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The article claims that SMU and Houston are happy with CUSA to that point that they would not seek membership in the MWC. Whether or not they are seeking membership elsewhere is not addressed. As this article is not actually about SMU or Houston, the author does not explore other scenarios.

It would be ridiculous, however, to assume that SMU and Houston are not trying to join the ranks of the Big East. No one can truly be called 'happy' in CUSA.

Samurai Stang wrote:The article claims that SMU and Houston are happy with CUSA to that point that they would not seek membership in the MWC. Whether or not they are seeking membership elsewhere is not addressed. As this article is not actually about SMU or Houston, the author does not explore other scenarios.

It would be ridiculous, however, to assume that SMU and Houston are not trying to join the ranks of the Big East. No one can truly be called 'happy' in CUSA.

Yep

CoxMustangFan wrote:

SMU89 wrote:http://www.contracostatimes.com/sports/ci_17131572?source=rss&nclick_check=1

MWC = step back for SMU

To my knowledge, no C-USA team has ever played in a BCS Bowl. Certainly, no C-USA team has ever played in the Rose Bowl.

Careful what y'all which for. The MWC has become respected by the sports media and has superior leadership. If SMU wants to achieve the BCS, it would help you to first beat the other non-AQ BCS schools, Boise and Hawaii, both in the MWC.

And even with the recent defections they may yet earn an automatic BCS bid, for the simple reason that it would be easier for the BCS to award an extra bid to the MWC than it would be to strip an auto-bid from the Big East or ACC.

But hey, why would anyone want to imitate TCU in football?

CoxMustangFan wrote:

SMU89 wrote:http://www.contracostatimes.com/sports/ci_17131572?source=rss&nclick_check=1

MWC = step back for SMU

The new mwc had Boise and Nevada finish the year in the top 15. It also had SDSU, Air Force, and Hawaii in the receiving votes category. CUSA had UCF in the top 25.

But let's say the MWC = CUSA... SMU & Houston are two of the stronger CUSA programs. The MWC with y'all two is much stronger than the CUSA without y'all.

I think you should improve your conference affiliation any chance you get. Even if the mwc is just a baby step it's better than being stagnat and hoping to make one giant leap to AQ.

Just my two cents.

Maybe the Big East will consider SMU.

I have to agree. The MWC is a better conference without question than c-usa. No, it's not the huge upgrade that a bcs conference would be, but it's crazy to say that joining hawaii, boise and nevada would be a step backwards from the current situation.

I think we better have something better lined up than to give up on the MWC...It would not surprise me if BCS caved and gave them spot at the table...

I don't trust Conf. USA stability, and don't want to be left with the other privates and UNT UTSA ect.

I would much rather be paired with larger state schools who aren't going to be moving conferences anytime soon....

This isn't Clown College. Even those of you ready to strip Turner of his title and run him out of town on a wagon know he isn't stupid or foolish enough to ignore conference realignment. We won't make important decisions in a vacuum. If that source is correct, and we are indeed "happy in CUSA" it's because we have eyes on a better destination, or CUSA will indeed be a better short-term home for SMU.

I know Turner isn't ignoring it, b/c we have exchanged e-mails on it...

it is a whole other fact to trust him to make the right decision when he still puts far to much weight on participating with our academic rivals on the athletic field...

I would enjoy "having to go" to Vegas to support the Mustangs, beats the H$ll out of Hattisburg

Stlhockeyguy02 wrote:This isn't Clown College. Even those of you ready to strip Turner of his title and run him out of town on a wagon know he isn't stupid or foolish enough to ignore conference realignment. We won't make important decisions in a vacuum. If that source is correct, and we are indeed "happy in CUSA" it's because we have eyes on a better destination, or CUSA will indeed be a better short-term home for SMU.

Ding Ding Ding. We have a winner.

Based on sources at SMU that I have heard/spoken with, we are eying a move to a AQ conference. They consider the MWC a lateral move (yes I understand Boise and Nevada are in the MWC), especially considering the geography. Their (me included) fear is that traveling so far west will limit our ability to recruit in Texas. I know we are starting to get a lot of guys out west, but a majority of our recruits come from Texas, and want to have their families come watch the games.

We are going to hold out/work for a move to an AQ conference, whether that be the Big East, Big XII (or even the Pac-10--which defeats my argument above).

NickSMU17 wrote:I know Turner isn't ignoring it, b/c we have exchanged e-mails on it...

it is a whole other fact to trust him to make the right decision when he still puts far to much weight on participating with our academic rivals on the athletic field...

Orsini and the Board have a tremendous amount of clout, and if presented with the opportunity to move "up," RGT will accept.

Samurai Stang wrote:The article claims that SMU and Houston are happy with CUSA to that point that they would not seek membership in the MWC. Whether or not they are seeking membership elsewhere is not addressed. As this article is not actually about SMU or Houston, the author does not explore other scenarios.

It would be ridiculous, however, to assume that SMU and Houston are not trying to join the ranks of the Big East. No one can truly be called 'happy' in CUSA.

well said. "happy" isn't the right word. "don't have a better option yet" are the right words. CUSA is made of 12 teams that wish (not "whiched" like the frog says...oy that education) they were in a different conference. steve o all but said that he expected changes in the next year or two from the podium in NY last month.

Sounds like utep and sjsu to the mwc