Realignment Update

[SoCal_Pony]

IΓÇÖve been saying that we have to win and kick the door in. Nothing wrong with that sentiment. It starts this season. We have a coach, we have talent, and we have a made to order schedule. Go 10-2 or I hope 12-0, win the AAC, and the world will notice. No excuses, just win.

Couldn't agree more.

CouldnΓÇÖt agree less

Of course winning matters. Of course we want to win. Of course we have positioned ourselves TO win

But the FACT remains, SMU has NOT won a FB championship in DECADES, and arguably outside of 1 season, have never truly competed for a conference championship since the Pony Express days.

Yet as things stand now, unless the PAC implodes (most likely it will not), SMU is getting its P5 invite

We are getting it due primarily to:

Our location…Dallas…its TV market, time zone, pool of HS athletic talent, pool of student talent
Our academics…that matters to the B10, PAC & ACC
Our commitment to athletics in the form of $250M+ in facilities upgrades over the past decade
Our commitment to winning via our Boulevard & Pony Sports DTX NILs

DoesnΓÇÖt matter how we perform this year (and i think we should win the AAC), weΓÇÖre most likely getting that invite before the season even starts

[SoCal_Pony]

I think the real question is who replaces SDSU?

Nobody

TheyΓÇÖre going to the PAC with us

[SMUstang]

IΓÇÖve been saying that we have to win and kick the door in. Nothing wrong with that sentiment. It starts this season. We have a coach, we have talent, and we have a made to order schedule. Go 10-2 or I hope 12-0, win the AAC, and the world will notice. No excuses, just win.

Couldn't agree more.

CouldnΓÇÖt agree less

Of course winning matters. Of course we want to win. Of course we have positioned ourselves TO win

But the FACT remains, SMU has NOT won a FB championship in DECADES, and arguably outside of 1 season, have never truly competed for a conference championship since the Pony Express days.

Yet as things stand now, unless the PAC implodes (most likely it will not), SMU is getting its P5 invite

We are getting it due primarily to:

Our location…Dallas…its TV market, time zone, pool of HS athletic talent, pool of student talent
Our academics…that matters to the B10, PAC & ACC
Our commitment to athletics in the form of $250M+ in facilities upgrades over the past decade
Our commitment to winning via our Boulevard & Pony Sports DTX NILs

DoesnΓÇÖt matter how we perform this year (and i think we should win the AAC), weΓÇÖre most likely getting that invite before the season even starts

SoCal_Pony got it exactly right. I couldn't agree more. That's what I've been trying to say all along.

[PonyTime]

DoesnΓÇÖt matter how we perform this year (and i think we should win the AAC), weΓÇÖre most likely getting that invite before the season even starts

I don't understand what is leading you to believe that something will happen in the next 60 days. Seems to me that, based on how all of this has moved thus far, we could be looking at the possibility that nothing happens at all in 2023.

Missing the exit opportunity from AAC window allows for this to potentially draw out for many more months.

I am with you on hoping something happens soon, but the track record of how things have progressed thus far makes me believe otherwise.

[mustangxc]

The PAC-12 doesn't really care about the exit fees SDSU and SMU will have to pay their respective conferences. That is an SMU problem and a SDSU problem, not a PAC-12 problem. I think we will be happy to pay the exit fees as long as it means we are going to the PAC-12.

[max the wonder dog]

Canzano's Latest

Don't know where you're spending the Fourth of July... but San Diego State is on an island.

Where does it end? And what does it mean for SMU? The Pac-12?

San Diego State is in limbo after a series of clumsy letters.

I donΓÇÖt know where youΓÇÖre spending the Fourth of July holiday, but San Diego State is currently on an island.

The Aztecs insist theyΓÇÖre still members of the Mountain West Conference. The school announced last week that it intends to stay put ΓÇö for now. Meanwhile, the MWC contends that San Diego State already left.

Messy, right?

I have a pile of thoughts about the drama playing out and how it impacts the Pac-12 Conference and other interested parties such as SMU. ... (Subscriber content begins here)

[peruna81]

I'm in for $50 of the exit fees....

[mtrout]

Currently the most interesting part to me is the SDSU extension request vs MWC saying f-off youΓÇÖre out of the conference. New-ish president vs new commissioner. Gonna be awesome.

[Nedward]

I wished I posted this over the previous weekend since reasonable people are starting to write about the obvious. But I feel compelled to write so I don't have to do welfare checks on a number of you.

The facts (not opinions)
SDSU sent a letter stating it was intending to leave the MWC and asked for a couple of caveats. The MWC responded hell no and that they considered the letter an official withdrawal notice. As we sit today, the MWC's official stance is that SDSU submitted their withdrawal notice. The president of SDSU was promptly removed from her position on the conference leadership council, they aren't paying SDSU their yearly conference payment and are withholding SDSU bball tournament credits. All of this normal for a departing team.

SDSU has argued for weeks that the letter intending to leave the conference was not a formal statement of withdrawal and the latest letter stating SDSU will remain in the MWC doesn't change anything in the factual department although we'll get to that in a minute. MWC disagrees. This where we stand on the facts.

Conjecture:
SDSU made a very shrewd decision in their recent actions. At minimum, they laid the groundwork for a legal fight if they indeed are forced to stay in the MWC. At best, they bought time. Time for the Pac 12 to finish their sheet.

The Pac-12 knows they need to handle their business in the next couple of weeks before their conference on July 21st. That has always been the "unofficial" deadline. I strongly suspect they will. Will it be enough to keep the conference together? We will see. I have some ideas about the delays but I would ask intrepid ponyfans to look at the ESPN fiasco with their recent layoffs and the mobs targeting them over the money they gave to Pat McAfee. Optics bad for announcing a PAC 12 deal? Thoughts for another day and I've digressed.

Prediction:
The PAC 12 announces their deal after getting buy in and GOR rights signed in the next two weeks. I'll guess 7/13-14. Invites promptly go out to SDSU and SMU. Accepted.

SDSU smiles at MWC and says "you were right all along and we agree." MWC counters that SDSU claimed it wasnt a withdrawal letter and they want the double fee. Both parties do a 180 degree turn on their previous positions. Hilarity ensues.

All I got ladies and gents. And if I'm wrong it's here in print. So if I pull a Stallion and praise Todd Dodge I'm hopeful someone memorializes my nonsense.

[mtrout]

Very interesting post.
If any (good) Pac-12 expansion happens before the end-of-July meeting, IΓÇÖll be amazed.

[Nedward]

New info regarding media deal:

https://www.sportskeeda.com/college-foo ... nsion-news

Written by a dude with 1 follower on sportskeeda

DonΓÇÖt know how closely people are following this PAC expansion but far too many nonsensical posts on this thread

Crazy

Didn't see this until now. THANK YOU. This guy is an absolute clown. Still waiting for his reply to a message I emailed him about one of his previous "articles." He had zero followers at the time. Glad his flock is growing. Complete ass-clown.

[SoCal_Pony]

Nedward,

Nobody knows exactly what will happen with future expansion. Part of the issue is PAC leadership has been extremely tight-lipped…unlike the B12

Having said all that, your prediction is as logical as anything posted here

lol, and if wrong, it will never reach the depths of Todd Dodge

[dalpony]

Nedward - my exact thoughts also

[SMUstang]

In my opinion, SDSU may have to play as an independent in 2024, while the PAC plays as a 10 team conference. Both SMU and SDSU will join the PAC in 2025 after both schools have improved their competitiveness on the field in football, and in SMU's case in basketball also.

[3rdGenPony]

Why would the Pac 12 want to play as a 10 team conference? The lower inventory would result in lower revenue. They can negotiate what SDSU and SMU get for the first few years and add them for 2024. I see no upside to waiting a year to expand.