Southland Expansion

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

SJSUFan2010 wrote:

I thought FCS couldn't have a conference championship game.

Correction: Unless they don't want to compete in the playoffs, like the SWAC

yeah good call, but still 10 or 12 would be better than 11, 10 offers round robin play and 12 offers divisional play, high odd numbers like 11 or 13 are awkward.

SJSUFan2010 · **Joined:** Mon Dec 06, 2010 7:52 pm **Posts:** 467

tkalmus wrote:

SJSUFan2010 wrote:

I thought FCS couldn't have a conference championship game.

Correction: Unless they don't want to compete in the playoffs, like the SWAC

yeah good call, but still 10 or 12 would be better than 11, 10 offers round robin play and 12 offers divisional play, high odd numbers like 11 or 13 are awkward.

I completely agree. And of course, with the talk of changes coming to D-I, perhaps the Southland could find itself in a new Division II one day and maybe they would have a conference championship game then.

The potential UTPA add is interesting. Is the conference expecting Lamar to leave soon? Or are they indeed trying to get 12? There is safety in numbers.

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

SJSUFan2010 wrote:

tkalmus wrote:

SJSUFan2010 wrote:

I thought FCS couldn't have a conference championship game.

Correction: Unless they don't want to compete in the playoffs, like the SWAC

yeah good call, but still 10 or 12 would be better than 11, 10 offers round robin play and 12 offers divisional play, high odd numbers like 11 or 13 are awkward.

I completely agree. And of course, with the talk of changes coming to D-I, perhaps the Southland could find itself in a new Division II one day and maybe they would have a conference championship game then.

The potential UTPA add is interesting. Is the conference expecting Lamar to leave soon? Or are they indeed trying to get 12? There is safety in numbers.

Safety in numbers is huge, a few months ago the Southland lost Texas St, UTSA & UTA and nearly lost (and may still lose) Lamar, SHSU & SFA, and could possibly lose McNeese St, Nicholls St & Central Arkansas in the next decade or so. While I doubt their Bball bid will ever be in trouble (due to the ample amount of Texas schools in DII), I do think their goal is to solidify themselves as The conference of the Southwest, much like the Big Sky did when it took every FCS fb team west of the Central time zone (sans San Deigo) and became the FCS conference of the West.

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:44 am

ACU and/or Incarnate Word>UTPA. But yeah I think it's a strength in numbers thing. Also if they end up w/ 11/14 they could add UNA for football only, if they find a home for other sports like A-Sun. Also just because you have 12 doesn't mean you have to have a conf. title. The plan for the Big Sky was never to have a title game w/13 or 14 (when they thought USD was in)

braves86 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:54 pm **Posts:** 16

It sounds like the Southland does not want to add UTPA based on their shady history. But then again I hope they really add them. Are you guys in favor or against adding them to the Southland despite them never adding football?

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

braves86 wrote:

It sounds like the Southland does not want to add UTPA based on their shady history. But then again I hope they really add them. Are you guys in favor or against adding them to the Southland despite them never adding football?

Logistically, UTPA makes a tons of sense; the Southland is a big bus league and right now Corpus Christi is by itself down in the South. UTPA would make it easy for the LA/OK/Ark schools to make the trip to South Texas on Thur and play another game on Sat. Just look at the travel partners with UTPA in the mix.

UTPA-A&M CC
Lamar-HBU
SHSU-SFA
ORU-UCA
NW St-McNeese
Nicholls-SE LA St

It makes sense, and UTPA has even said that they are open to adding football once they've settled in a conference so I see no reason not to take them besides any lingering negative feelings towards them by the SLC members/admin.

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3752

tkalmus wrote:

braves86 wrote:

It sounds like the Southland does not want to add UTPA based on their shady history. But then again I hope they really add them. Are you guys in favor or against adding them to the Southland despite them never adding football?

Logistically, UTPA makes a tons of sense; the Southland is a big bus league and right now Corpus Christi is by itself down in the South. UTPA would make it easy for the LA/OK/Ark schools to make the trip to South Texas on Thur and play another game on Sat. Just look at the travel partners with UTPA in the mix.

UTPA-A&M CC
Lamar-HBU
SHSU-SFA
ORU-UCA
NW St-McNeese
Nicholls-SE LA St

It makes sense, and UTPA has even said that they are open to adding football once they've settled in a conference so I see no reason not to take them besides any lingering negative feelings towards them by the SLC members/admin.

I agree. The Southland isn't about sizzle, it's about stability. And with stability, it offers something not every conference/school can. While UTPA might seem like a step down to many, the school actually has plenty in common with the Southland schools, especially given the history of SLC schools from the UT system.

Balance is a nice offering. 12 is comfortable. With HBU adding football, and if UTPA did too, it would completely offset even any future departures like SHSU and Lamar.

braves86 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:54 pm **Posts:** 16

Has there been any other news regarding this conference expansion.........

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

braves86 wrote:

Has there been any other news regarding this conference expansion.........

Nothing new, the SLC is looking at the non fb school UT-Pan American to help round out their numbers, UTPA has a lot going for them especially since they are the only D1 program left in TX/OK/LA/ARK not in a major conference. There has also been some talking about adding football playing D2 upgrades Incranate Word from San Antonio and Abiline Christian (one of the founding members of the SLC back when it was D2 in the 1960's). The only other "option" is Arkansas-Little Rock the last remaining non fb school in the Sun Belt Conference, now it been said that they and the conference are comfortable with their situation but with the new commissioner Karl Benson (from the WAC) coming on board and looking at expansion to at least 12, one would think that the SLC could make a solid pitch to UALR and get them into the fold.

centexguy · **Joined:** Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:07 pm **Posts:** 38

The University of New Orleans is staying D1 and could join the Southland Conference:

Quote:

The Privateers' return to Division I will begin speculation about conference affiliation. They could possibly join the Southland Conference which currently includes Louisiana schools Northwestern State, McNeese State, Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana. A return to the Sun Belt Conference, which includes Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe, is not out of the question.

The Southland currently has 12 members but will lose Texas State, Texas-San Antonio and Texas-Arlington at the end of the current school year. Oral Roberts will join the league in 2012 and Houston Baptist will join the Southland in 2013. UNO could become the 12th member, equaling the league's current membership.

Link: http://www.sportsnola.com/sports/uno/58 ... ion-i.html

braves86 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:54 pm **Posts:** 16

My money has it that it will not be UTPA that will get that 12th spot in the Southland. Here is another link that UNO will snag that spot. http://www.wwltv.com/news/Sources-UNO-t ... 31013.html

:oops:

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3752

braves86 wrote:

My money has it that it will not be UTPA that will get that 12th spot in the Southland. Here is another link that UNO will snag that spot. http://www.wwltv.com/news/Sources-UNO-t ... 31013.html

:oops:

With the Sunbelt no longer a fit, it leaves only the Southland and the A-Sun...as well as Great West.

Southland would be a good fit for the school, key will be if the Southland wants them. They would have a school in the heart of the big city in LA, which would help. That alone might be enough to put them over UTPA.

tute79 · **Joined:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:25 pm **Posts:** 1490

If I recall correctly ,about 2-3 years ago, the Sun-Belt instituted a criteria that all NEW members (UALR remains exempt) had to play football.

So UNO is not going to be considered for the Sun-Belt.

UNO moved form the LSU system to the U of Louisiana System. Perhaps that gave them a moer sympathetic ear regarding athletics funding (I don't know).

I think SLC is a pretty good bet, if they finally appear to be stable.

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:57 pm

Why stop at 12. You have ACU and UIW looking at D-I w/ football and are better schools that UNO and UTPA. If they stop at 12, how does UNO get in over ACU or UIW?

tkalmus · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:40 pm **Posts:** 1034

Fresno St. Alum wrote:

Why stop at 12. You have ACU and UIW looking at D-I w/ football and are better schools that UNO and UTPA. If they stop at 12, how does UNO get in over ACU or UIW?

Not sure that UNO is worse than UIW/ACU

12/16 sounds good...

West (Texas)-Incarnate Word, ACU, HBU, Lamar, SHSU, SFA + nonfb A&M CC & UTPA
East (not Texas)-UCA, NWSU, McNeese, SE LA, Nicholls, New Orleans + nonfb UALR & ORU

if Lamar leaves just subtract them and UALR and move UNO to the non fb schools for a 10/14 split.

Southland Expansion

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