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Coog fan here...look forward to making the trip up to Dallas this weekend and watching the game. I have watched almost all of your games this year and I can see Hicks improving slightly. I won't lie he looked pretty bad early on but I think the game is beginning to slow down for him now, and it looks like he is getting the ball out of his hands quicker. You all also have a stud receiver and our secondary is pretty weak this year (especially compared to the last few years). I think this game will be much closer than the 21 points Vegas is predicting.

Anyway didn't mean to create another game thread, I really wanted to discuss the future of our programs. The Big XII news really p1ssed me off but I definitely was not surprised. I have learned to never get my hopes up too high as a UH fan. I think the Big XII will eventually fall apart when UT and/or OU leaves. The lower half of that conference will then struggle to find new homes in another P5 conference.

I believe the best hope for UH as well as SMU is a package deal with both of our programs going to a new P5 conference together, giving them the entire Texas market. If you guys can get your football program up to a higher level, and my coogs can get their basketball program up, I think we both are going to be in great shape in the future. I know you all consistently knock our academics but I believe with the leadership we've had in place, we are making great strides and will continue to do so.

We hope for all of that and a good game Saturday. Nice post ME.

He's been surprisingly good at "getting to ball out of his hand" --he's far ahead of even Matt Davis in releasing the ball in the flow of the offense--its where the ball ends up that is the problem

Good to have you come visit. Sadly you guys will depart with an L.

UH/SMU as a package deal is a great idea but we really need to keep improving our football. We're getting there, in 2 years it should be obvious but then the key will be to sustain it.

It's clear that the Big 12 expansion talk was a combo media partner shake down cruise and diversion from the BU mess. Unfortunately , the BU mess gets worse with time and people are once again focused on that disaster. Sued by the Feds at the behest of the their title IX coordinator. Now the DOE is looking into the football team. There is a legal feeding frenzie going on in Waco.

But back to UH and SMU. On a football basis ... UH did everything and more to be included. But having a competitive football team is a " necessary but not sufficient" quality. For those conferences genuinely looking to expand they will want quality athletics, quality academics, and some media / recruiting attraction.
I think UH 's academics really hurt them with the Big 10 and PAC 12.
SMU has an outside chance at the PAC 12 because our location and academics get us in the mix. Maybe as a UT travel partner. But this is a long shot.

But logically we both probably wind up ijoing the Big 12 when UT and OU bolt.

If Texas goes Pac-12 they will bring some combo of OU, TCU, OSU, and/or Tech with them. Baylor may very well still be radioactive during the next round of realignment.

If the Big 12 stays together, here's what I wrote a few months ago about SMU and UH as a package deal basically being the Pac-12's only viable expansion option: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81788

Pony81 wrote:I think UH 's academics really hurt them with the Big 10 and PAC 12.

I agree with you regarding the Big 10, they pretty much want all of their schools to be AAU members. That would exclude both SMU and UH.

On the other hand, Houston's test scores and acceptance rate are equal to or better than: Wash. St., ASU, Utah, and Oregon St. UH is ranked somewhat lower in US News than those schools, probably due to reputation and funding issues.

Big 10 values AAU which is not really quality but research driven. big 12 values nothing pac values money only.

Couldn't agree more. UH and SMU will be a package if both schools go anywhere.

SMU1523 wrote:Couldn't agree more. UH and SMU will be a package if both schools go anywhere.

Not necessarily a big package , but a good package.

Bergermeister wrote:

SMU1523 wrote:Couldn't agree more. UH and SMU will be a package if both schools go anywhere.

Not necessarily a big package , but a good package.

TWSS

Motion of the ocean

I would love the Houston v SMU rivalry to really take off and exchange wins each year.

PonyPlayer4 wrote:I would love the Houston v SMU rivalry to really take off and exchange wins each year.

Hard to call it a rivalry when there isn't even enough interest to sell out the games.