Which of these schools football programs has the most potential, each have the resources to become a top 10 or 15 AP ?
So who’s first in taking that next step forward to greatness and are there too many FBS programs in Texas already?

How about we start with AP Top 25 to begin...

UTEP has been in the top 25. I’d say today the best chance would be UTSA.

(07-26-2018 01:24 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  How about we start with AP Top 25 to begin...

According to the Wikipedia page, North Texas was ranked #16 (Odus Mitchell years) in the AP poll in the 1959 season and #16 in the 1976 season (Hayden Fry years).

UTEP won a basketball national championship in 1966 and were ranked #3 in the final AP Poll.

How about a 5th choice: None of the above.


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I hate to answer a question when I know I won't live long enough to find out if I was right.

I think it's North Texas. If you could have combined last season's North Texas offensive staff and UTSA's defensive staff, you're looking at a Top-25 program easily.

(07-26-2018 01:34 PM)LUSportsFan Wrote:  

(07-26-2018 01:24 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  How about we start with AP Top 25 to begin...

According to the Wikipedia page, North Texas was ranked #16 (Odus Mitchell years) in the AP poll in the 1959 season and #16 in the 1976 season (Hayden Fry years).

UTEP won a basketball national championship in 1966 and were ranked #3 in the final AP Poll.

not really recent history.

And we are talking football, no?

Yes we are talking football

Most potential: UTEP
Best current chance: North Texas

When will a Texas school win the NCAA Tournanent? So far, UTEP is the only Division 1 school in Texas that has the National Championship banner and throphy.

(07-26-2018 03:42 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  When will a Texas school win the NCAA Tournanent? So far, UTEP is the only Division 1 school in Texas that has the National Championship banner and throphy.

Houston came real close, but that’s all I’ll say about it because it still hurts

1 El Paso
2 San Antonio
3 North Texas
4 Texas State

UTEP and UTSA have high ceilings if things ever get rolling. El Paso has a deep history of solid support and when I was in San Antonio for the Final 4 the Roadrunner presence of the locals was evident.

Sun Bowl and Alamodome are historic venues in large, historic cities in a FB state.

UTEP has the potential but it’s just been that way, potential.

The advantage that UTEP has over the other G5s in Texas is that it’s not in the shadow of a P5 school(s) and pro sports in its own market. The closest pro sports town is Phoenix and the closest P5 school is Arizona which is about 5 hours away. The local media cover UTEP athletics extensively and the local business community is behind the Miners. It has good on campus facilities and it’s one of those rare G5’s that can do a 40/10k average in FB and BB. It has had multiple sellouts in both the Sun Bowl (52k seats) and the Don Haskins Center (12k seats). It averaged 48k in 2005 in an 8 win season, having an undefeated season and NY6 Bowl run will definitely push it to 52k.

The problem with UTEP has been inept leadership that gets too comfortable and it’s too slow to react (e.g firing coaches). With a new AD, football and basketball coaches things might be looking up. President Natalicio is retiring so maybe the new President will take athletics more seriously. Dr Natalicio was more focused on the academic side and I believe she did a good job. She got more doctoral programs and more funding for research but she was known for being indifferent to athletics.

But until then, all UTEP has is potential.

(07-26-2018 03:48 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  

(07-26-2018 03:42 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  When will a Texas school win the NCAA Tournanent? So far, UTEP is the only Division 1 school in Texas that has the National Championship banner and throphy.

Houston came real close, but that’s all I’ll say about it because it still hurts

Yes they did and yes it does, I went to several games at Hofheinz back when Olajuwon and Drexler were at U of H. Those were some great teams.

(07-26-2018 03:49 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  1 El Paso
2 San Antonio
3 North Texas
4 Texas State

UTEP and UTSA have high ceilings if things ever get rolling. El Paso has a deep history of solid support and when I was in San Antonio for the Final 4 the Roadrunner presence of the locals was evident.

Sun Bowl and Alamodome are historic venues in large, historic cities in a FB state.

The Astrodome is "Historic". Rice Stadium is "Historic". The Cotton Bowl is "Historic".

The Alamodome was built in 1993. It is only 25 years old. It isn't one of the oldest bowl venues in the country. It isn't the first domed stadium in the world. And no president every stood there and announced we would walk on the moon. The Alamodome just does not meet the standard for "Historic".

Being the only college or pro football teams in their sizable cities certainly gives both great potential, and a big advantage, but each has other obstacles in their path. UTEP is very isolated from the recruiting hotbeds of Texas, and seems to have a harder time getting talent to play in El Paso. UTSA needs to build FBS facilities. Unfortunately for UTSA, their students voted against increasing their athletic fee. It is hard to grow with less money.

(07-26-2018 04:30 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(07-26-2018 03:49 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  1 El Paso
2 San Antonio
3 North Texas
4 Texas State

UTEP and UTSA have high ceilings if things ever get rolling. El Paso has a deep history of solid support and when I was in San Antonio for the Final 4 the Roadrunner presence of the locals was evident.

Sun Bowl and Alamodome are historic venues in large, historic cities in a FB state.

The Astrodome is "Historic". Rice Stadium is "Historic". The Cotton Bowl is "Historic".

The Alamodome was built in 1993. It is only 25 years old. It isn't one of the oldest bowl venues in the country. It isn't the first domed stadium in the world. And no president every stood there and announced we would walk on the moon. The Alamodome just does not meet the standard for "Historic".

Being the only college or pro football teams in their sizable cities certainly gives both great potential, and a big advantage, but each has other obstacles in their path. UTEP is very isolated from the recruiting hotbeds of Texas, and seems to have a harder time getting talent to play in El Paso. UTSA needs to build FBS facilities. Unfortunately for UTSA, their students voted against increasing their athletic fee. It is hard to grow with less money.

Geography is both a blessing and a curse for UTEP. But geography and isolation didn’t hurt Boise State football and Gonzaga basketball from growing. Boise and Spokane are more isolated than El Paso and they’re far away from California. At least El Paso is right in between Texas and California and its airport has nonstop flights to places like DFW, Houston, Denver, LA, Phoenix, Chicago, Atlanta, etc. With technology now, it’s easier to stay in contact with family and friends if you’re a player from East Texas.

The key here is leadership and vision which UTEP has lacked all these years.

UTSA is my choice.

Texas St has a ton of potential.

I don't think any of the four schools have a realistic chance of making a Top 10 appearance in CUSA or the SunBelt.

answer: none

(07-26-2018 05:22 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  UTSA is my choice.

Texas St has a ton of potential.

I don't think any of the four schools have a realistic chance of making a Top 10 appearance in CUSA or the SunBelt.

Sadly, I agree. It’s not impossible but the stars would have to be aligned to make it possible. UTEP would have to come from a 10 win season, a bowl victory, lots of returning starters, same HC and assistants and beat a giant P5 school and a mid level P5 school or upper level G5 school in OOC and go undefeated in conference play and win a NY6 Bowl in order to finish ranked in the top 10. Not impossible but only a handful of G5 schools have managed to do it since 2004 and two of those schools are now P5.