From C-USA board

[Hoop Fan]

Frankly it would shock me too, but when you think about it, the MWC is SMU's only shot at a BCS future right now, however remote the chances are or the attractiveness geographically. We are not going to be included in any BE/CUSA merger and any regional conference we form will have no shot at BCS whatsover even if it had TCU and Southern Miss. Thats why I say SMU better freshen its lip stick and send a new PR package to BYU. Forget Thompson, might as well cut straight to the chase. TCU has a decent shot at the surviving CUSA/BE and avoiding reuniting with us, so we better go to Plan B and try for a home run.

[EastStang]

Oh, ye of little faith. I heard Copeland is spending all the money we've saved from not paying players all these years and sending it to the Big East to let us in. I now remove the tongue from my cheek. Should be about $50 Million.

[Charleston Pony]

Nacho: while it's fun to speculate on what might happen, and we certainly hope whatever happens results in our feeling good about SMU's future...the reality of any realignment is going to be about positioning your conference for BCS inclusion and increased revenue.

The reality of an ACC expansion will be that there will be only 5 instead of 6 BCS conferences. The BCS group that met recently has already discussed expanding the BCS to include a 5th game, which would be in the form of a national championship game played AFTER the 4 current games. By going to that format, they can protect the Rose Bowl's PAC 10/Big 10 match-up and keep the SEC hosting the Sugar Bowl. Not sure which way the Orange and Fiesta Bowls might go. The idea was with 3 "at-large spots instead of 2, the non-BCS conference champs could have more of an opportunity to qualify (we'll see how that works out).

The other thing for everyone to consider is the NCAA's rule for automatic bid to March Madness. That's especially important for the mid-majors. Remember the MWC lost it's automatic bid the year they were formed. That's why I don't see SMU, TCU, Houston & Rice coming together in this round of realignment...unless we are all abandoned as we were in '95. Only TCU is in a position to be considered as conferences look to build their ratings, but their location might end up working against them depending on how the expected CUSA/Big East merger plays out.

It's not that I wouldn't like to see a new SWC; it's just that you have to accept some of the realities in all of this.