From what I've been told Rice and SMU own the naming rights to the SWC because of the movement that happened immediately after the SWC broke up. The Big 12 Southers left the right to the now non AQ's and Houston gave up its rights when it split from the others and left for CUSA, and TCU surrendered its control after they left for the MWC. So with the threat of super 16 team conferences around the corner and the influx of Texas teams into FBS, I could see this becoming more and more realistic. Rice will probably left out of the MWC's attempt at a 16 team bid so why not break away from the soon to be hybrid CUSA/SunBelt and start fresh. Just have the geniuses at Rice and Tulsa start inviting teams in their state that would jump at the chance to decrease travel cost by forming a MAC like bus league with UNT, UTSA, TX St, LA Tech, ULL, ULM. That 8 but it leave room open for upgrades like Lamar, SHSU, SFA, UTA. Plus I could see NM St, Tulsa, Ark St, So Miss, and possibly Memphis wanting to limit cost if they are left out of the big money conferences. This would allow for rivalries to form and also allow Rice and Tulane to be competitive since their academic requirements are limiting their ability to keep up with the Texas' and LSU's of the world.

This could also be good for the CUSA/Sun Belt since they could finally have a footprint similar to the ACC with MTSU, UAB, SoBama, Jacksonville St, Troy, GA Southern/St, FIU/FAU, UCF/USF (maybe), ECSU, App St, Old Dominion, Richmond, James Madison, Marshall, and Nova.

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