A fresh thread for the topic of "General CUSA Conference Realignment and Expansion".

To view the most recent thread:
http://collegesportsinfo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1447

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Many people have been saying that Conference USA is going to die. They say that it will get picked apart by other conferences. I really disagree. I think that with the new schools (Marshall, UCF, SMU, Tulsa and Rice), they will be a good conference. TCU may leave, but even if they do, LaTech would be a good replacement. I think they'll be a good conference. Even if the MWC takes TCU and/or Houston, they will still be able to pick up extra teams. They will be a good conference and strong in football. B-ball I'm not so sure...

I agree, CUSA will survive. IMO TCU will be making a big mistake if they depart for the West.

I believe that CUSA will hold our own in football and certainely baseball. Basketball is another question, but in time the roundballers will more than hold our own.

If MWC does Take TCU, why won't CUSA take North Texas instead of Louisana Tech?? North Texas is the better team, and will continue to get better in the next couple of years...besides they've already beat Cincy(headed for the BE) in the New Orleans Bowl...and North TX is very close to the Dallas/Fort Worth Area...there could still be room for a North Texas/SMU rivalry because of the distance between the schools...

Then La. Tech would definitely have to go to the Sun Belt...they could probably whoop on the whole conference and land the New Orleans Bowl every year...that would boost their exposure....and the WAC would take in Idaho for losing La. Tech....

Just thought i'd throw that out there, seems like an option that nobody has talked about...

I like that option too but the reason they would probably go after La Tech is they are a more hi profile program. Their football team is ok and their womens basketball team is one of the best. Football is driving the realignment but if you got something else other than football it makes your school alot more attractive.

If TCU leaves La. tech is the logical choice for cusa. North Texas will sty in the sunbelt because the sunbelt is going to pick up teams from florida-atlantic, florida-international and florida a&m.

As for the wac they will get Idaho, Idaho St, and others.

I start to wonder if North Texas would go anywhere. If it went to CUSA, the competition would be higher and the chance for more bowl games would be greater. However, they wouldn't be nearly as dominant as they are now (15 straight conference wins or something insane like that). Why leave a conference if you consistently get into the bowl game and get exposure?

LaTech would never consider the SunBelt merely because the other La-schools (Monroe and Lafayette) are in that conference. They consider themselves above them. They would take CUSA in a heartbeat. I like the idea of LaTech moving to CUSA and Idaho to the WAC. These two schools are prime examples of conferences overstepping their region. LaTech in the Western Athletic conference makes little to no sense, especially after they lost SMU, Tulsa and Rice. When the WAC had the Texas schools, it was ok, but now they'll be on an island. Idaho is on an island now with Utah State and NM State going to the WAC. I know there is some attendance issues with UI, but if we were in the WAC, everything would be just fine and we would be able to meet the requirement.

I hope the MWC takes one from the WAC (Boise State or Fresno State) and one from CUSA (TCU). That would open up LaTech to CUSA and Idaho to the WAC. CUSA would keep its number and have good regional schools (LaTech is probably a better overall program than TCU). WAC would, gasp, become regional. And North Texas would stay put in the SunBelt, which would be a very good regional conference.

Vandal,
Nothing against Idaho, but I would think N. Texas is at the top of the list for expansion especialy if HI goes to the MWC (doubt it though). If we look at the pros and cons of the whole thing I believe its a wash.

Idaho - Pros
Closer flight for 3/4 of the 2005 WAC schools.
Very Good Academics.
In the Western Time Zone
Nice FB history


Idaho - Cons
Attendance
Facilities.
Athletic Dept. is not stablized.
Long bus ride from airport. (almost an hour)
Longer flight for 1/4 of the 2005 WAC schools.
Bad FB in current years


N. Texas - Pros
Attendance
Facilities
T.V. market
Closer for 1/4 of the 2005 WAC schools
Good FB in recent years
Recruiting
Short bus ride

N. Texas - Cons
Longer flight for 3/4 of 2005 WAC schools.
Not much of a FB history.
Central Time Zone.


Pros seem to outwiegh the cons for N. Texas were as the pros and cons for Idaho are more of a wash.

I personaly like N. Arizona, but havn't heard there name mentioned much.

[url]http://www.latechbbb.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5983&start=0[/
url]

La Tech take on realignment

Teams often mentioned as replacement candidates in this realignment are UNT and La Tech.

I find it interesting that the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns lead both of these schools in academics and every sport but football.

That may be changing..........
See the final Dunkel Index
#91 Tulane
#92 Louisiana
#93 La Tech

Conferences would be wise to not act too swiftly. The University of Louisiana will be making LOTS of noise in the next few years. Count on it.

Sorry, forgot about women's hoops.

But, hey. Who cares about THAT.

UTEP is also in the mix in case TCU goes to the MWC.

That is something I've always wondered about. I always thought they would be a good CUSA school.

TheTiger, this isn't the first time I have heard this rumor. Do you have a link? I have talked with my buddy from El Paso and he hasn't heard anything about this. I asked him to get with his dad an alumn who gets good info.