more anxious?

[RGV Pony]

I am incredibly anxious about realignment scenerios. Every time I try to talk myself into us being an asset to the MWC or another AQ conference, I keep coming up with more questions than answers. Can we sustain the momentum from last year? Will we ever fill up Ford? Can we travel? Are we able to deliver even a fraction of the DFW market?

The fact is this. If we do not improve our lot after realignment, we will be in a conference that looks like the following:

Texas State
UTEP
North Texas
Rice
Arkansas State
UAB
Tulane
UT-San Antonio


In other words, a glorified Sun Belt. If that is the case and we are stuck looking at that, I agree with other posters that we should hang it up. There is nothing desireable about being in a conference with D1AA schools, North Texas, etc. Use that money to do other things.


The situation couldn't be more dire. We must find a way to get in somewhere. Somehow.

you forgot La Tech

[Charleston Pony]

I am incredibly anxious about realignment scenerios. Every time I try to talk myself into us being an asset to the MWC or another AQ conference, I keep coming up with more questions than answers. Can we sustain the momentum from last year? Will we ever fill up Ford? Can we travel? Are we able to deliver even a fraction of the DFW market?

The fact is this. If we do not improve our lot after realignment, we will be in a conference that looks like the following:

Texas State
UTEP
North Texas
Rice
Arkansas State
UAB
Tulane
UT-San Antonio


In other words, a glorified Sun Belt. If that is the case and we are stuck looking at that, I agree with other posters that we should hang it up. There is nothing desireable about being in a conference with D1AA schools, North Texas, etc. Use that money to do other things.


The situation couldn't be more dire. We must find a way to get in somewhere. Somehow.

you forgot La Tech

And Houston...and Tulsa

[SMUstang]

And Southern Mississippi and Memphis.

[PoconoPony]

If the Big East is later decimated by ACC and SEC expansion to 14-16 schools, then the MWC would be pressured to expand to 14-16 as well. SMU had better be ready if that time comes; we need RAPID and SUSTAINED improvement if we want to compete at the highest level ever again.Charleston Pony
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Without anything to offer in our basketball program, we will not be ready.

[ponyscott]

If the Big East is later decimated by ACC and SEC expansion to 14-16 schools, then the MWC would be pressured to expand to 14-16 as well. SMU had better be ready if that time comes; we need RAPID and SUSTAINED improvement if we want to compete at the highest level ever again.Charleston Pony
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Without anything to offer in our basketball program, we will not be ready.

The Bball isn't driving this re-alignment situation I don't think. I am more anxious as this will be a game changer for many schools and changes will be few and far between in the coming years after this alignment. A chance in an expanded 16 team MWC and/or a newly expanded CUSA will be what we are looking at.

[Cardinal Puff]

Less. Because of JJ we are more in the national mix and likely to end up in a better situation than most of the others.

[Stallion]

You are taking one sentence out of about 20 threads

0% chance at BCS-including joining a revived Big 12
5% chance at MWC12
10% chance at MWC 14(15% total)
25% chance at MWC16(40% total)
60% no MWC under any scenario

--------------------------
(assuming MWC stays intact which now appears likely)
25% chance of stronger CUSA (from SMU's perspective-probably adding Baylor)
20% of no change whatsoever
55% chance of weaker CUSA
------------------
chances are dropping for:

15% chance that a new conference is created from among Big 12 Leftovers and teams from CUSA and MWC-if the MWC stays intact this is unlikely and chances are dropping-expansion had to tear guts from MWC and that means BYU and Utah which is the glue that holds disparte programs together)

[Texafornian]

I'm thinking more and more along these lines:

Notre Dame -> Big Ten
Boise State & ??? -> MWC
Colorado & ??? -> Pac-10 (I don't know if this would be realistic anymore)

That's it.

I personally don't think that the Big Ten is extremely interested in Missouri. The real prize has been Notre Dame all along, and now that ND has issued an ultimatum stating that it would consider joining the Big Ten if it doesn't expand any further afterwards, it seems almost certain that we'll see a big headline within the next few months. Utah probably won't leave the MWC because it'll become AQ in 2011.

The Big East & Big XII survive, the ACC & SEC don't do anything. CUSA doesn't change unless Houston or SMU (or both if the MWC really expands) are taken.

I can only pray that this comes true; even if we don't get invited to the MWC this year with this setup we'll still have a considerable amount of a time to keep up our momentum in football or possibly get better in basketball and "try again" in a few years.