(10-10-2021 08:41 PM)RUScarlets Wrote: No doubt about it. Going to 4 CTZ schools, at least those four, along with Wichita is the checkmate move. It’s not the WAC by any stretch. That’s ridiculous. The WAC blew up when there were like 12 viable conferences. MWC can be the premiere G5 conference with those four private institutions. Now do they have a compelling offer? Probably can’t match the AAC pay per team, but again, the geography with Hawaii doesn’t work without some pod setup. And it keeps rivalries intact. BSU can get Utah State every year and rotate BYU Utah (or PAC12 scheduling setup) annually, or maybe get them both OOC annually.
It is contingent on getting a network to bid up for that programming and having BSU commit over the long run.
Once Memphis and presumably USF get into the Big 12, you go for the kill shot and take 3 AAC west schools. Then it comes down to Rice and UTSA, and I’d go Rice for the cultural fit. There are simply no answers for the America and they will have no choice but to get back as an East coast conference exclusively.
Having a pod with 4 CTZ privates would be great. UTSA has a huge upside but I’m not quite sold yet. Then maybe see something like this result (after Memphis and South Florida join the XII):
CUSA
East: Arkansas St, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, UL Lafayette, UTEP, UTSA
West: Florida Atlantic, Georgia St, Middle Tennessee St, Southern Miss, UAB, Western Kentucky
AAC
North: Delaware, East Carolina, James Madison, Marshall, Old Dominion, Temple
South: Appalachian St, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Florida International, Georgia Southern, Troy
SUN BELT ???
East: Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville St, Liberty, McNeese St, South Alabama, Tennessee - Chattanooga
West: Lamar, Louisiana - Monroe, New Mexico St, San Houston St, Stephen F. Austin St, Texas St