(11-22-2022 01:14 PM)Just Joe Wrote:  

(11-22-2022 01:07 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(11-22-2022 12:55 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(11-22-2022 12:52 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(11-21-2022 04:56 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  The Random Texans don't have enough by themselves to ditch the Utah schools and go off separately, even with UT-RGV. They need more help.

I meant they’ll hook up with some random schools in the southeast and form some football Franken conference for football only (essentially like they have), or join an all sports conference in that direction. They WAC days have been numbered since the day they joined. It never made any sense. And that’s why 3 schools that have joined/planned to join either left, didn’t join, or announced they are leaving within a year of joining. That’s virtually unprecedented. The rest are just as good as gone most likely. The entire thing was a fiasco.

That's why I suggested that the Utah schools should look for the Big Sky to pick them up as affiliate members in football. If scheduling is an issue, just split into divisions. I'm not sure if the Texas 3 would be willing to go back to the Southland. SFA and Tarleton State would rather go FBS.

The Utah schools will probably end up as Indy’s in football. They aren’t the BSC’s problem. With their location, it’s virtually inevitable that it’s hard to find a good home for all sports. That’s life in the west and part of the coat of doing business. It’s the Texans who are unhappy with the western travel from day one, which makes joining the WAC such an idiotic choice.

They couldn’t push the Southland schools around as much as they wanted, so they wanted to storm off in a big huff to prove a point. They failed. The Southland is better off without most of them honestly. The Texas 4 crapped on everybody in both conferences and havent improved their lot at all. Complete flakes.

I'll always be baffled at Southern Utah's decision to leave a stable, regional conference for the WAC.

I’m not. The travel sucks in the Big Sky, only 3 schools were reasonable to drive to, no schools are in cities you can easily or cheaply fly to, most of the schools are in cold areas… There’s lots to dislike. By joining UVU and UT in the WAC, they are better off in almost every way. Football may be an exception, but that’s essentially dealing with 5-6 travel dates for an entire academic year. Travel just got way cheaper and easier.

But regarding RGV, my guess is that the Southland is their goal if they do end up getting football established. Either way, the WAC run will probably be ending for RGV and the conference will be back down to 1-2 Texas schools, although I wouldn’t be surprised if there none left in a couple years.

(11-22-2022 01:43 PM)Todor Wrote:  But regarding RGV, my guess is that the Southland is their goal if they do end up getting football established. Either way, the WAC run will probably be ending for RGV and the conference will be back down to 1-2 Texas schools, although I wouldn’t be surprised if there none left in a couple years.

What Texas schools would remain in the WAC? UTA would be one of them, but who would the other one be? Where would they all go if they all left?

(11-22-2022 01:57 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(11-22-2022 01:43 PM)Todor Wrote:  But regarding RGV, my guess is that the Southland is their goal if they do end up getting football established. Either way, the WAC run will probably be ending for RGV and the conference will be back down to 1-2 Texas schools, although I wouldn’t be surprised if there none left in a couple years.

What Texas schools would remain in the WAC? UTA would be one of them, but who would the other one be? Where would they all go if they all left?

Where will they go? Don’t know, and don’t care. SFA and Tarleton will depend on FBS possibly, and that will depend on openings in conferences that can’t necessarily be predicted. If they never pull the FBS trigger, SFA could go back to the Southland with their tail between their legs. RGV would more willingly (if they end up adding football) UTA may stick around a little while before realizing it was a stupid move, and possibly Abilene. If any do, it’s those 2.

That’s the way I see it anyway. Many people were getting mad at me for saying the Texas 4 wouldn’t be around long, until 2 left in short order and UIW backed out.

(11-21-2022 04:56 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  The Random Texans don't have enough by themselves to ditch the Utah schools and go off separately, even with UT-RGV. They need more help.

Random Texans... LOL. I like that. And I agree with your point.

Moreover even if the Random Texans eventually overcome that challenge and choose to depart to a new home or homes, I expect the WAC to live on in one form or another. While the conference will lose Seattle if Gonzaga jumps to the Big 12 or Pac, it's unlikely that any other WAC member will get a WCC invitation (Grand Canyon isn't an institutional fit and Cal Baptist doesn't make the grade academically). If that's correct then the WAC will continue to have a solid far-west core of UVU, SUU, UTU, GCU and CBU for years to come. It will need only two more members to survive as a D1 conference and I figure it will find them somewhere from among the ranks of the CCAA, GNAC and RMAC. What's important is that the WAC be doing all it can to identify and begin building relationships with those potential future members today.

(11-22-2022 12:54 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-21-2022 04:56 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(11-21-2022 12:13 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 11:46 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 11:43 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  It makes me wonder if, between now and then, the WAC standings will start to include the ASUN schools since they are also under minimums. But that then leaves the question of whether or not to play a full 8-game conference schedule

Utah Tech
Southern Utah
Tarleton St
Abilene Christian
SF Austin

UCA
Austin Peay
UNA
EKU

They've been good to the WAC. It's for one sport. I think they'll be brought under the umbrella as football-only.

It’s more likely that the Texas schools ditch the Utah schools and go their own way, either for football only, or most likely for all sports. They’ve been a flakey bunch since before they were even officially in the WAC. Whatever the setup looks like now, it will most likely looked entirely different soon.

The Random Texans don't have enough by themselves to ditch the Utah schools and go off separately, even with UT-RGV. They need more help.

That sounds like a College Band.

Yes. it also sounds more appropriate than the "Texas 4." A grouping of Tarleton State, Sam Houston State, Abilene Christian, Incarnate Word and Lamar feels - random. Especially given that one reneged on ever joining the WAC, and two left after two years. A bunch of schools who, other than Sam Houston State, probably don't know what they're doing.

Random Texans.

(11-22-2022 12:54 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(11-21-2022 04:56 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(11-21-2022 12:13 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 11:46 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(11-19-2022 11:43 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  It makes me wonder if, between now and then, the WAC standings will start to include the ASUN schools since they are also under minimums. But that then leaves the question of whether or not to play a full 8-game conference schedule

Utah Tech
Southern Utah
Tarleton St
Abilene Christian
SF Austin

UCA
Austin Peay
UNA
EKU

They've been good to the WAC. It's for one sport. I think they'll be brought under the umbrella as football-only.

It’s more likely that the Texas schools ditch the Utah schools and go their own way, either for football only, or most likely for all sports. They’ve been a flakey bunch since before they were even officially in the WAC. Whatever the setup looks like now, it will most likely looked entirely different soon.

The Random Texans don't have enough by themselves to ditch the Utah schools and go off separately, even with UT-RGV. They need more help.

That sounds like a College Band.

I think they opened at a concert I went to a few years back…lol

The Rando 4 already left a compact football conference for a Non Football conference that spreads 3 time zones and over half the US, in the failed hope that a new football conference would somehow magically coalesce around them. That was an unmitigated disaster in every way. At this point, looking at what makes good sense is out the window. They’ve shown that good sense plays no role in the decision making process at any of the schools. And I’d throw Tarleton in with the Flakey 4 regarding unstable leadership and decision making.

All of them are clueless, including Sam Houston because a big chunk of their fans think the FBS move is a bad idea. The 2 moves have worked out for them I suppose, if FBS is what they want, but it’s nothing more than dumb luck in their part. There was no “strategy that worked” in play. And since them and SFA were the “brains” behind the Texas 4, you know there’ll be even more problems now that they’ve split up. Lamar was just along because they got convinced it was a good idea, I believe—and they swiftly got a new AD and reversed course. And that leaves Abilene. I’m not sure what to make of them, but I do think there’s a good chance they stick with the WAC for a while even if the others leave. It may not be ideal, but as a private school, it’s a whole different set of factors going into these decisions than a these other local schools.

Personally I hope the WAC survives as it would be good to have 2 FCS Conferences with a presence in the west. As mentioned many Big Sky fans dont like how bloated the Conference has become so some options that could help, would like to see/potentially could happen:

-West Texas A&M, Central Oklahoma, Angelo State and Colorado Mesa as mentioned would be good additions to the Conference. I believe WTA&M once they get a new AD will make the move.

-Utah Valley adds Football, the fact they have had the largest enrollment in the state for years and don't have Football is perplexing to me, they could get it done and add a 3rd Utah WAC team.

-Cal Poly and UCDavis are Football members only in the Big Sky, moving them to the WAC wouldn't be to difficult and is personally I think the easiest one out of all these options to see happen. By doing this you would get a 10 team Big Sky and an 8 team WAC, 9 if UVU wakes up and adds Football.

Now the total fantasy camp from me would be to have the Big Sky, MVFC, Southland and WAC meet and work things out, the WAC could still return to FBS as they have a waiver and the best thing to do would be to add the best in terms of facilities, desire to move up ex. of all these programs and create a new FBS WAC:

WAC FBS:

NORTH:
Montana, Montana State, NDSU, SDSU, Idaho, Weber State

SOUTH:
NMSU, UTEP, SHSU, Tarleton State, Missouri State, SFA

With this setup the Big Sky and Southland could do some shuffling:

BIG SKY:

Idaho State, SAC State, EWU, Portland State, UC-Davis, Cal Poly, UNC, NAU, SUU, UT-Tech

SOUTHLAND:
Abeline Christian, UTRGV, UIW, HCU, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls, SELA, Northwestern State, TA&MC

And the MVFC would still be a good looking Conference:

UND, USD, Youngstown State, UNI, Indiana State, SIU, Western Illinois, Illinois State, Murray State

(11-22-2022 01:43 PM)Todor Wrote:  But regarding RGV, my guess is that the Southland is their goal if they do end up getting football established. Either way, the WAC run will probably be ending for RGV and the conference will be back down to 1-2 Texas schools, although I wouldn’t be surprised if there none left in a couple years.

Since 19% of high school football players are in Texas, shouldn't 19% of FBS programs be in Texas?

With only 13 they are way short of the 25 based on the talent they produce.

(11-22-2022 09:23 PM)Utgrizfan Wrote:  Personally I hope the WAC survives as it would be good to have 2 FCS Conferences with a presence in the west. As mentioned many Big Sky fans dont like how bloated the Conference has become so some options that could help, would like to see/potentially could happen:

-West Texas A&M, Central Oklahoma, Angelo State and Colorado Mesa as mentioned would be good additions to the Conference. I believe WTA&M once they get a new AD will make the move.

-Utah Valley adds Football, the fact they have had the largest enrollment in the state for years and don't have Football is perplexing to me, they could get it done and add a 3rd Utah WAC team.

-Cal Poly and UCDavis are Football members only in the Big Sky, moving them to the WAC wouldn't be to difficult and is personally I think the easiest one out of all these options to see happen. By doing this you would get a 10 team Big Sky and an 8 team WAC, 9 if UVU wakes up and adds Football.

Now the total fantasy camp from me would be to have the Big Sky, MVFC, Southland and WAC meet and work things out, the WAC could still return to FBS as they have a waiver and the best thing to do would be to add the best in terms of facilities, desire to move up ex. of all these programs and create a new FBS WAC:

WAC FBS:

NORTH:
Montana, Montana State, NDSU, SDSU, Idaho, Weber State

SOUTH:
NMSU, UTEP, SHSU, Tarleton State, Missouri State, SFA

With this setup the Big Sky and Southland could do some shuffling:

BIG SKY:

Idaho State, SAC State, EWU, Portland State, UC-Davis, Cal Poly, UNC, NAU, SUU, UT-Tech

SOUTHLAND:
Abeline Christian, UTRGV, UIW, HCU, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls, SELA, Northwestern State, TA&MC

And the MVFC would still be a good looking Conference:

UND, USD, Youngstown State, UNI, Indiana State, SIU, Western Illinois, Illinois State, Murray State

Posted this in another thread:

WAC ===> BSC
Seattle (Non FB)
UVU (Non FB)

BSC 12 = [10 (Full) / 2 (FB Only) / 2 (Non FB)]

BSC ===> WAC
Northern AZ
Northern CO

WAC 13 = [7 (Full) / 6 (Non FB)]*
*Takes into account NMSU + SHSU to CUSA in 2023.
*Does not take into account UTRGV football in 2025.

If UTRGV football (2025) then WAC 13 = [8 (Full) / 5 (Non FB)]
If UTRGV football (2025) to SLC then
WAC 12 = [7 (Full) / 5 (Non FB)]
SLC 11 = [9 (Full) / 2 (Non FB)]

(11-23-2022 02:16 AM)jimrtex Wrote:  

(11-22-2022 01:43 PM)Todor Wrote:  But regarding RGV, my guess is that the Southland is their goal if they do end up getting football established. Either way, the WAC run will probably be ending for RGV and the conference will be back down to 1-2 Texas schools, although I wouldn’t be surprised if there none left in a couple years.

Since 19% of high school football players are in Texas, shouldn't 19% of FBS programs be in Texas?

With only 13 they are way short of the 25 based on the talent they produce.

Umm, ok I guess? I don’t really have any idea why that came up since I didn’t say anything regarding the number of FBS players from Texas. And don’t care.

(11-23-2022 03:29 AM)joeben69 Wrote:  BSC ===> WAC
Northern AZ
Northern CO

Don't think there's any chance of that move happening. NAU has been in the BSC for over 50 years and views the other members as institutional peers.

Good for UTGRV. They are in an area of Texas that doesn't have much FCS football.

I opened this thread hoping to find info about the new program. Instead, I found half of it devoted to trashing the Texas schools and saying they have no plan and could go back to the SLC.

The plan was to leave the SLC. The conference devolved from one that put teams in the sweet sixteen, to one where there was a chance for a tourney upset as there were two or three good teams, to one where there were a handful of crap schools. They are near bottom in RPI or similar rankings in all-sports. Sure, keeping football there would be stable for that program, but every other program would suffer. ACU and SFA (and Sam to a lesser extent) are trying to build a successful athletic department, not just a good football team that competes in FCS. Not sure of many other opportunities other than the WAC to accomplish that.

Sam left as a good opportunity presented itself, nothing against the WAC. Lamar had a change in leadership that decided against the move and changed their mind. That doesn’t reflect on the other schools. UIW was a poor choice for many reasons, but was added for football. No one is sad they left. They would drag everything else down.