A new Southwest Conference.

[Minerfanatic]

With all this talk about realignment I thought this would be a good time to discuss the possibility of forming a new Southwest Conference. This confernce would include all the Texas Universities not in the Big Twelve and possibly Tulsa and Louisiana Tech. I think this would be a great conference for all schools involved. I was wondering what you guys think of this and if you think it is a real possibility.

[Charleston Pony]

A lot of SMU people would like to see the same thing develop. Question is: if we were willing to play alongside UNT, would UTEP welcome NMSU into such a conference that might also include TCU, Houston, Rice, Tulsa & La Tech? Then the question whether the La schools: La Tech, La-Laf & Tulane would be willing to play together as conference mates? Will long term budget realities finally prevail over egos that have guided decisions in the past? If so, you can add Arkansas State and have a group that looks like this:

West: UTEP, NMSU, TCU, SMU, UNT, Tulsa

East: Houston, Rice, Tulane, La-Laf, La Tech, Ark St

Not a powerhouse group by any stretch of the imagination, but a group that is similar in terms of resources and geographic proximity...and the 12 school conference definitely appears the way to go.

The problem is: this conference ralignment talk is all about trying to improve your lot in life, so the new SWC is unlikely to happen. Here's another spin on things:

<A HREF="http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/6356329" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/6356329</A>

[This message has been edited by Charleston Pony (edited 05-07-2003).]

[EastStang]

Twelve teams gets you a playoff game, for what its worth. I would start with getting the best quality conference I could. Start with WAC-East teams and C-USA teams. SMU, TCU, Rice, La. Tech, Houston, UTEP, Tulsa, Tulane. You might cherry pick the SBC, but I would be loathe to destroy that conference just to get to 12 teams. There are other scenarios that you might see. Air Force might end up a free agent in a MWC/WAC West merger. When we joined the WAC-16, it was an impressive list of schools. When the MWC split off, it became a geographic oddity. Thus, don't overlook schools like USF or USM. They have good programs. Secondly, don't forget basketball. Tulsa would be the only big name school in such a conference. You might look for a couple of 1-AA schools as basketball only partners in the southern midwest.

[Mustangs35SMU]

I really!! really!! like that
West: UTEP, NMSU, TCU, SMU, UNT, Tulsa

East: Houston, Rice, Tulane, La-Laf, La Tech, Ark St
Idea!!!

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The Red And Blue Is Back! Let the Pony Pride Ride On The Hilltop!

[JasonB]

I don't know if I love the idea of a new SWC.

While I do want us to join a new conference with more regional rivals, I would prefer it to be a stronger conference than that. I would also like it to expand over a larger geographical area so that we would be able to have visability over a larger area and would be able to recruit in other locations.

I guess what I would really push for is, assuming several C-USA teams leave to join the Big East, is that we would be part of the western division in that conference, maybe taking Rice and LT with us...

[Stallion]

a conference with NTSU, Arkansas St, Louisiana-Laffayette, New Mexico St. is ideal? Could we possibly set our sights any lower? Do I hear any dissent or have all of you lost your senses.

[HorsePower]

I'm with Stallion on this one. No need to go trolling with Arkansas State or La-Lafayette. Might as well throw North Texas in there. I'd like to see SMU play UNT for regional interest, but not as a conference opponent.

[EastStang]

Stallion, I was one of the dissenters. I would limit membership to the eight schools I listed and look for other quality regional programs like USM, Air Force, and USF. But I would also really consider looking at some MVC teams to join for basketball only. Otherwise, our conference would be extremely weak for basketball. As it is, we would lose an automatic qualifier spot in such an alignment. One possibility is for the WAC to go to two eight team divisions for four years. Thus, keeping all schools exemptions, and then breaking into two pieces in 2008 or 2009.

[ponyte]

Ark State doesn't draw very well even on a good day. This is Razorback country and the Ark State folks get nothing. I would be leery of a conference that relied on schools such as Ark State.

SMU is hated and feared in the state of Ark. I know is sounds unbelievable but the Razorbacks fear SMU. I would not put them on our schedule but the draw to SMU-U of Ark would be much better in the state of Ark.

[NavyCrimson]

ponyte...why do they fear us??

i know we have upset them in the past but what gives?

thanx in advance.

[Nacho]

I'm beginning to think that a WAC-MWC merger might make sense, assuming that Miami does go to the ACC. SJSU is not going to be around much longer. Wyoming might be on the way to d-1aa. The Pac-10 could take a couple of schools, if they are absolutely forced to but I don't see anyone in the WAC or MWC that they would find attractive. We may come out marginally better than our present condition.

[EastStang]

The only two MWC names that might entice the PAC 10 are BYU and Utah (one great football, one great basketball and a package deal). I've heard Hawaii, but that is nixed because of travel issues. My guess is that the PAC 10 would if forced to do so, pick BYU and Utah, if they couldn't get Colorado. I don't see any WAC teams that they would want.

With regard to the posts about Arkansas. They're mad at us because we seem to have their number. We've beaten them even in really putrid years. During my four years at SMU we beat them once, tied them twice and lost to them once. Also, they didn't like the fact that they filled our stadium. No mention that we usually sold out their games in Arkansas because fans knew it would be a good game.

[Nacho]

I have heard that the Pac-10 doesn't like BYU because of all the 25 year olds that they play. It could happen but it would surprise me. How about Colorado and Nebraska from the Big 12 or even Texas which has always wanted to go to the Pac-10? I hope this thing gets really interesting.

[EastStang]

And there's an Aggie in the Governor's Mansion, right? What do you think he'll make UT do to jump to the PAC-10? At least its not a Baylor alum.

[ponyte]

Our last few games where we upset them seta tone for the rest of the season. Also, the 82 game in Dallas is a class” we got screwed" case here. Ark fans are convinced that the game was fixed and the "call" as Ark fans refer to it, cost them untold glory. In addition, prior to the Death penalty, we beat up on Ark pretty bad. Ark. has a history of losing big to SMU in Shreveport when Ark has been favored.

I have also talked to former Ark players that I played against and they remember SMU as a hard-hitting team that was always a tough opponent. This may be idol BS between players but I get the feeling that it is real.

And of course I always remind Ark fans that in my day we only had 3 fellows rush for over 100 yards in a game against Ark. Nothing like rubbing their nose in the collective pig droppings.

A mid to late season game between ARK and SMU with both ranked would send this state into a frenzy. When Nutt took over the head coach job at Ark. The only things the fans wanted from him were to beat SMU. It was stunning to hear that folks felt a win over SMU was all that was need to have a great season.

It is hard to understand as a SMU fan that anyone would fear playing us and consider beating us the pinnacle of the season but it is true in the great state of Arkansas. It was very odd when I first moved here to find that Arkansas considered beating SMU the only game of the year.