(01-29-2025 08:49 AM)Tech80 Wrote:  Part of the back-n-forth between CUSA and Belt fans is due in large part to a shared history, past conference rivals. For Tech we have been in the same conference as most of the current Belt schools at one time. And sometimes rivalries can start between schools who have never shared conference affiliation due to some other factor.

I remember the basketball "wars" with Arkansas State when we shared a conference with them. Every game it seemed came down to a last shot, the final possession. stAte was always a tough out in hoops. More recently USM was, and still is, a big rival for us. We will play them in baseball again coming up. Those games mean a lot to Tech, and I assume USM too. And then there's our good friends in Lafayette. The Ragin' Cajuns! bunch we love to hate...but have respect for. Have had too many battles with those guys not to tip our hat to 'em at times. Just three examples, and there are others.

Point is, I think this is why there remains a "rivalry" between CUSA and the Sun Belt. We all have long memories!

ULM ?

I went to a ULM vs. Tech football game once and you could feel the tension in the air. Great crowd, too (close to 30,000 in Ruston)

(01-29-2025 09:24 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  

(01-29-2025 08:49 AM)Tech80 Wrote:  Part of the back-n-forth between CUSA and Belt fans is due in large part to a shared history, past conference rivals. For Tech we have been in the same conference as most of the current Belt schools at one time. And sometimes rivalries can start between schools who have never shared conference affiliation due to some other factor.

I remember the basketball "wars" with Arkansas State when we shared a conference with them. Every game it seemed came down to a last shot, the final possession. stAte was always a tough out in hoops. More recently USM was, and still is, a big rival for us. We will play them in baseball again coming up. Those games mean a lot to Tech, and I assume USM too. And then there's our good friends in Lafayette. The Ragin' Cajuns! bunch we love to hate...but have respect for. Have had too many battles with those guys not to tip our hat to 'em at times. Just three examples, and there are others.

Point is, I think this is why there remains a "rivalry" between CUSA and the Sun Belt. We all have long memories!

ULM ?

I went to a ULM vs. Tech football game once and you could feel the tension in the air. Great crowd, too (close to 30,000 in Ruston)

True. Absolutely should be an annual game for Tech. Heck, if Iowa and Iowa State or Florida and FSU can play annually despite being in different leagues it can happen here. Likely the only way either school sees anything close to those attendance numbers again. Too bad ego (more so on the Tech side) gets in the way.