UTA had an opportunity to join the MVC but refused to pay an entry fee or guarantee they would invest in athletics. They made their bed.

Arlington has flopped between conferences so much lately, I doubt they can even find their bed.

(04-02-2024 01:57 AM)Todor Wrote:  So now that the 4th Texas school has withdrawn from the WAC in a couple years, and with SFA and Tarleton likely out the door at the first opportunity, that leaves 2 Texas schools.

I don't think that's necessarily true. Although UTRGV is another Texas school leaving, I don't know how much them leaving really affects UTA, SFA, Tarleton, or ACU with how far away UTRGV is from those four. Right now those four have a pretty compact pod in Texas, with GCU, Utah Tech, SUU, UVU, and Cal Baptist making a somewhat dense western flank (and Seattle just kinda... out there). Now if CUSA ever came calling for SFA or Tarleton then yea they're gone, but otherwise I just don't know where else they would go right now.

If the WAC can finally pull WTA&M that would give them a good core of schools and WAC could finally play for their own autobid.

Eh. It’s the WAC. Everyone is out the door at the first opportunity.

West Texas A&M's president is very pro staying in D2. Midwestern State is more of a possibility at the moment and they haven't even been vocal recently about D1.

So does the Southland have its eyes set on further expansion then? Are they hoping to bring Tarleton St, ACU, and SFA too?

I get the whole WAC FCS project was to be launch pad for FBS but is it really worth it to sit around and wait and hope? What are the realistic chances that C-USA needs more backfill?

(04-02-2024 11:55 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  So does the Southland have its eyes set on further expansion then? Are they hoping to bring Tarleton St, ACU, and SFA too?

I get the whole WAC FCS project was to be launch pad for FBS but is it really worth it to sit around and wait and hope? What are the realistic chances that C-USA needs more backfill?

The other 3 Texas football schools have to be having some level of buyer's remorse for leaving the Southland, but Tarleton State may have a way out if the C-USA comes calling.

There's no option avaliable for the two Utah schools other than trying to get into to the Big Sky.

I'd like to think the 5 ASUN football schools have to have buyer's remorse as well, but the ASUN looks to be in better shape than the WAC. They still need one more member to become their own conference. Hopefully there will be some clarity on that in the coming months.

(04-02-2024 09:12 AM)Mid-Major Hoops Enthusiast Wrote:  West Texas A&M's president is very pro staying in D2. Midwestern State is more of a possibility at the moment and they haven't even been vocal recently about D1.

Yes he is.

He's also 73 years old, has evoked controversy with his hard public push for the university to "champion" conservative values, and has been unable to reverse an enrollment decline of 10% over the past three years.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/25/...onfidence/

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/29/...institute/

At some point there will be a change, and when there is I suspect the idea of moving up to D1 will gain a lot more traction on campus.

(04-02-2024 03:29 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(04-02-2024 09:12 AM)Mid-Major Hoops Enthusiast Wrote:  West Texas A&M's president is very pro staying in D2. Midwestern State is more of a possibility at the moment and they haven't even been vocal recently about D1.

Yes he is.

He's also 73 years old, has evoked controversy with his hard public push for the university to "champion" conservative values, and has been unable to reverse an enrollment decline of 10% over the past three years.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/25/...onfidence/

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/29/...institute/

At some point there will be a change, and when there is I suspect the idea of moving up to D1 will gain a lot more traction on campus.

An old failure - yup, time to hang it up

(04-02-2024 12:25 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(04-02-2024 11:55 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  So does the Southland have its eyes set on further expansion then? Are they hoping to bring Tarleton St, ACU, and SFA too?

I get the whole WAC FCS project was to be launch pad for FBS but is it really worth it to sit around and wait and hope? What are the realistic chances that C-USA needs more backfill?

The other 3 Texas football schools have to be having some level of buyer's remorse for leaving the Southland, but Tarleton State may have a way out if the C-USA comes calling.

There's no option avaliable for the two Utah schools other than trying to get into to the Big Sky.

I'd like to think the 5 ASUN football schools have to have buyer's remorse as well, but the ASUN looks to be in better shape than the WAC. They still need one more member to become their own conference. Hopefully there will be some clarity on that in the coming months.

How about a three tier Division 1 structure

https://herosports.com/fcs-year-of-the-j...-cfp-bzbz/