Conference USA General Realignment Thread

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:01 pm

Quinn wrote:

Fresno St. Alum wrote:

Quinn wrote:

Fresno St. Alum wrote:

Quinn wrote:

The Bishin Cutter wrote:

The only reason why UTEP doesn't go to the MWC is because they turn it down. And if they turn it down, it's because they're still bitter about being left out of the MWC after the WAC-16 blunder. And, yes, they have no problem stating that on their official athletics page.

Quote:

...Please recall that UTEP was left behind when the 16-team Western Athletic Conference split apart more than a decade ago. At that time, many of those schools formed the Mountain West Conference. However UTEP was not invited to be a part of it.

You don't put that out there unless you want it known.

So, if they aren't going, and USU and SJSU are, I imagine UTEP told the MWC where they could stick it, or the feeling is still mutual over in the MWC head office. Personally, I always thought it was a mistake for the conference to "betray" UTEP and not get on the wagon for Tulsa instead of TCU and UNLV given TCU wasn't a longterm investment and UNLV is probably one of the worst football programs of the modern era, as well as one of the most corrupt programs. If UTEP isn't "sliding over," it will be a shame, as well as a missed opportunity for the MWC to get a consistent program.

I imagine Charlotte will be a C-USA member again. It could work out for them...I know they felt like they dropped off when they went to the A-10 (SLU felt the same), and were willing to put together a football program to help get basketball "righted" (although, to be honest, if Charlotte thinks C-USA is a hoops upgrade from the 3-4 invite/year A-10, there's a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell them for a nickel). So, let them live and learn. Should be interesting how they progress when ECU and App State are already better, yet well behind the ACC'ers.

You have, HAVE, to factor in the politics though. If UTEP were going to leave CUSA for the MWC, it would HAVE to be because CUSA has agreed to the move. How on earth are CUSA and MWC supposed to work together in a football alliance if one conference is poaching schools from the other...for a football alliance that will be under the same business umbrella. That's like the people in the Sprite department poaching a key employee from the Coke department...when both companies work under the Coke parent company.

I love the idea of UTEP in the MWC. But it ONLY happens if the MWC FIRST asks CUSA if they can have them and CUSA agrees. If the MWC tries to go behind CUSA's back, the alliance could be over. And lets face it, the MWC needs the alliance more than CUSA does since CUSA has a better deal now, has tons of options for schools to add in solid markets. Meanwhile, the MWC has only the WAC to poach. Think the new MWC 9/10 will be getting a huge TV deal on their own? And what if they lose another school to the Big East? Does NMSU or Idaho as the only option blow you over?

Can it happen? Yes, Utep could join. Will it? Only if CUSA gives UTEP it's blessing...which it might. But don't you think there would be some sort of news about that PRIOR to CUSA adding 4 schools and the MWC adding 2?

I think CUSA missed the boat by not looking at MTSU instead of La Tech.

I Don't think UTEP is coming west but I disagree that that would be the first announcement in the alliance, I think it would be the last. You get your 22 or 24. Then you breakdown where the 11/11 or 12/12 go.

I'm not sure that we'll be doing anything as an alliance w/ this move. CUSA shut us out of Tx and they went to full 12 to cutting out an actual conf title game where the winner could face a real school in a bowl.

If I was the MWC I'd call Texas St. right now and tell them the 10th spot is theirs when AFA goes to the BE. At worst Tx St. is NMSU or Idaho, more than likely they'll be better. If CUSA wanted they could cock block us on that too and go to 14 w/ Charlotte(who they do want down the road) and take Texas St. Some f*cking partnership. MWC should hope they can be on the better end in fb and much better in basketball to convince UTEP and 1 other Tx school to come to the MWC down the road which would tell CUSA the "partnership" is over.

So are you saying you've relaxed your position that if at 11/11, the conferences would need to petition the NCAA to allow 11 school "divisions" with the winners playing in a "Championship" despite each school not playing all members of it's division?

I wouldn't say UTEP should be the 1st move nor the last. But it seems odd that CUSA would all but announce expansion to 12, the MWC with 2 more additions, only to have one school move, creating the need for CUSA to add a new 12th school.

I'd love the 11/11 scenario...I think it's the #1 option out there...I've always favored an 8/8, 9/9, 10/10 or 11/11. But at 11/11, it means having to change the NCAA rules in order for it to work. Let's hope that is the case.

No I think I started off by saying I don't think UTEP is coming west but if they were it would be after they decide how many they add. If 24 then we would hear Charlotte and ODU are coming before UTEP shifting west.

My stance is CUSA 1 up'd us by landing all of Tx and it looks like our alliance will be some non conf games, maybe a bowl. I would have rather played cutthroat winner take all against them for UTEP, Tulsa, Rice, UNT or UTSA.

While I know people would hate the lowered competition level, I admit, part of me would love to see:

CUSA adds 4 to get to 12 (UTSA, No. Texas, FIU, Charlotte)
Sun Belt replaces their lost 2 with LA Tech and Texas St. and grabs a 12th football school like App St
MWC adds Utah St. and SJSU to get to 10 football and adds NMSU and Idaho for 12.

MWC has a championship game, CUSA a championship game, with the winners playing in a bowl. Maybe the lure of a #1 vs #1 is enough to get a higher quality bowl partner in Texas, Phoenix, New Orleans.

I know Idaho and NSMU add little, but at least nobody is left behind and both schools fit the regional mold. Hell, maybe even throw them a bone with FB only membership like Hawaii has so MWC is a 12 school football conference, 9 for other sports.

That would be like me telling you and JP to take UNH and Maine just so they have a home(A10) when the CAA takes Stony Brook, Albany, and maybe Boston. What do they do for you?

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