What conference are we moving to?

[PonyFan32]

but what about equestrian?? WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF EQUESTRIAN?!

The SEC is one of two conferences that sponsors equestrian, actually.

yea but SEC equestrian is totally overrated. complete media bias.

Don't worry! Turner is hard at work every day improving the quality of athlete and facilities of our equestrian program.

[StallionsModelT]

Sigh....

I don't know why we are doing this. In order for SMU to even be considered an expansion candidate there are so many things that need to go in our favor. We need to get both football and basketball at the Top 25 level. We need to probably add baseball and softball. We need to build additional facilities and facilities upgrades (those are going to happen soon). Oh yeah, and we need one of the P5 schools to decide that expansion should happen. Then we have to hope that programs currently higher on the totem pole such as BYU, Cincinnati, Memphis, UCONN, UCF, and Houston are either mired in their own mediocrity or worse.

The only thing we can do at this moment is win. If that happens and our momentum starts going in the right direction then we might have a chance.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Yep and we actually got an invite to a power conference a few years later. Of course it stopped being a power conference almost immediately after we got there. Still counts though, right?

True!

[Comet]

ah ponyfans. one of the worst football teams in history to SEC in less than a year!

In my life's experience (albeit its only been 26 years!), if you're not keeping your eye on the prize at all times, you'll derail for sure.

We're not talking about an SEC invite in a year, but a P5 invite of some sort after 10 years of success? That is possible. I don't see the P5 inviting many schools - after a decade they should be stable and set.

I agree that if someone could predict the future and tell you with certainty that we will not be in a p5 conference (or the equivalent) in 10-20 years, we should just close the door on the football program today. I'm just saying let's wait until we maybe win a conference championship in a 2nd tier conference before we look too ridiculous by talking about the value we bring to the sec.

I get what you're saying but we also have to be fully cognizant of where we are and the precious opportunity we have today in order to get this right. If we want that Big XII, PAC-12, SEC, whatever, invite, the clock is ticking and its now or never.

[SMU2007]

you have to think that there will be a 4 conference model that basically encompasses North, East, South and West. conference champions face each other in a 4 team playoff.

more regional interest, less schedule variability.

[SoCal_Pony]

Sigh....

I don't know why we are doing this. In order for SMU to even be considered an expansion candidate there are so many things that need to go in our favor. We need to get both football and basketball at the Top 25 level. We need to probably add baseball and softball. We need to build additional facilities and facilities upgrades (those are going to happen soon). Oh yeah, and we need one of the P5 schools to decide that expansion should happen. Then we have to hope that programs currently higher on the totem pole such as BYU, Cincinnati, Memphis, UCONN, UCF, and Houston are either mired in their own mediocrity or worse.

The only thing we can do at this moment is win. If that happens and our momentum starts going in the right direction then we might have a chance.

My $.02

Never forget Rutgers in this conversation.

I think we all can agree adding additional sports and/or upgrades to facilities is a non-issue, it would never ever be an obstacle.

For a conference such as the Big12 or especially the SEC, our current lack of attendance may be less of a problem as the SEC brand would attract fans that UAB, Memphis, ECU, etc. could never in a million years do (same goes for Big12 south opponents).

For a west coast perspective, Dallas trumps Lubbock or Stillwater, no comparison.

You say Cincinnati, Memphis and others are ahead of us on the totem pole, I disagree. Once again, look at Rutgers.

My (kinda dream / most realistic) scenario, SMU & Houston as a package deal to the ACC

[sbsmith]

Never forget Rutgers in this conversation.

You mean the Rutgers that is an AAU state flagship and 40 miles away from this country's largest media market?

[SMU2007]

would be a lot of fun for hoops. still want us in the big 12 so that we have regionally relevant games week in and week out and don't have to worry about filling the stadium against a Duke team no one cares about

[gostangs]

sbs - we are a top 50 university and in the 4th biggest media market - so yeah if Rutgers has a shot then we have a shot. Not a great one, but if we get our act together we have a shot.

[StallionsModelT]

This is silly but if you made me choose which scenario is most likely I still say some sort of package deal of SMU/UH to the PAC. Even with that there are so many holes such as our religious affiliation, Bush Center and UH as an academic dumpster fire. All of the SEC/Big 12/Big 10 stuff is virtually a zero percent chance.

[Comet]

you have to think that there will be a 4 conference model that basically encompasses North, East, South and West. conference champions face each other in a 4 team playoff.

more regional interest, less schedule variability.

I'd wager we sooner expand the playoffs to 8 teams before there's a true consolidation down to 4 super conferences. But maybe both? The super conference's championship game in essence would be round 1 of the 8 team playoff.

[Nacho]

i don't know where we are going but i don't think we are going all out to stay in the american.

[StallionsModelT]

i don't know where we are going but i don't think we are going all out to stay in the american.

Neither is any program currently in The American.

[sbsmith]

sbs - we are a top 50 university and in the 4th biggest media market - so yeah if Rutgers has a shot then we have a shot. Not a great one, but if we get our act together we have a shot.

We have a shot (though everyone technically has a shot) but not nearly as good as the one Rutgers had because they had much more to offer. Conferences don't even want to bother with this state unless they can get one of the big fish (Bevo/Aggy) because no one else legitimately delivers any markets.

[Comet]

i don't know where we are going but i don't think we are going all out to stay in the american.

Neither is any program currently in The American.

Tulane?