June 30 is fast approaching

[SMUstang]

Though we don't consider them as such, the second biggest crowds in Ford Stadium come from UNT. And we travel well to Denton too. And don't forget the Gansz trophy with Navy. And we have quite a bit in common with Tulane and Rice and Tulsa.

It’s really only TCU. I dont know a single UH graduate, and the others are obscure. I think we will form rivalries quickly in the PAC given our student body overlap. At this point the big 12 can f-off. They are not very exciting after UT/OU departure and their travel locations are crap.

They are about to find out what they missed out on. Hell hath no fury like SMU scorned.

I have one son who is a UH graduate and another son who is a Tech graduate. But I agree with you that our main rival is TCU. I would love to see SMU in a P5 conference, any P5 conference. I have no respect for the Big 12 any more..

[PNW_Stang]

SMU vs Rice is a rivalry game, it even has a name - Battle for the Mayors Cup - and a trophy (which Rice currently holds in their trophy room).

Oh, and it’s own wiki page (which I somehow can’t figure out how to link)

They also beat us 127-3 once, and beat us the last time we played.

We need to beat them this year and win back the trophy.

[crazy horse]

Adding SMU is probably one of the best things that can happen to the PAC 12. They NEED to expand out of the West, build a bigger footprint and get more exposure in the CST and beyond. They are perceived as a conference in decline, as its been some time since they were nationally relevant. And with the departure of USC and UCLA, that perception grows.

They have good teams, but they need more OOC contests with schools outside their region. That is why I believe a COMPETITIVE SMU will be a shot in the arm to the PAC 12. Adding two more teams should be considered, but the choice is critical. Don't just add Fresno and Boise if they don't move the needle or expand the footprint. Playing in Dallas, Texas regularly will help the conference, and the teams, in what will eventually be the 3rd largest metro area in the US. Chicago is losing and we are gaining - just a matter of time - maybe by the end of the decade at current pace.

An improved PAC 12 with team(s) in the CFP helps reestablish the conference as nationally relevant. In the long run, I truly believe the Big 12 will stumble before the PAC 12. Big 12 has lost way too many brand names, and is just a half-step above G5 level. One or two bad years and they are toast. And if the money is equal, or even better, then it becomes possible to invite the two best brands to come West. I know it sounds fantastic, but they do NOT look or act like a confident or stable conference. Most SMU fans who have been around since the 80s should appreciate what I am writing. We've been through enough lousy conferences to spot the unstable ones.

The goal should be establish the PAC as the best conference West of the Mississippi. And SMU BETTER be a major contributor, at the top of very sport we compete in. Once we are in a P5 conference, there are no more excuses. Its Big Boy Football Time!

As far as rivals, the only game I would like to continue is TCU. If they want to stop, I will not shed a tear - just think its foolish to end such a series. Maybe reconnect with Baylor, Arkansas, A&M, or even Houston if they stay relevant. I loved our few years with Arkansas, I had pig inlaws and they just hated that they could not beat SMU. It was a fun 3 years in the late 90s.

[Charleston Pony]

Good point about the PAC benefiting from more games in Central Time Zone. That's what a lot of expansion/realignment has been about these days, but adding Top 25 caliber programs or programs with a large fan following is also very much a part of that equation. Right now, SMU doesn't fit that bill but it would appear (hopefully) we could be moving in the direction of fielding Top 25 teams. It remains to be seen whether SMU can sustain athletic success long enough to tap into enough t-shirt fans that are necessary to create demand for SMU games. That doesn't just happen overnight.

[SMUstang]

I agree with Charleston Pony on this. I don't think that games with Washington State, Oregon State, Cal, SDSU, Utah, Colorado, etc. will excite enough fans to make Ford Stadium look respectable. Their fans are probably not going to travel to Dallas to see their team play the Ponies. There is no easy solution to this even if the PAC is P5. Very few t-shirt fans identify with SMU, and our alumni base is small and predominately Cowboy fans. Like it or not, more fans in Ford means more local competition. TCU, UNT, Baylor, Tech, etc. (UTSA, Tulane and Houston may be added to the list one day soon.)

[redpony]

17 days left. I imagine the bookies in Vegas are giving great odds that this will not happen. Too many things to do and too many lawyers involved.
So that puts SDSU in a bind. no way can they negotiate an exit 3x greater than the original and pay less than a good negotiation on 1x.
In fact, with the few crumbs thrown out about the status one has to suspect if they even plan on any expansion in the near future or next year.
Time will tell. The original announcement was planned for 6 mos ago, perhaps we will know something by the the halfway point in our fball season.

[Water Pony]

A SDSU recruit reports his future position coach is saying they will be getting a P5 invitation soon, most likely PAC-12. And if that likely occurance doesn't happen, BigXII is the back-up plan.

https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/sdsus- ... -promises/

[AusTxPony]

Right and therefore, SDSU can give notice to the MWC before July 1. They will get a PAC or BIG12 invite for 2024. Don't know SMU's situation with the AAC, though. Remember, both SDSU and Boise left the MWC for Big East and then went back. And Boise even got a better deal...

[crazy horse]

As much as I hate using the Lizards as an example, much of their attendance increase came playing in the MWC. They truly dominated that conference which is geographically quite similar to the situation we would have playing in the PAC. Of course moving into the Big 12, playing UT OU etc. is only going to make 40k+ games so much easier.

Forget the past for a moment and consider - SMU moves to a P5 and continues to improve. The new floor is 7 wins, with regular years of 9+ wins. Our fanbase increases to around 30k that we can reliably count on for almost any opponent. Is that possible? Absolutely. PAC 12 will not TRAVEL in droves, but how many Oregon fans live in N Texas? What about Utah? Could we expect a thousand or two from folks who have relocated here from the West? Does a game between two unbeatens, say Utah and SMU, does that move the needle with the DFW sports fans? Would another 5k show up? What if SMU is competitive, winning, game production well executed, playing nationally relevant P5 competition, do the Dallas celebrities show up - like the Larry Brown days?

SMU CAN become a hot ticket. And limited to around 40k, might get there quickly in the right situation.

We haven't even MADE the move, and I am MUCH more excited at what a PAC12 schedule might look like. Just having the status will make a huge difference on how the media reports SMU games. The national media largely ignores the G5 until they absolutely HAVE to talk about them. What about local news? Do you think SMU beating Stanford will be much more newsworthy than UNT or FAU? I can't prove it, but it sure seems recruiting is on an upswing. Is that because we expect to be in a P5 conference soon? We all agree recruiting would improve with P5 status.

I'm looking forward to the 2023 season, but the home games are dreadful. When NT is the best game on the home schedule, you have a problem. And that game is a Friday night!! I hope we put a good show on for the TV viewers.

We need to set aside the bad memories - DP, Pye Penalty, all the lousy conferences, the losses, bad coaches - like that Texas high school coach, and embrace the future. P5 status, BIG BOY FOOTBALL, NLI, Portal - become the University we all - well some anyway, EXPECT! I was there when we were the winningest program in the nation. Can we get there again? Why not? Anything the Lizards can do, we can do better! Top 25 in everything we do should be the floor. I was damn proud of how well our Spring sports did - all of them competing for national championships. That attitude needs to spread to ALL our sports, and then to students, fans, alums, faculty, and even Dallas. Expect the very best!

/rant

[mtrout]

A SDSU recruit reports his future position coach is saying they will be getting a P5 invitation soon, most likely PAC-12. And if that likely occurance doesn't happen, BigXII is the back-up plan.

https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/sdsus- ... -promises/

that's called recruiting

[mtrout]

Right and therefore, SDSU can give notice to the MWC before July 1. They will get a PAC or BIG12 invite for 2024. Don't know SMU's situation with the AAC, though. Remember, both SDSU and Boise left the MWC for Big East and then went back. And Boise even got a better deal...

I wish they would give notice with no deal in place. Power move.

[SMUstang]

Though we know nothing, I expect that Kliavkoff, Turner and Hart have talked and know something concrete.

[redpony]

We need to set aside the bad memories - DP, Pye Penalty, all the lousy conferences, the losses, bad coaches -

Hard to set aside when you have an admin that for over 20+ yrs did nothing positive for our sports programs and then of course we still have the a.d. who did his best to destroy our bball program.
We can only hope for the best in spite of the challenges.

[Charleston Pony]

Bottom line in all of this is that we are very fortunate to have enough wealthy alumni who are passionate about SMU athletics and under the current NIL rules, we have an opportunity to build teams that can compete at the highest level. While playing at the G5 level means competing on less than a level playing field, others have proven it can be done so unless/until an offer comes to join a P5 conference, Pony Up what you can to help the cause and the handful of people who are trying to build a better athletics program at SMU.

[SMUstang]

It is doubtful that we would even be considered for the PAC if we had not emphasized academics since the dp.