My greatest fear, realized. Our new conference

[ponyinNC]

For stability reasons, I think the West is where we should go. The East Coast schools that don't get picked up by the ACC are great, but there are simply not enough viable eastern schools to form a good conference.

I fear we may end up in the Ultimate MWC:

-Boise State
-Fresno State
-San Jose State
-San Diego State
-UNLV
-Nevada
-Hawaii

-Colorado State
-New Mexico
-Wyoming
-Air Force
-Utah State
-Houston
-SMU

I might as well get into my delorian and head back to the WAC of 1996-2005.

You think we draw flies now, wait until we start playing these west coast state schools

[Mustangs35SMU]

Uck.

[EastStang]

Oh please no. Stability not. Every one of those schools will be hiking up their skirts for the PAC 12. Except Wyoming who no one wants.

[NavyCrimson]

You can bet the bcs-BS schools are laughing their ever-lov'n a$$s off!!! This is the whole point of the cartel - exclusion for the rest of us. They won!

[WordUpBU]

Oh please no. Stability not. Every one of those schools will be hiking up their skirts for the PAC 12. Except Wyoming who no one wants.

None of them would add value so unless there is a way someone could force the PAC to take them they'll be in the MWC.

Best thing for SMU is to try to hold the BE fb schools (including the Western duo) together and continue to make the "best of the rest" league from the ashes of the original CUSA & MWC rosters.

[Treadway21]

You can bet the bcs-BS schools are laughing their ever-lov'n a$$s off!!! This is the whole point of the cartel - exclusion for the rest of us. They won!

yes - we lost. Only act of congress could break the cartel.

[ponyinNC]

Oh please no. Stability not. Every one of those schools will be hiking up their skirts for the PAC 12. Except Wyoming who no one wants.

None of them would add value so unless there is a way someone could force the PAC to take them they'll be in the MWC.

Best thing for SMU is to try to hold the BE fb schools (including the Western duo) together and continue to make the "best of the rest" league from the ashes of the original CUSA & MWC rosters.

Agree with the Baylor fan, and I think that is likely. I'm just concerned about further acc poaching of whatever the nBE becomes. Cincy, Uconn, USF, UCF and perhaps even Temple could be on their radar if the armageddon scenario unfolds. That leaves you with Tulane, SMU, UH, ECU, Memphis and maybe BSU/SDSU. I guess you could pick up USM, Tulsa and Marshall, maybe even ODU.

[NavyCrimson]

You're right '21. Because the 'have-not' presidents (us) are going to sit on their ever-luv'n $%^% expecting the alums & big donors to fill-in the budget gaps, etc. It goes back to that antithesis they have against sports. Money is drying up - especially for the next 4 years with all these new tax hikes taking effect - so go look somewhere else!

[WordUpBU]

Oh please no. Stability not. Every one of those schools will be hiking up their skirts for the PAC 12. Except Wyoming who no one wants.

None of them would add value so unless there is a way someone could force the PAC to take them they'll be in the MWC.

Best thing for SMU is to try to hold the BE fb schools (including the Western duo) together and continue to make the "best of the rest" league from the ashes of the original CUSA & MWC rosters.

Agree with the Baylor fan, and I think that is likely. I'm just concerned about further acc poaching of whatever the nBE becomes. Cincy, Uconn, USF, UCF and perhaps even Temple could be on their radar if the armageddon scenario unfolds. That leaves you with Tulane, SMU, UH, ECU, Memphis and maybe BSU/SDSU. I guess you could pick up USM, Tulsa and Marshall, maybe even ODU.

Either way SMU is in a better position than staying in CUSA. The remaining BE teams are more valuable than the leagues they left behind and likely will do the choosing with or without BSU/SDSU/Navy.

You have ten schools (assuming ECU gets bumped up to full member instead of fb only) splitting more than all the money CUSA would have among fewer shares. Play a round robin in football and see who the Big East catholics raiding the A10 shakes free. 2-6 non-fb schools would allow for divisions to cut travel cost, increase rpi, and wouldn't cut the revenue very much as they don't play the sport that earns 80% of it.

Schools like Wichita St might come free if Creighton gets called up to the A10 or BEcatholicLeague. That's just one example but if a quality RPI program fits a division footprint it makes sense to split the football money among fewer mouths and call in pinch hitters in non-fb to up the RPI and maximize what you have with Temple, Memphis, and (for the moment) UConn & Cincy.

[FriscoChuck]

Wherever we end, I hope we play some teams that Would be interesting. So far, bedsides BYU or BSU I could care less about any of these teams. None of this generates any excitement to bring out the Dallas fans. This is all so dumb.

[gostangs]

The real question is whether or not the non picked over teams from the ACC will need to invite some more in so that there is a stronger number 5 conference option.

There are more ACC schools then there are conferences slots to take them when you realize SEC and Big 10 only have two spots each to reach 16. Big 12 has 6 slots but they arent going to take all ACC teams. There will be some left overs. We are one of the best options for back filling that conference so lets not fill our conference with junk.

FSU, Clemson, NC State go big 12. UVA plus (BC or Gtech) go Big 10. SEC might grab NC - plus what?

i see wake, pitt, syaracuse, Miami, V tech, Georgia tech as possibly being left out?

put them with Uconn, cinncinnatti and the UCF/Houston/SMU/Boise/SDSU crew and you kind of have something.

if we are in a 10-12 team also ran conference - then force access to bowls legally -

[WordUpBU]

The real question is whether or not the non picked over teams from the ACC will need to invite some more in so that there is a stronger number 5 conference option.

There are more ACC schools then there are conferences slots to take them when you realize SEC and Big 10 only have two spots each to reach 16. Big 12 has 6 slots but they arent going to take all ACC teams. There will be some left overs. We are one of the best options for back filling that conference so lets not fill our conference with junk.

FSU, Clemson, NC State go big 12. UVA plus (BC or Gtech) go Big 10. SEC might grab NC - plus what?

i see wake, pitt, syaracuse, Miami, V tech, Georgia tech as possibly being left out?

put them with Uconn, cinncinnatti and the UCF/Houston/SMU/Boise/SDSU crew and you kind of have something.

if we are in a 10-12 team also ran conference - then force access to bowls legally -

IF the ACC has defections I expect GT, FSU, and either UNC/NCST to be gone. Best thing for SMU in that scenario is to get as many valuable nonaq's under their conference umbrella to hopefully leave a good league after the ACC in turn raids the BE football league.

[gostangs]

at least 6 of them are gone. Big 10 has stated they are going to 16. once they pick and the SEC picks then the big 12 will have to go get at least 3-4.

I think UConn and Cinncinnatii get the first two slots in whatever the ACC does to back fill - but if there any more then we could be pretty well positioned. of course - not sure that is a stable ship long term if the big 4 are intent on creating a defacto different league.

you know whats funny - the remainder is starting to look magnoia leaguish - Miami, Duke, Wake, SMU, Tulane......we just need Vandy, baylor and TCU to give up their 30M a year trust fund! i am sure that will happen soon -

[CalallenStang]

at least 6 of them are gone. Big 10 has stated they are going to 16. once they pick and the SEC picks then the big 12 will have to go get at least 3-4.

And then the PAC will have to pick...and if the B12's Grant of Rights is truly as ironclad as some make it out to be, we are one of the most logical options for them. It feels weird typing that.

[WordUpBU]

at least 6 of them are gone. Big 10 has stated they are going to 16. once they pick and the SEC picks then the big 12 will have to go get at least 3-4.

And then the PAC will have to pick...and if the B12's Grant of Rights is truly as ironclad as some make it out to be, we are one of the most logical options for them. It feels weird typing that.

Don't shoot the messenger but they don't HAVE to pick. They can simply go on with 12. I put the chances of them expanding without UT and OU around 1%.