The MWC is in danger of losing up to 6 schools if the Pac 12 gets poached again for 4 more teams.

If the MWC loses that many teams, it's a real possibility they may merge with CUSA. Commissioner Thompson brought it up today.

So then you'd add the 9 CUSA to a possible 6 MWC for a decent conference. UTEP and NMSU provide a good bridge.

Liberty
FIU
WKU
MTSU
Jacksonville St
Louisiana Tech
Sam Houston State
New Mexico State
UTEP
New Mexico
Nevada
Utah State
SJSU
Hawaii
Wyoming

(07-22-2022 01:42 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  The MWC is in danger of losing up to 6 schools if the Pac 12 gets poached again for 4 more teams.

If the MWC loses that many teams, it's a real possibility they may merge with CUSA. Commissioner Thompson brought it up today.

So then you'd add the 9 CUSA to a possible 6 MWC for a decent conference. UTEP and NMSU provide a good bridge.

Liberty
FIU
WKU
MTSU
Jacksonville St
Louisiana Tech
Sam Houston State
New Mexico State
UTEP
New Mexico
Nevada
Utah State
SJSU
Hawaii
Wyoming

There are alot of rumors flying around right now and this has been hased over several times on the MWC Board. At most they are at risk of losing 2-4 between the PAC and Big12 due to ASUs AD coming out saying they only want schools that meet their academic credentials but the PAC President is apparently pushing for FSU and SDSU. ESPN may want to add BSU and 1 more, making this more likely imo:

-SDSU, FSU, BSU and UNLV to the PAC

The MWC could then expand with the following:

-UTEP, NMSU, TX-State, SHSU
-Montana, MSU, NDSU, SDSU

The MWC could even go after some AAC schools if they were feeling they could get them but probably only if they could get both Texas schools, could encourage one to make the switch. There would be no need to merge with CUSA.

Can’t all of these ridiculous threads be moved to the realignment group? I thought that was the point.

(07-22-2022 03:42 AM)Utgrizfan Wrote:  There are alot of rumors flying around right now and this has been hased over several times on the MWC Board. At most they are at risk of losing 2-4 between the PAC and Big12 due to ASUs AD coming out saying they only want schools that meet their academic credentials but the PAC President is apparently pushing for FSU and SDSU. ESPN may want to add BSU and 1 more, making this more likely imo:

-SDSU, FSU, BSU and UNLV to the PAC

The MWC could then expand with the following:

-UTEP, NMSU, TX-State, SHSU
-Montana, MSU, NDSU, SDSU

The MWC could even go after some AAC schools if they were feeling they could get them but probably only if they could get both Texas schools, could encourage one to make the switch. There would be no need to merge with CUSA.

Under the above PAC/MWC scenario I would expect the AAC to make a hard run at Air Force and Colorado State. I think Tulsa, Memphis, SMU, North Texas, Rice, UTSA, Tulane and Navy/Wichita State would be attractive to the Falcons and Rams.

(07-22-2022 01:42 AM)TroyTBoy Wrote:  The MWC is in danger of losing up to 6 schools if the Pac 12 gets poached again for 4 more teams.

If the MWC loses that many teams, it's a real possibility they may merge with CUSA. Commissioner Thompson brought it up today.

So then you'd add the 9 CUSA to a possible 6 MWC for a decent conference. UTEP and NMSU provide a good bridge.

Liberty
FIU
WKU
MTSU
Jacksonville St
Louisiana Tech
Sam Houston State
New Mexico State
UTEP
New Mexico
Nevada
Utah State
SJSU
Hawaii
Wyoming

If that's the case, WKU will be begging to be in MAC and maybe this time MTSU wont back out either. No way that makes sense with limited money for all.

(07-22-2022 06:30 AM)Dusky Wrote:  Can’t all of these ridiculous threads be moved to the realignment group? I thought that was the point.

Motion is seconded.

(07-22-2022 07:26 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  If that's the case, WKU will be begging to be in MAC and maybe this time MTSU wont back out either. No way that makes sense with limited money for all.

SBC might not be done with expanding. AD comments have indicated monitoring expansion candidates.

(07-22-2022 08:07 AM)ODU-Z8 Wrote:  

(07-22-2022 07:26 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  If that's the case, WKU will be begging to be in MAC and maybe this time MTSU wont back out either. No way that makes sense with limited money for all.

SBC might not be done with expanding. AD comments have indicated monitoring expansion candidates.

I have heard those whispers as well. Potentially adding Missouri State in the West and WKU in the East in hopes of improving the hoops image of the league. Maybe the recent rumblings from Sankey on targeting the NCAA tournament next have prompted the SBC to strike now.

Honestly I feel like if the MWC was going to merge with any league, it would be with AAC at this point. They’re not going to want to devalue the media deal and, if they’re already pushing back FCS schools as additions, I doubt they’d want to tack on two FCS call ups, the lightning rod that is Liberty, and an FBS Lite FIU. They’ve made it clear that they think they’re better than the American already who has consistently been the 5th or 6th best conference in college football. Do we really think they’d consider CUSA?

At the G5 level I’d personally like to see all the strong programs form a super league. Teams like UAB, WKU, Boise, UTSA, SMU, Memphis, App State, Fresno, Utah State, etc. level programs. You could schedule that smart enough for the conference to have a pretty dang good strength of schedule.

(07-22-2022 08:52 AM)freshtop Wrote:  

(07-22-2022 08:07 AM)ODU-Z8 Wrote:  

(07-22-2022 07:26 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  If that's the case, WKU will be begging to be in MAC and maybe this time MTSU wont back out either. No way that makes sense with limited money for all.

SBC might not be done with expanding. AD comments have indicated monitoring expansion candidates.

I have heard those whispers as well. Potentially adding Missouri State in the West and WKU in the East in hopes of improving the hoops image of the league. Maybe the recent rumblings from Sankey on targeting the NCAA tournament next have prompted the SBC to strike now.

To your point, our commissioner has explicitly expressed a commitment to improving hoops in several interviews. I would not be surprised if it's a factor in any further expansion, even if football drives the bus

Call me crazy, but at some point in the future I think we will still get a logical geographical realignment among the G5. Too much overlap here working on budgets that are peanuts compared to the P5 or S2 if that becomes a thing.

CUSA and MWC came very close to merging in 2012. The support was there on both sides. The insurmountable hurdle was that the superconference would only have a single NCAA bid. That basically killed the new conference in its tracks.

(07-22-2022 07:56 AM)inutech Wrote:  

(07-22-2022 06:30 AM)Dusky Wrote:  Can’t all of these ridiculous threads be moved to the realignment group? I thought that was the point.

Motion is seconded.

All in favor? AYE

All opposed? <crickets>

Motion passes.

Sorry folks, I should have moved it earlier but..better late than never.

(07-22-2022 08:07 AM)ODU-Z8 Wrote:  

(07-22-2022 07:26 AM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  If that's the case, WKU will be begging to be in MAC and maybe this time MTSU wont back out either. No way that makes sense with limited money for all.

SBC might not be done with expanding. AD comments have indicated monitoring expansion candidates.

Interesting. Any links to those comments?

(07-22-2022 10:00 AM)topper1296 Wrote:  Call me crazy, but at some point in the future I think we will still get a logical geographical realignment among the G5. Too much overlap here working on budgets that are peanuts compared to the P5 or S2 if that becomes a thing.

Won't happen. Egos, money (even if small diff.), contracts, buyouts, and the loss of NCAA auto bid.

USC and UCLA have just proved the point that in FBS, location does not matter, it's all about Football then Basketball and sprinkle in a little academics/like-mindedness.

(07-22-2022 03:12 PM)jbuck1999 Wrote:  USC and UCLA have just proved the point that in FBS, location does not matter, it's all about Football then Basketball and sprinkle in a little academics/like-mindedness.

I respectfully differ. At the G5 level we do not have the money to--EXAMPLE-- charter fly the women's softball team from one coast to the other. Location DOES matter. Our funds are limited. Geography is a factor IMHO. We need closer knit teams in order to survive--- at least to some extent. See what the cost will be to get the NMSU baseball team to Jacksonville, Alabama-- several flights, hotel nights, meals-- just for one series.

(07-22-2022 06:37 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  

(07-22-2022 03:12 PM)jbuck1999 Wrote:  USC and UCLA have just proved the point that in FBS, location does not matter, it's all about Football then Basketball and sprinkle in a little academics/like-mindedness.

I respectfully differ. At the G5 level we do not have the money to--EXAMPLE-- charter fly the women's softball team from one coast to the other. Location DOES matter. Our funds are limited. Geography is a factor IMHO. We need closer knit teams in order to survive--- at least to some extent. See what the cost will be to get the NMSU baseball team to Jacksonville, Alabama-- several flights, hotel nights, meals-- just for one series.

I agree with everything you're saying, G5 will have a hard time making it work, and some schools will struggle. But at the same time, whether the schools want to or not, I think most conferences, at least until the super conferences split off, will be spreading out, (now I'm no G5 expert and obviously I'm new here) but the driving factor is branding and media rights. From everything I'm seeing, in fact I may have to differ from my original statement and say a leading factor is actually media rights. For example, (louder for the conspiracy guru's THIS IS AN EXAMPLE based off geography and branding), let's say Jackson State for some reason really wants to move up, the MWC really wants them and makes it worth their while. That could happen, Jackson State would bring the MWC good branding, good recruiting with Coach Prime, etc etc. I know that's extreme but that's what my brain thought of for G5 lol