https://kvia.com/sports/2021/10/22/athle...K4KlBc3DK0
UTEP's AD is committed to staying in FBS and in a conference. Didn't elaborate on whether that would be C-USA or somewhere else, but you've got to imagine that the only other option they could have is the WAC since the Sun Belt and MWC already passed on them.
Also, I don't think anybody in this thread has mentioned it, but that article covers the rumor that C-USA is in talks with New Mexico State, Sam Houston State, and, of all schools, Tarleton State. Tarleton just moved up from D-II to the WAC this year. As far as I can tell, Tarleton's biggest advantage is that they're within reasonable driving distance of the conference's HQ, and that's no advantage at all. I'm wondering if that's really all there is to it or if they're being used as a pawn to get SFA or Lamar to talk. Seems to be that C-USA has decided that UTEP's fate is more important than FIU, WKU, and MTSU since they're trying to add schools to the west. I guess they're concerned that UTEP's and LaTech's option to join the WAC is the only option any of the remaining 5 credibly have.
E: Forgot to mention that there are two hold-ups for the Marshall-JMU-ODU to SBC package deal. First, Marshall is worried about what to do with their national champion men's soccer team since the Sun Belt doesn't sponsor that sport. Right now, Marshall and ODU play in C-USA with 7 other teams, but 3 members, Charlotte, UAB, and FAU, are leaving to the AAC which also sponsors soccer. The 9 total teams is definitely coming down to 6, below the NCAA minimum, so the 3 associate members, Kentucky, Coastal Carolina, and South Carolina, may also leave and go AAC (geography) or MAC (better quality). Lots of moving parts on that one. In the end, it'll probably be just FIU left, and they'll join the AAC as an associate, similar to what happened when rowing moved from C-USA to the XII a few years ago. That took one or two extra years to figure out; I seem to remember at least one year where the only C-USA varsity rowing team was ODU. The other hold-up is that JMU is constrained by a Virginia law that restricts the percentage of athletics expenses funded by student fees and requires them to get a state commission to approve the move to FBS.
E2: Fixed some details on the men's soccer realignment.