and La Tech pretty much has a slim shot at it in the future I think the replacement will probably come from the sunbelt. I could see a Troy or UL-L getting it going and getting in. They have nice facilites and pretty good fan support. As far as UL-L they have a little more history as well and have been playing good basketball for a while now. Who knows though CUSA might even go more west, New Mexico State has the hoops tradition and seems on the verge of some good football and if nothing else Mume will cheat them to wins. They are very close to UTEP and they seem like an option too especially if some of the Eastern teams leave.