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Here is a first cut at how our peers are being perceived in conference roulette:

Wanna Be's / Looking to Move Up

- Louisville
- Central Florida
- Fresno State
- Boise State
- Marshall
- Toledo
- SMU*

Wanna Stays / Looking to Hang on

- Tulane
- Houston
- UAB
- Rice
- Army
- Temple
- Rutgers
- Connecticut
- Big East BB

* SMU is not being discussed in many of the scenarios outside our circle of influence, but clearly we need to be looking to move up or rebuild a SW Division of a better WAC or a reconfigured Conference USA

What other names should be on these two lists? Which are missplaced?

I suspect that any mid-major program is a Wanna bee. For example BYU and Utah would love a PAC 10 invite. TCU, ECU, Cincinnati, Memphis, Marshall, UCF, USF all want Big East invites.

So when are Miami and the rest supposed to start the ball rolling on all this?

Thanks we’re fine:
New ACC
Big Ten
Big XII
Pac 10
SEC
Current MWC schools


Lets split in two:
Left over Big East schools


Moving on up:
Louisville
Cincinnati
Memphis
South Florida
Marquette*
Xavier*
DePaul*


Wanting to move but won't:
Fresno State
Hawaii
Central Florida
Marshall
Dayton*
Massachusetts*


Not talking move and will:
Boise State
Tulsa


Desperate to move and will:
SMU


Expand, no thanks:
Left over MAC


Wanting things how they used to be:
Temple
TCU
Southern Mississippi
UTEP
Nevada
Louisiana Tech
St. Louis*
Charlotte*

Just desperate for regional finance:
Rice
Houston
Tulane
UAB

SOL Independents:
East Carolina
Louisiana Lafayette
New Mexico State
North Texas
Utah State


Independence is just fine, thanks:
Army
Navy


Out of Division 1A football:
Akron
Arkansas State
Ball State
Buffalo
Eastern Michigan
Idaho
Kent State
Louisiana Monroe
Middle Tennessee State
San Jose State
Troy State

Thanks, Southland, for the creative additions. Very entertaining. I might add that the "Thanks, we're fine" List, better known as the BCS schools, are in the catbird seat.

One less BCS conference, Big East, and an extra opportunity for one of these conferences to get a second school to a BCS Bowl must be overwhelming in its appeal, despite Mtn. West and Conference USA feeling they should move up to the Big East spot.

For us, needing and wanting to move up is all about timing. I hope we aren't premature in our hopes because of events we have had to endure. SMU will be Division 1, even as it shrinks. What is the right number of Div. 1 schools? 117? 109? 97? 85? 73? 65? The odd number is always Notre Dame. How far should it be pressed? Your list might suggest something over 100, e.g. 109. Still seems too large. The Supers need us Mid-Majors, but greed is a powerful thing.