WAC officially adding Denver, Texas St., UTSA

[jason54858]

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/ncf/ne ... id=5792840

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

How in the world do Texas State and UTSA afford that kind of travel?

These conferences are getting really stupid.

[SoCal_Pony]

Garrett,

Would appreciate your thoughts from a WAC-member perspective.

I see this as just another death nail in the coffin of this conference.

[Hfanatic]

its definitely on life support now.

[DaStang]

Whoa there. While I don't disagree that the conference is struggling I believe that we are looking at a conference who would be in a terrible position no matter who they had added. That being said I really believe that UTSA and TxState are going to be future contenders in Texas college football. And until then, they would be great OC teams for SMU to pick up early on in the schedule instead of FCS teams.

UTSA went out and hired a coach (Larry Coker)who a little over 9 years ago won the National Championship. They have a very nice playing facility in the Alamo Dome, a large TV market and fan base whose only alternative up to this point was to support the Longhorns. I think you will see pretty quick progress from a team that won't even play a down of football until next year.

As for TxState, they have a large student body, a campus in arguably the nicest setting in the country, and they are starting phase II of stadium renovations after this season. If they could just get a head coach who actually knows how to put a program together I think they have all the ingredients to make some future noise in the WAC.

Overall I think that both of these schools will be able to really compete in the very near future. Or they may be two bottom dwellers for eternity. Who knows.

[RGV Pony]

Decent argument for UTSA...on the other hand they could be the next UAB. Large city, not too far from two huge BCS powerhouses, big, though aging, stadium, huge student body, a lot of which commutes.

[Harry0569]

I just heard that due to these 3 teams joining (good for them by the way), that ESPN has signed a 10 year deal with the WAC to broadcast all of their games.

Good bye, and good night WAC.

[leopold]

Whoa there. While I don't disagree that the conference is struggling I believe that we are looking at a conference who would be in a terrible position no matter who they had added. That being said I really believe that UTSA and TxState are going to be future contenders in Texas college football. And until then, they would be great OC teams for SMU to pick up early on in the schedule instead of FCS teams.

UTSA went out and hired a coach (Larry Coker)who a little over 9 years ago won the National Championship. They have a very nice playing facility in the Alamo Dome, a large TV market and fan base whose only alternative up to this point was to support the Longhorns. I think you will see pretty quick progress from a team that won't even play a down of football until next year.

As for TxState, they have a large student body, a campus in arguably the nicest setting in the country, and they are starting phase II of stadium renovations after this season. If they could just get a head coach who actually knows how to put a program together I think they have all the ingredients to make some future noise in the WAC.

Overall I think that both of these schools will be able to really compete in the very near future. Or they may be two bottom dwellers for eternity. Who knows.

Bingo. The WAC is staying alive, it's only real option. Benson's doing about the only thing he can. Thing is, the schools he is bringing in, especially the Texas schools, are showing they are trying to compete.
In the short run, these schools provide a good working list of easy wins. In the long run, however, they are going to be solid, possibly dangerous, competition.

[mustangxc]

Does that bring the total to 12 FBS schools in Texas?

[tristatecoog]

Does that bring the total to 12 FBS schools in Texas?

Yes.

UAB is a very good long term comparison to UTSA, except UAB has better academics...more like UT-D, which kind of infuriates Alabama.