(10-20-2020 04:17 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 03:10 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  This thread is dormant so I thought I would light a fire. BTW, I spoke to "someone in the know" last week and they mentioned that all this talk about a "school" coming to the WAC was really about more than one school coming over and that it was tied to football. So this jives with that.

My post in this thread on October 3rd:

"Looking at a combination of factors — geography, stadium capacity, football attendance, arena capacity, basketball attendance, and athletic budget — I think the most appealing Southland additions would be ACU, SFA, Lamar and Sam Houston State."

Now that's weird.

Are you @low_madness? Or, did David St use you as a source on his twitter account?

(10-20-2020 03:10 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  This thread is dormant so I thought I would light a fire. BTW, I spoke to "someone in the know" last week and they mentioned that all this talk about a "school" coming to the WAC was really about more than one school coming over and that it was tied to football. So this jives with that.

I don't see West Texas A&M on that list.

(10-20-2020 03:10 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  This thread is dormant so I thought I would light a fire. BTW, I spoke to "someone in the know" last week and they mentioned that all this talk about a "school" coming to the WAC was really about more than one school coming over and that it was tied to football. So this jives with that.

Wisdomgymrat, where you at?

(10-20-2020 04:32 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

Are you @low_madness? Or, did David St use you as a source on his twitter account?

No to the first question. To the second question, aren't we all sources on David St's twitter account?

(10-20-2020 05:15 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 04:32 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

Are you @low_madness? Or, did David St use you as a source on his twitter account?

No to the first question. To the second question, aren't we all sources on David St's twitter account?

Ha!!!

(10-20-2020 03:21 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  I was wondering if you or someone was going to post this tweet here. I think the WAC wants to expand but I'm having a problem reasoning out how these SLC schools needs align with Southern Utah's needs. I'm a little confused how this would work where everyone benefits? Just my uninformed opinion.

It seemed odd to me as well until I looked at average season and peak season home football attendance over the past five years. Here are the figures for the most recent WAC additions and the schools we've been discussing as potential invitees:

AVERAGE SEASON PER-GAME HOME ATTENDANCE 2015-2019
Stephen F. Austin - 8,374
Abilene Christian - 7,759
Lamar - 7,530
Southern Utah - 7,275
West Texas A&M - 7,045
Sam Houston State - 6,823
Tarleton State - 5,741
Dixie State - 3,261

PEAK SEASON PER-GAME HOME ATTENDANCE 2015-2019
Stephen F. Austin - 11,376 (2017)
Abilene Christian - 10,441 (2017)
Southern Utah - 9,539 (2017)
Lamar - 9,364 (2015)
Tarleton State - 8,952 (2019)
Sam Houston State - 7,940 (2016)
West Texas A&M - 7,646 (2019)
Dixie State - 3,791 (2019)

So at least in terms of fan support Southern Utah is a peer of the SLC schools. Playing football in a new WAC FCS conference consisting of a travel partner less than an hour's drive away and five schools in recruit-rich and weather-friendly Texas could be pretty appealing to Southern Utah.

Dixie State is actually the outlier in the group, but that should change as the school expands its stadium and upgrades its competition.

SFA would immediately be the second best team in the WAC.

(10-20-2020 05:53 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  SFA would immediately be the second best team in the WAC.

They'd be a great add in men's basketball... 28-3 last season with the upset of #1 Duke.

If true, those 4 schools could push the WAC into a two bid conference. I am not saying will, but could.

(10-20-2020 06:12 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 05:53 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  SFA would immediately be the second best team in the WAC.

They'd be a great add in men's basketball... 28-3 last season with the upset of #1 Duke.

The question is, does SFA want to have a blockade like NMSU in their way for an NCAA run? I don't know if the additions of SFA, SHSU, ACU, Lamar, and SUU could generate a second NCAA bid for the WAC.

(10-20-2020 04:17 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 03:10 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  This thread is dormant so I thought I would light a fire. BTW, I spoke to "someone in the know" last week and they mentioned that all this talk about a "school" coming to the WAC was really about more than one school coming over and that it was tied to football. So this jives with that.

My post in this thread on October 3rd:

"Looking at a combination of factors — geography, stadium capacity, football attendance, arena capacity, basketball attendance, and athletic budget — I think the most appealing Southland additions would be ACU, SFA, Lamar and Sam Houston State."

Now that's weird.

My sources say they were going to invite SUU, NAU, UNC and Sac State until they read your post

(10-20-2020 04:33 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 03:10 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  This thread is dormant so I thought I would light a fire. BTW, I spoke to "someone in the know" last week and they mentioned that all this talk about a "school" coming to the WAC was really about more than one school coming over and that it was tied to football. So this jives with that.

I don't see West Texas A&M on that list.

That has to wait another year until Tarleton completes one year of transition.

If those 4 are itching to make a change and think the WAC would be more “big time” it might be worth exploring.

Divisional play in most sports could help limit their trips west of El Paso.

They’d still be able to play UIW, HBU, UCA, and the LA schools in OOC play.

If there are FBS aspirations among those 4 the WAC might be a place where they could rise together.

(10-20-2020 06:40 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 04:33 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 03:10 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  This thread is dormant so I thought I would light a fire. BTW, I spoke to "someone in the know" last week and they mentioned that all this talk about a "school" coming to the WAC was really about more than one school coming over and that it was tied to football. So this jives with that.

I don't see West Texas A&M on that list.

That has to wait another year until Tarleton completes one year of transition.

Good point. But can't West Texas A&M still get an invite now and just wait a year or two to start their transition allowing the WAC to stay within the D1 scheduling guidelines.

(10-20-2020 07:02 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 06:40 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 04:33 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 03:10 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  This thread is dormant so I thought I would light a fire. BTW, I spoke to "someone in the know" last week and they mentioned that all this talk about a "school" coming to the WAC was really about more than one school coming over and that it was tied to football. So this jives with that.

I don't see West Texas A&M on that list.

That has to wait another year until Tarleton completes one year of transition.

Good point. But can't West Texas A&M still get an invite now and just wait a year or two to start their transition allowing the WAC to stay within the D1 scheduling guidelines.

If the WAC actually gets Southern Utah, Stephen F Austin, Sam Houston State, Abilene Cristian, and Lamar to join, that would put the WAC at 14 members. There would be no need for West Texas A&M as a 15th member; unless Chicago State bows out so they could take that spot and also gives the WAC a 8th football school.

(10-20-2020 06:22 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 06:12 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 05:53 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  SFA would immediately be the second best team in the WAC.

They'd be a great add in men's basketball... 28-3 last season with the upset of #1 Duke.

The question is, does SFA want to have a blockade like NMSU in their way for an NCAA run? I don't know if the additions of SFA, SHSU, ACU, Lamar, and SUU could generate a second NCAA bid for the WAC.

Channeling my inner David.... strong basketball conference is worth it if the conference moves them to FBS football.

NMSU already there. Lamar was rumored to WAC expansion before. Add that core and you've got four. Tarleton spends a few transition years as FCS indy, then joins them and now youve got 5 FBS in the area.

(10-20-2020 06:50 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  If those 4 are itching to make a change and think the WAC would be more “big time” it might be worth exploring.

Divisional play in most sports could help limit their trips west of El Paso.

They’d still be able to play UIW, HBU, UCA, and the LA schools in OOC play.

If there are FBS aspirations among those 4 the WAC might be a place where they could rise together.

Reading this post on the Sawmill (SFA message board) , https://sfasawmill.com/forums/7/topics/1...discussion

They seem interested in changing conferences to get away from Incarnate Word and HBU.

It is entirely possible that after 35 years in the Southland, they're ready to try something new. They watched former conference mates Troy, Texas State UT Arlington and UTSA move to FBS conferences.

Conference USA is bloated and they know the Sun Belt won't take them while TXST and Louisiana are there. If the WAC dangled the right carrots, they be able to pull them along.

(10-20-2020 07:55 PM)chrisattsu Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 06:22 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 06:12 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(10-20-2020 05:53 PM)PojoaquePosse Wrote:  SFA would immediately be the second best team in the WAC.

They'd be a great add in men's basketball... 28-3 last season with the upset of #1 Duke.

The question is, does SFA want to have a blockade like NMSU in their way for an NCAA run? I don't know if the additions of SFA, SHSU, ACU, Lamar, and SUU could generate a second NCAA bid for the WAC.

Channeling my inner David.... strong basketball conference is worth it if the conference moves them to FBS football.

NMSU already there. Lamar was rumored to WAC expansion before. Add that core and you've got four. Tarleton spends a few transition years as FCS indy, then joins them and now youve got 5 FBS in the area.

I've been saying for a long time that a return to FBS football is a bridge too far for the WAC. However a wild card that could change all that is the potential breakaway of the P5 schools from the NCAA. If that were to happen and the P5 were to take some AAC and MWC schools with them, there would be very little separating the remaining FBS schools and the top FCS schools. In that circumstance I'd expect the top FCS schools to be strongly motivated to move up, to avoid the stigma of being viewed as third-tier football programs. Top Southland schools willing to join the WAC now would be in a better position to make that jump.

https://twitter.com/WACHoopsDigest/statu...78657?s=19

Didn't SFA get the death penalty a couple months ago? I think they were banned from the postseason for like 3 years.