Teams to Replace UH, Cincinnati, and UCF?

[SMUstang]

IMO the only decent team that the AAC should go after is Boise St.. most of the other programs are just over rated D2 schools. Maybe Marshall but no to ntsu, and the other lower level schools.

As for our supporters showing up with $$, that is a dream. We recently saw proof of that with the bball program. For more than a few years we have had a coach who should have been replaced and wasn't because nobody cared to have a top level bball program. Guess what? it would not surprise me if little ricky the lapboy hasn't already prepared a new multi-year contract for trashovich and has kept it quiet to avoid all of the backlash.

Face it, the AAC by losing cougar high, cincy and ucf is now worse than the sunbelt conference and with no substantial replacements in sight to bring us up to where we were.

IMO the ship has sailed on the AAC getting Boise St., especially after UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston are gone. Also I would not underestimate our supporters. They showed what they can do when they built Ford Stadium and renovated Moody, to say nothing about the IPF. I disagree that the AAC will be “worse than the Sunbelt”. We can add 1 or 2 teams from C-USA and be just as good or better than we are now in a few years.

[redpony]

" Also I would not underestimate our supporters. They showed what they can do when they built Ford Stadium and renovated Moody, to say nothing about the IPF."
"I disagree that the AAC will be “worse than the Sunbelt”. We can add 1 or 2 teams from C-USA and be just as good or better than we are now in a few years.

"

Really?? how long ago was Ford built? how long ago was Moody renovated? not recently. Yes, IPF is fairly new and how long did they procrastinate on building that after they said they would?
The fact that our bball program is in the cellar after being a top level team says it all about our supporters and their commitment to excellence.


Don't think so. If the best we can do is the likes of a UTSA, a denton school and other cusa minions then let's just shut it down. Face it, when the big dogs left the porch we were still trying to figure out where the steps were to follow them. We would be better off in D2 if we want to continue sports programs.

[EastStang]

If Boise, SDS and AF aren’t interested then look at Army, Coastal Carolina, App State, UTEP, LA Tech.
Army, CC and App help eastern AAC teams. UTEP and La. Tech travel well to Dallas.

[mustangxc]

I'd say the chances of landing Boise State are higher now than before. Boise State was being recruited as a football only member and simply couldn't find a viable conference for their olympic sports. Now that we have 4 openings, we would be able to offer them a full invitation along with 3 other western partners making the move much more palpable for them. They would move to a conference that currently has a better tv package, better exposure, some solid basketball teams, and would look to be the biggest fish in the pond still.

Boise State would be a fair trade with UCF
San Diego State would be a fair trade with Houston
Air Force would be a fair trade with Cincinnati
Fresno State or Colorado State would be a fair trade with UConn because football drives the bus.

In terms of basketball Boise has been better than UCF, San Diego State has matched Cincinnati the last decade plus, nobody would be able to match Houston or UConn.

At the end of the day it all comes down to ESPN.

[SMU_Alum11]

I'd say the chances of landing Boise State are higher now than before. Boise State was being recruited as a football only member and simply couldn't find a viable conference for their olympic sports. Now that we have 4 openings, we would be able to offer them a full invitation along with 3 other western partners making the move much more palpable for them. They would move to a conference that currently has a better tv package, better exposure, some solid basketball teams, and would look to be the biggest fish in the pond still.

Boise State would be a fair trade with UCF
San Diego State would be a fair trade with Houston
Air Force would be a fair trade with Cincinnati
Fresno State or Colorado State would be a fair trade with UConn because football drives the bus.

In terms of basketball Boise has been better than UCF, San Diego State has matched Cincinnati the last decade plus, nobody would be able to match Houston or UConn.

At the end of the day it all comes down to ESPN.

I think this is exactly the route it goes. I don't think they will go for a fourth team unless they feel the revenue is there. They will have to reign in BSU being a bit high maintenance in that they bullied the MWC into more rev share.

My hope is in the background this is a consolidation effort by ESPN to make the AAC the Big East again and have 6 main conferences. I highly doubt that and why we need to pray the Big12 will consider another round of expansion. Like a dead horse, we need butts in the stands, subscriptions to ESPN + (even though I loathe Mickey Mouse corp) and not only win often but big.

[EastStang]

I'd probably look at either Fresno or UNLV if going 4 in the west. SDS might not be able for political reasons to leave Fresno behind. UNLV because Vegas is a much more easy travel destination than other choices. Please no to Wyoming, CSU, San Jose and Hawaii.

[redpony]

Boise State would be a fair trade with UCF
San Diego State would be a fair trade with Houston
Air Force would be a fair trade with Cincinnati
Fresno State or Colorado State would be a fair trade with UConn because football drives the bus.

With all due respect, surely you jest!
based on latest rankings Boise is no where near the quality of UCF, A.F. not near Cincy and SD st. not near cougar high. Realistically there are no equivalent replacements for the defectors. That is why those 4 schools were chosen.
We lost the opportunity to move up with those schools when our admin. made the decision to remain mediocre some years ago.
BTW- has anybody calculated the potential revenue we lose by a) not being selected to move up and b) by the reduction in revenue when the new ESPN agreement is negotiated with the AAC? Many, many millions.
And our president who prefers mediocrity is beginning a new campaign for contributions. Lots of luck with that.

[mustangxc]

Boise State barely lost to UCF this weekend. Also, Texas Tech just embarrassed Houston. San Diego State has been better than Houston on the gridiron the last few years thanks to Dana Holgorsen. Air Force is not on Cincinnati's level but has great viewership which is what matters for TV. Fresno State is light years better than UConn football. Overall we could come out with a stronger football league than we had with UConn. Basketball will be worse, but the addition of San Diego State would soften that blow.

[SMU_Alum11]

The main reason these teams were selected was due to attendance which is generally predicated on performance. All these schools have large student bodies which helped their profile. Don't fixate necessarily on performance as much as viewership (and potential).

Looking at us, we have a 6k undergrad with 3k going back to California and never coming back, it's really hard to build a solid fan base. It really does require the local population to join in. One big hope is these local recruits help advertise SMU to the local communities to come to a game. It would also help to have a better OOC schedule.

[SMUstang]

Boise State barely lost to UCF this weekend. Also, Texas Tech just embarrassed Houston. San Diego State has been better than Houston on the gridiron the last few years thanks to Dana Holgorsen. Air Force is not on Cincinnati's level but has great viewership which is what matters for TV. Fresno State is light years better than UConn football. Overall we could come out with a stronger football league than we had with UConn. Basketball will be worse, but the addition of San Diego State would soften that blow.

I doubt if we can wreck the MWC like this. Maybe ESPN can help. My guess is that we add UAB and UTSA and stay at 10. It looks like the Big XII will have increased travel and less money. With no more travel, we could somewhat close the gap (10 mouths to feed vs 12), especially in the olympic sports. And we would be staying with our strategy of being in large markets.

[redpony]

I doubt if we can wreck the MWC like this. Maybe ESPN can help. My guess is that we add UAB and UTSA and stay at 10.

Please! the little8 wrecked our conference. How could we not wreck another lower conference (before the defectors)?
Please, never UAB and UTSA. If we can't get decent programs like mentioned from the MWC then we need to hang it up or go D2. I would rather shut things down than be in a sewer level conference or add that type of team to AAC.

[SMUstang]

I doubt if you could get those teams to come for football only. And it would be foolish for us to send womens volleyball all the way from Philadelphia to San Diego.

I wouldn’t call UAB or UTSA garbage programs. UAB was one of our conference mates the whole time we were in C-USA. And UTSA is an up and coming program who was scheduled to play us in the Frisco Bowl before we backed out.

[redpony]

I doubt if you could get those teams to come for football only. And it would be foolish for us to send womens volleyball all the way from Philadelphia to San Diego.

and what did we do when we were in the MWC? I don't recall we were fball only.

[SMUstang]

We've never been in the MWC

[mustangxc]

We were in the WAC with most of the teams currently in the MWC.