Depends if the Texas schools hang around, if so, no to UTSA and Rice, if not, then Rice/UTSA combo is a hit.

I think if they want to boost fb then SoMiss/Tulsa are slam dunks, if they want to sure up some Eastern geography Marshall/UMass may work. Also LA Tech, UNCC, ODU, and Buffalo may also be in the conversation.

Assuming UH/SMU leave, a 16 team nBE or whatever we'll call them may look pretty good...comparatively.

East- UConn, UMass, Temple, Marshall, ECU, UNCC, USF, USF
West- UTSA, Rice, Tulsa, LA Tech, Tulane, So Miss, Memphis, Cincy

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Say SMU and Houston stay, then Tulsa would go w/ us or to the BE?

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Tulsa is a private Presby school in East Oklahoma that wants to be associated with SMU and Tulane in the Central/Eastern time zones and possibly even CUSA w/ Rice more so than the MWC schools in the Western/Pacific.

If the money is close I think they like being one of the bigger fishes in the small pond and getting a little name recognition.

I thought they wouldn't be an easy sell w/ SMU/UH but w/o I think its a pipe dream. I'll ask my TU coworker on the 2nd what he thinks.

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Unless your co-worker is on this site, then your thoughts are more valuable to me and the rest of this board. I could ask Fresno St. staff if the WAC is a better option than the MWC, some would say the WAc I saw this when we moved to the MWC on local tv.

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ESPN article with comments from BE Commish regarding current BE realignment situation at http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... ike-aresco

Mark Blaudschun blog article discussing current BE realignment situation at http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=4589

Well, my cowork isn't a realignment junkie but after he bragged about Tulsa's big win over a Big12 school (ISU) he said he was talking to his Dad (a TU golf coach, and I didn't know this until today) this weekend and he thinks that even if SMU/UH go to the MWC Tulsa will still join the nBE. Tulsa is actually a pretty solid all around athletic school who competes well in most sports but it all comes from solid recruiting around the major population areas that CUSA had and the Big East now has. He said recruiting a kid from CAli or Colorado to play for Tulsa is a lost cause but kids from New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, and Memphis is where they've done there best work over the years and Florida is just as good as Cali to them.

Granted this is just one perspective from TU but I think it sounds pretty logical. Tulsa doesn't have the big name appeal so why ditch what been so successful a leave the Eastern schools they've been around for years for some new Western ones with increased travel costs that may hurt their programs rather than help. If the money is similar I now think they end up in the nBE in the next round of expansion.

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While a longshot, you gotta think that Uconn, at worst, if the Big East folded (football), Uconn could join the MAC in second for FB only. Cincy is interesting...if SMU and Houston left for the MWC...then sure, the remaining Big East schools are still better than CUSA for all-sports.

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Why is the MWC so bright to SMU,Houston?

The CBS contract stinks.

The cities in the conference are of a very small size.

The Schools of the MWC like Utah st,wyoming ,New Mexico,san Jose,Col St are hardly top notch academically or athletically.

Whats the big draw boise st?

They have a blue field and they got more than a fair share of the MWC tv package.

I wonder if the MAC would consider (if they thought they had a realistic chance of actually getting listened to) making an offer to Cincinnati, Temple, and UConn similar to or with more perks than what the MWC gave Boise St.

Something I do think we are about to see, provided that the MWC is indeed serious about adding both SMU and Houston, is that pair of Texas schools looking to get the Big East to sweeten their offer. SMU and Houston are both cognizant of the fact that if they go to the MWC they will be getting the same perks package as Boise St is. This puts Aresco in a tricky position because if he loses SMU and Houston he may very well lose the chance to add Tulsa because rumor has it that the Golden Hurricane could be going with them.

The MWC brand carries a lot of weight in TX from its TCU/BYU/Utah days, and Boise State has more appeal than Cincy. And Nevada/Fresno have more than UConn/Temple.

CUSA barely ever registered on the radar and only in those good Keenam years in UH, but the rest of the conference is very lack luster. If the TV money is the same I think its obvious that UH would rather play in a division with big Western states schools like CSU, WYO, UNM, Utah St, and nat'l program AFA than in CUSA 3.0 Tulane (private), Tulsa (private), Memphis (city U/bad fb), So Miss (directional U).

While I agree travel is more fun in Memphis & New Orleans (and possibly Orlando & Tampa if no divisions) than anything in their possible MWC division, at the heart of the matter is money and exposure and UH thinks that they'd get more of it than in the BE. Which conference got more press? MWC or CUSA? So why would anyone think the BE/CUSA 3.0 will get more than the MWC...because of USF, Temple, UConn, & Cincy??? I don't think so.

If the money is similar and Houston can be the new Texas team in the Western conference then I think ultimately that decision is a no brainer. Take the best exposure and increase enrollment, improve academics (just got tier 1 status), overcome the stigma of being a commuter school (require HS freshman to room on campus) and succeed in football to the level of TCU and eventually they'll land in the Big 12 when realignment starts up again.

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A good point. SMU and Houston would likely get to pick who they would be in a division with...in that they would be put with schools they might want more than others. For instance, if you have those 2, then you have them with New Mexico and UNLV. For #5-7, it's likely Air Force, Colorado St. and Wyoming...meaning Hou/DFW to Denver flights for the other games.

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There's so much implication that UCONN & Cincy deserve to be in one of the power conferences. That may come, or it may not for quite awhile. Maybe what's left of the BE maintain/expand to 9 or 10 all-sports schools and keep it simple till matters settle. They've already been bitten messing in the west, and relying much off of exit fees go only so far. Going for 12 now could be pre-mature, unless nobody else leaves.

UCONN
Cincy
USF
UCF
Temple
Memphis
Tulane
ECU
SMU (if they stay)
UH (if they stay)
Navy - fb only (if they don't back out)

Among potential replacements if needed: Rice, Tulsa, and So Miss. or Army fb. Add for fb and/or bb quality, academics, and geographic sensibilities.

Blog article out of Boise(previously posted in another thread)with more details regarding BSU deal with MWC that allowed BSU to avoid future BE membership.Deal also gives SDSU an exclusive MWC membership option window until 31 January.Link at http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2013/0 ... _exit_fees

"— The Mountain West will extend an option to San Diego State to join the league before offering membership to any other institution. The right of first option to San Diego State shall expire on Jan. 31."

Interesting. Glad they will all be back. Now what about Houston?

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