Article out of NO reporting that UNO expects a Southland conference invite this week with an announcement scheduled for 11am (local)this Thursday morning.Link at http://www.sportsnola.com/sports/uno/58 ... rsday.html

Southland release from their site with today's UNO membership announcement at http://www.southland.org/Sports/Confere ... rence.aspx

I found something REALLY DISTURBING.....

The New Orleans "Privateer" http://www.unoprivateers.com/index.aspx

is the VERY SAME GUY as the Central State (Ohio) "Marauder"... http://www.maraudersports.com/


Maybe they are twin brothers. They have diffferent initials "UNO" or "CSU" on their pirate hats, and the UNO dude has a steering wheel from a riverboat.

Just thought you all should know....

Maybe this explains why UNO could not stay in D-2 with the GSC - they could risk playing each other, and creating almost as much confusion as Kansas State vs. Northwestern
(both purple and white "Wildcats").

The Marauder and the Privateer must have been separated at birth.

The illegitimate off-spring of a Pittsburgh Pirate and a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, no doubt.

UCA considering return to Division II:

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/article/2 ... ivision-II

This would put the Southland at 11/13 New Orleans follows through with football. My hunch is he Southland would go with Tarleton State if they still want to move up. If UNO is delayed in adding football, or has to scrap those plans, then UTPA might be an option for 10/14.

I think that the Southland still has some options out there in Tarleton St., and Angelo St. - any other ideas or comments?

C.Oklahoma was a finalist when C.Arkansas/TAMU-CC got invited.

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West Texas A&M and A&M Commerce could also be in the running, just depends if the current administration wants to be D1, I know the A&M system has been wanting more A&M schools (like these and Tarleton) to move up to complete with all the UT's smaller system school in D1 (UTEP, UTSA, UTA, & UTPA).

Speaking of UTPA...since we all think the Southland will lose another fb school in either Lamar or SHSU, that would put them at 10 football members instead of 11 and still keep them at 3 non fb members for an awkward 10/13 split. UTPA fit right in there and the conference even recently visited and reviewed them for membership which seems to be the pre-planned replacement for losing another school to the FBS.

After the defection...here's the 10/14 split (and I know there's no fb divisions for just 10)
West- ACU, UIW, HBU, SFA, SHSU (or Lamar) plus nonfb A&MCC & UTPA
East - McNeese, Nicholls, NWSU, SELA, UCA plus nonfb ORU & UNO

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Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

OK Tkalmus,
Lets say that U. Central Arkansas does drop down and Lamar moves up - Who do you invite in?
I am saying Angelo St. (Texas Tech school system), and Tarleton St. (Texas A&M school system) to start and bring in Texas A&M Commerce for #3 with an unknown fourth.

Well first its not just UCA, its also four of the Louisiana University system schools (NWSU, McNeese, Nicholls St and UNO) that have had budget issues and it was proposed that they might drop sports all together (or at least at the D1 level) and fold into an extension campus of another school like ULL or LA Tech. While this is unlikely it is still concerning to schools like Lamar, SHSU, and SFA who think they belong with the recent defection rather than the recent additions and these schools with financial issues.


As for Southland replacements, I think UTPA is likely option #1 having already been visited and under review but passed over for New Orleans (to make the LA schools happy) and Oral Roberts (a far better option), but if Lamar leaves the Southland will have 10 fb members and 13 bb members so adding another bb school would give them a nice 10/14 split.

But I do qualify that statement by noticing that the Summit just lost UMKC which seems to indicate that the MVC could also be raided for more than just Creighton and could make the Southland look appealing to both Missouri State (fb) and Wichita State (nonfb) who are near the Southern border of those states close to Oral Roberts and Central Arkansas. Those would clearly be the best options for the Southland if given the choice. MSU gets them an easy replacement for Lamar and Wichita State could give them a nationally recognized bball program that's way better than UTPA. If both want to join they could add another D2fb upgrade and have a nice 12/16 split.

Besides existing D1 schools I think the only real options for D2 upgrades are football playing schools Central Oklahoma, Tarleton St, West Texas A&M, Angelo St, and A&M Commerce. UCO would help tie in Oral Roberts, while Angelo/Tarleton would be good to tie in Abilene Christian into the conference plus Tarleton/TAMU-C gives them more exposure around the DFW area and WTAMU brings in a new market out in the panhandle (Texas Tech lite) plus has a good D2 fb program.

Of those I think Central Oklahoma (along with Northeastern St) may be more content now in the MAIAA conference and other D2 OK/Ark fb schools are in their new Great American conference so I think TX upgrades are the only real option.

I'm not sure about whether Angelo St, A&M Commerce, or WTAMU have any intentions of moving up so soon, therefor I think in my opinion that Tarleton St, who has flirted with the idea as recently as a month ago (see link) is the most likely replacement if the Southland needs another upgrade. After that its probably up to which ever institution wants to and has the means to upgrade and join because other than adding bball schools (or bball schools willing to add fb like HBU) they'd be out of eager ready to upgrade options.

And FYI, the only non-fb school on the SLC's radar right now is probably Dallas Baptist due to their baseball program which is already really good in D1 and obviously their beneficial location in DFW which the Southland is lacking, but honestly I have no idea if they are ready for D1 in other sports.

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Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

Tkalmus,
Are you saying to pull U. Texas - Pan Am from the WAC or are they off the table now that they are in the WAC? I think that Angelo St. would accept an invite and their facilities are not bad. (I have seen their facilities, and my brother went there) I also agree with you that Tarleton St. will more than likely move up.
Question - Does any of the BB schools in the Southland have plans to start football? I am hearing rumors that both Oral Roberts and Houston Baptist are thinking on it. This would increase the solidity of the Southland I think.
You are right in the fact that loosing the 4 Louisiana schools would be a big punch to the stomach, and then loosing Central Ark to a downgrade too? Could they replace these losses?
I had not heard about C. Oklahoma - that might be a good travel partner for Oral Roberts.
What about grabbing Prairie View A&M?
It's good to hear from you veteran guys, you really have a keen eye for the moves at the college football level! Thanks for taking the time to chat up a noob like me!

HBU is starting fb and of course UTPA would bail on the WAC for the most compact conf. around for them. SLC will probably hit up Tarleton St., Angelo St. and UCO first before settling for UTPA.

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I disagree a bit FSA, I think the Southland knew it was bound to lose another member soon and that's why they visited UTPA at the same time they visited the other schools they eventually expanded with.


I think the Southland may want to just settle down and even out the numbers.

Right now with their new additions they have 11 fb members and 3 nonfb members, I think they knew and planned for the defections for either Lamar or SHSU to the Sun Belt. If 1 fb playing members leaves they'll end up with 10 fb members (a great number for FCS) and 13 bb members (not so great). Adding UTPA is an easy pickup that gives them a great divisional format in both fb/bb with the Texas schools in the West and the LA/Ark/OK schools in the East.

Otherwise, I think they would have added another fb team instead of grabbing New Orleans giving them a 12/14 split.

As far as the other candidates...

UCO was looking to upgrade but now they just got into a nice conference in D2 and may not be ready to jump as quickly as they were last time.

Tarleton and Angelo St may be the next options if they lose a few but the Southland just brought up 2 D2 schools and took in HBU after the promised to start football so unless they lose a few to D2 or FBS I don't think they are going to pursue them anytime soon.

Norwich- Prairie View A&M is a HBU so I don't think they are leaving the SWAC, and I haven't heard anything on Oral Roberts.

And just putting this out there again, my sleeper pick for the Southland is Dallas Baptist.

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Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

I defer to the Texas guy. UTPA is on deck.

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