When I hear about the WAC FBS stuff, it makes me wonder; Is the WAC still the same conference that had the FBS (or D1A) charter if all of the FBS members are long gone? I personally don't think the NCAA would say they are. Can the Atlantic Sun - WAC scheme work? I have no idea, but if it does, I do not think it will have anything to do with the WAC being grandfathered in.

But hey, everyone has an opinion, right?

(02-03-2023 06:30 PM)CW Fishman Wrote:  When I hear about the WAC FBS stuff, it makes me wonder; Is the WAC still the same conference that had the FBS (or D1A) charter if all of the FBS members are long gone? I personally don't think the NCAA would say they are. Can the Atlantic Sun - WAC scheme work? I have no idea, but if it does, I do not think it will have anything to do with the WAC being grandfathered in.

But hey, everyone has an opinion, right?

I've wondered this myself. New Mexico State was the one remaining WAC member from when it was an FBS conference. When NMSU made the move to C USA, I think that's the point where as soon as C USA gave Sam Houston the chance to jump ship from the WAC and move with New Mexico State we jumped at the opportunity. We've been eyeing FBS for about the last 10 years after the 2011 and 2012 national title runner up finishes but had this idea that we would upgrade facilities over the next 10 years and move to FBS as a whole conference around 2030. Apparently that was too long of a timeline. I'm not sure if the WAC-ASUN move to FBS will work. The leaders for that charge will likely be Tarleton, EKU, and Austin Peay but will be carrying the baggage of Utah Tech and North Alabama. SFA moving to the UT system could see an influx of money from the system and more investment into athletics and UTRGV has a high population/ would be the only FBS team in South Texas and has access to UT system money as well so those are toss ups and depend on if the system wants to put the money forward for SFA and UTRGV to join UTEP and UTSA as FBS members eventually or if they want them to stay FCS. Central Arkansas just seems like it will end up as another Arkansas St where no one really pays attention and they're never really in the news for anything. Central Arkansas would benefit from continuing to play FCS football and raise their athletic profile now that Sam Houston, Kennesaw St, and Jacksonville St are out of the picture.

Disagree about Arkansas State, and therefore Central Arkansas. The Red Wolves had a great football run in the teens. They garnered a lot of attention and were tops in the Sun Belt in attendance, the top third in G5 and getting bowl wins.

If Central Arkansas moves up there’s a guaranteed annual in-state rivalry for the State of Arkansas. That will garner a lot of eyeballs.

A-SUN/WAC better figure things out quickly if they want to move up as a conference, and it needs to be with at least 14 to 16 teams.

If the PAC needs more than 2 additions to close its media deal things will trickle down very quickly.

I think things are more or less at a standstill with WAC/ASUN movement until the PAC makes a move and then the trickle down effect will take hold.

(02-08-2023 03:27 PM)Spolovilo4EVER Wrote:  I think things are more or less at a standstill with WAC/ASUN movement until the PAC makes a move and then the trickle down effect will take hold.

Is trickle down from the PAC calling up SMU and SDSU good or bad for the WACSUN? I feel like the trickledown backfilling that would result could truly put the nail in the coffin for any WACSUN FBS aspirations as it could pull up the two most "deserving" of the group.

(02-08-2023 04:01 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 03:27 PM)Spolovilo4EVER Wrote:  I think things are more or less at a standstill with WAC/ASUN movement until the PAC makes a move and then the trickle down effect will take hold.

Is trickle down from the PAC calling up SMU and SDSU good or bad for the WACSUN? I feel like the trickledown backfilling that would result could truly put the nail in the coffin for any WACSUN FBS aspirations as it could pull up the two most "deserving" of the group.

IMO, any conference realignment scenario where EKU and Tarleton leave the ASUN/WAC, the FBS aspirations for the remainder are done. This probably applies if one of the two leave.

IMHO-- Just MY opinion! The next two adds for C-USA are SFA and Tarleton. UNLESS one or two of the Dakotas join for FB only which is doubtful. That assumes no one leaves C-USA-- if that happens all bets are off.

(02-08-2023 06:47 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  IMHO-- Just MY opinion! The next two adds for C-USA are SFA and Tarleton. UNLESS one or two of the Dakotas join for FB only which is doubtful. That assumes no one leaves C-USA-- if that happens all bets are off.

For me, EKU would be a better add than SFA. Lumberjacks need to hire a president, correct their negative enrollment issues and develop a plan for upgrading facilities. I think EKU is just farther along for FBS than SFA at this time.

(02-08-2023 08:30 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 06:47 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  IMHO-- Just MY opinion! The next two adds for C-USA are SFA and Tarleton. UNLESS one or two of the Dakotas join for FB only which is doubtful. That assumes no one leaves C-USA-- if that happens all bets are off.

For me, EKU would be a better add than SFA. Lumberjacks need to hire a president, correct their negative enrollment issues and develop a plan for upgrading facilities. I think EKU is just farther along for FBS than SFA at this time.

Agree. But if C-USA wants divisions or even "fake divisions" to save on travel-- they need six West and six East IMHO. Soonest for that theory would be 2026 anyway. By then EVERYTHING could be totally different.

Again-- if any team leaves C-USA by then... this discussion is pointless.

(02-08-2023 09:18 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 08:30 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 06:47 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  IMHO-- Just MY opinion! The next two adds for C-USA are SFA and Tarleton. UNLESS one or two of the Dakotas join for FB only which is doubtful. That assumes no one leaves C-USA-- if that happens all bets are off.

For me, EKU would be a better add than SFA. Lumberjacks need to hire a president, correct their negative enrollment issues and develop a plan for upgrading facilities. I think EKU is just farther along for FBS than SFA at this time.

Agree. But if C-USA wants divisions or even "fake divisions" to save on travel-- they need six West and six East IMHO. Soonest for that theory would be 2026 anyway. By then EVERYTHING could be totally different.

Again-- if any team leaves C-USA by then... this discussion is pointless.

Not only that, but SFA has their new University of Texas system affiliation which should help with cash flow and probably expedite the upgrade process. I don't think it's at all unrealistic to think that C-USA could take the perspective of someone buying a stock "low" based on reason to believe it will gain value.

(Or at least those are the reasons they'll give *this time* when EKU is passed over)

If this were about being "farther along" in the sense that you mean, we'd have been in before Kennesaw and very probably Sam Houston as well.

(02-08-2023 10:21 AM)GoOwls111 Wrote:  A-SUN/WAC better figure things out quickly if they want to move up as a conference, and it needs to be with at least 14 to 16 teams.

If the PAC needs more than 2 additions to close its media deal things will trickle down very quickly.

SMH

The only thing a conference of 16 schools does (if there’s not a Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, or Notre Dame involved) is secure a commissioner’s job for a little while. Then the schools figure out the commissioner cost them some money by over expanding (side-eyes Brett Yormark).

Let’s get this straight; if my school is competing for a national championship (it is somehow), a 20-team conference does no good unless it’s paying $70 million to each school per year. If it’s considerably less, the athletes know. Then again, some conferences really go stabbing in the dark looking for an angle and then blow it because they act like a Vice President of the IOC or FIFA (side-eyes Larry Scott).

This is my way of saying that you shouldn’t hold your breath about the Pac expanding by more than two. As well as dumping some serious frustration here, but ya gotta work with me, OK?

(02-09-2023 11:18 PM)Pounder Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 10:21 AM)GoOwls111 Wrote:  A-SUN/WAC better figure things out quickly if they want to move up as a conference, and it needs to be with at least 14 to 16 teams.

If the PAC needs more than 2 additions to close its media deal things will trickle down very quickly.

SMH

The only thing a conference of 16 schools does (if there’s not a Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, or Notre Dame involved) is secure a commissioner’s job for a little while. Then the schools figure out the commissioner cost them some money by over expanding (side-eyes Brett Yormark).

Let’s get this straight; if my school is competing for a national championship (it is somehow), a 20-team conference does no good unless it’s paying $70 million to each school per year. If it’s considerably less, the athletes know. Then again, some conferences really go stabbing in the dark looking for an angle and then blow it because they act like a Vice President of the IOC or FIFA (side-eyes Larry Scott).

This is my way of saying that you shouldn’t hold your breath about the Pac expanding by more than two. As well as dumping some serious frustration here, but ya gotta work with me, OK?

Eventually the WAC/A-SUN football conference will spit into the WAC and the A-SUN, at the FBS level you need a minimum of 8 teams to have a conference and qualify for post season!

(02-10-2023 02:47 AM)GoOwls111 Wrote:  

(02-09-2023 11:18 PM)Pounder Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 10:21 AM)GoOwls111 Wrote:  A-SUN/WAC better figure things out quickly if they want to move up as a conference, and it needs to be with at least 14 to 16 teams.

If the PAC needs more than 2 additions to close its media deal things will trickle down very quickly.

SMH

The only thing a conference of 16 schools does (if there’s not a Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, or Notre Dame involved) is secure a commissioner’s job for a little while. Then the schools figure out the commissioner cost them some money by over expanding (side-eyes Brett Yormark).

Let’s get this straight; if my school is competing for a national championship (it is somehow), a 20-team conference does no good unless it’s paying $70 million to each school per year. If it’s considerably less, the athletes know. Then again, some conferences really go stabbing in the dark looking for an angle and then blow it because they act like a Vice President of the IOC or FIFA (side-eyes Larry Scott).

This is my way of saying that you shouldn’t hold your breath about the Pac expanding by more than two. As well as dumping some serious frustration here, but ya gotta work with me, OK?

Eventually the WAC/A-SUN football conference will spit into the WAC and the A-SUN, at the FBS level you need a minimum of 8 teams to have a conference and qualify for post season!

Tell that to Norte Dame

(02-10-2023 10:58 AM)WestTexas409 Wrote:  

(02-10-2023 02:47 AM)GoOwls111 Wrote:  

(02-09-2023 11:18 PM)Pounder Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 10:21 AM)GoOwls111 Wrote:  A-SUN/WAC better figure things out quickly if they want to move up as a conference, and it needs to be with at least 14 to 16 teams.

If the PAC needs more than 2 additions to close its media deal things will trickle down very quickly.

SMH

The only thing a conference of 16 schools does (if there’s not a Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, or Notre Dame involved) is secure a commissioner’s job for a little while. Then the schools figure out the commissioner cost them some money by over expanding (side-eyes Brett Yormark).

Let’s get this straight; if my school is competing for a national championship (it is somehow), a 20-team conference does no good unless it’s paying $70 million to each school per year. If it’s considerably less, the athletes know. Then again, some conferences really go stabbing in the dark looking for an angle and then blow it because they act like a Vice President of the IOC or FIFA (side-eyes Larry Scott).

This is my way of saying that you shouldn’t hold your breath about the Pac expanding by more than two. As well as dumping some serious frustration here, but ya gotta work with me, OK?

Eventually the WAC/A-SUN football conference will spit into the WAC and the A-SUN, at the FBS level you need a minimum of 8 teams to have a conference and qualify for post season!

Tell that to Norte Dame

There's only one Notre Dame, and they've had a scheduling agreement for decades now, 1st with the BIG EAST and now with the ACC.

Quote:There's only one Notre Dame, and eve they've had a scheduling agreement for decades now, 1st with the BIG EAST and now with the ACC.

As a Louisville fan I can assure you that ND never had a scheduling agreement with the Big East. They were simply members of the conference for everything but football. Obviously they do with the ACC being required to play at least 5 ACC teams per season. They're coming to Louisville in 2023 for their third visit.

(02-08-2023 08:30 PM)TexanFan Wrote:  

(02-08-2023 06:47 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  IMHO-- Just MY opinion! The next two adds for C-USA are SFA and Tarleton. UNLESS one or two of the Dakotas join for FB only which is doubtful. That assumes no one leaves C-USA-- if that happens all bets are off.

For me, EKU would be a better add than SFA. Lumberjacks need to hire a president, correct their negative enrollment issues and develop a plan for upgrading facilities. I think EKU is just farther along for FBS than SFA at this time.

SFA has more of a problem than most would think as far as enrollment. Its not all their fault. I grew up in East Texas and the area has been losing population for decades not years. Schools that were once large football powerhouses in the largest divisions are now 2A and 3A. SFA is not near any large cities and the one place where they could draw students imho would be the Longview Tyler area. But, there sits UT Tyler which will outgrow SFA as well imho and keep those students home.

It is a great help to have UT money flowing in and maybe the school can start adding degree programs that most others don't. Just a thought. A&M or Tech would have been the better fit but money talks. SFA must reinvent themselves to draw students there. Some schools do it with Engineering, Agriculture, Nursing etc. Just need something that separates SFA from others and until that happens its too easy to get to Houston, College Station, Tyler or Dallas from East Texas.