Serious Question

[SMUfrat]

OK - So with the conference mix up going on... There is a possibility we come out ahead, but also a big possibility we come out behind.

If the top 5 leagues enter 16 team conferences and STOP there... I think we have a place in top 80 teams...

If 4 major conferences survive, 64 - SMU is out.

So the possibility of SMU getting in the SEC is tiny. The possibility of SMU in B12 is almost equally as small. Will SMU continue to fun a athletic program at a 10 Million dollar defeciet PER YEAR?

Does SMU drop the football program? I doubt it... but all SMU fans would have to accept the reality that we will NEVER be big time again. Never win a national title. Never rejoin old rivals. DEFEATED forever.

Or do we go independent?

What is SMU's move if Big East has fallen apart and we dont get that coveted invite to a top teir conference?

[SMU_Alumni11]

Well, it seems to hard to tell. It seems to be the latter option of 64 teams. In that case, we would have to hope for the best non-BCS conference, then hope they give us a spot to go to nationals. We keep beating the lower teams so that if they ever did expand to 80 we would be the first in line. The sad thing is if the big east did any hopes of growing the fan base is dead thus killing us as a viable target for big conferences

[Samurai Stang]

If 4 major conferences survive, 64 - SMU is out.

Not necessarily.

[East Coast Mustang]

I really don't think the Big East is going to cave in. Keeping the bball-only schools is key, but as someone mentioned in another thread, they still get a bigger TV payday with the football schools than they do going off on their own.

Look, even if Louisville and Cincinnati depart, which isn't a given by any means, we're still in with USF, UCF, Houston, Temple, Memphis, Navy (probably), SDSU says they're staying on, and I don't see why Boise would go back to the MWC in its current state. I think we really need to make a push to get BYU as well- that's a solid program with great support and a nationwide following. It's not the SEC, but it's better than CUSA 3.0 and the MWC.

Let's focus on what WE (and by we I mean SMU) can control- winning games and putting asses in seats, and driving interest in our program. We're not doing a great job of it right now.

[East Coast Mustang]

If 4 major conferences survive, 64 - SMU is out.

Not necessarily.

How do you figure? Unless my math is wrong...

SEC- 14
P12- 12
B10- 14
ACC- 14 (with UConn)
__________________

That's 54, before you even start counting the Big 12 and it's 10 teams. The only team we could possibly get in over if the B12 imploded is Iowa State- but we'd still have to beat Louisville, Cincinnati, USF, and UCF to the punch...not happening.

[sbsmith]

Let's focus on what WE (and by we I mean SMU) can control- winning games and putting asses in seats, and driving interest in our program. We're not doing a great job of it right now.

We'd be in great shape if we had a coach interested in doing those things.

[East Coast Mustang]

Let's focus on what WE (and by we I mean SMU) can control- winning games and putting asses in seats, and driving interest in our program. We're not doing a great job of it right now.

We'd be in great shape if we had a coach interested in doing those things.

What kind of shape would we be in if he'd never come? We'd be about to join a conference with UNT

[PK]

OK - So with the conference mix up going on... There is a possibility we come out ahead, but also a big possibility we come out behind.

If the top 5 leagues enter 16 team conferences and STOP there... I think we have a place in top 80 teams...

If 4 major conferences survive, 64 - SMU is out.

So the possibility of SMU getting in the SEC is tiny. The possibility of SMU in B12 is almost equally as small. Will SMU continue to fun a athletic program at a 10 Million dollar defeciet PER YEAR?

Does SMU drop the football program? I doubt it... but all SMU fans would have to accept the reality that we will NEVER be big time again. Never win a national title. Never rejoin old rivals. DEFEATED forever.

Or do we go independent?

What is SMU's move if Big East has fallen apart and we dont get that coveted invite to a top teir conference?

How would going independent help with the 10 million deficit per year?

[East Coast Mustang]

OK - So with the conference mix up going on... There is a possibility we come out ahead, but also a big possibility we come out behind.

If the top 5 leagues enter 16 team conferences and STOP there... I think we have a place in top 80 teams...

If 4 major conferences survive, 64 - SMU is out.

So the possibility of SMU getting in the SEC is tiny. The possibility of SMU in B12 is almost equally as small. Will SMU continue to fun a athletic program at a 10 Million dollar defeciet PER YEAR?

Does SMU drop the football program? I doubt it... but all SMU fans would have to accept the reality that we will NEVER be big time again. Never win a national title. Never rejoin old rivals. DEFEATED forever.

Or do we go independent?

What is SMU's move if Big East has fallen apart and we dont get that coveted invite to a top teir conference?

How would going independent help with the 10 million deficit per year?

Going independent is among the dumbest things being talked about on here. It makes zero sense

[Samurai Stang]

If 4 major conferences survive, 64 - SMU is out.

Not necessarily.

How do you figure? Unless my math is wrong...

SEC- 14
P12- 12
B10- 14
ACC- 14 (with UConn)
__________________

That's 54, before you even start counting the Big 12 and it's 10 teams. The only team we could possibly get in over if the B12 imploded is Iowa State- but we'd still have to beat Louisville, Cincinnati, USF, and UCF to the punch...not happening.

The ACC is dying. Its best programs will be taken by the SEC, Big 10, and Big 12. That will bring each of their memberships to 16.

With the Big 12 strengthened, it will be immune to being raided by the Pac-12. Expansion candidates for the Pac-12 are few, giving SMU a realistic chance.

4 conferences. 16 members per conference. 64 teams total.

It is one scenario out of several, but it is our best chance.

[sbsmith]

Let's focus on what WE (and by we I mean SMU) can control- winning games and putting asses in seats, and driving interest in our program. We're not doing a great job of it right now.

We'd be in great shape if we had a coach interested in doing those things.

What kind of shape would we be in if he'd never come? We'd be about to join a conference with UNT

Same shape we're in now, completely irrelevant.

[SMUfrat]

How do you figure? Unless my math is wrong...

SEC- 14
P12- 12
B10- 14
ACC- 14 (with UConn)
__________________

That's 54, before you even start counting the Big 12 and it's 10 teams. The only team we could possibly get in over if the B12 imploded is Iowa State- but we'd still have to beat Louisville, Cincinnati, USF, and UCF to the punch...not happening.

The ACC is dying. Its best programs will be taken by the SEC, Big 10, and Big 12. That will bring each of their memberships to 16.

With the Big 12 strengthened, it will be immune to being raided by the Pac-12. Expansion candidates for the Pac-12 are few, giving SMU a realistic chance.

4 conferences. 16 members per conference. 64 teams total.

It is one scenario out of several, but it is our best chance.

Being in the PAC would be an odd, but interesting fit for SMU. The do not want religous schools. Although SMU is hardly religious in requirment, southern METHODIST implies alot. We won't get into the PAC, even though i'd take it in a heartbeat. They would take Rice over us I think.

[East Coast Mustang]

The ACC is dying. Its best programs will be taken by the SEC, Big 10, and Big 12. That will bring each of their memberships to 16.

With the Big 12 strengthened, it will be immune to being raided by the Pac-12. Expansion candidates for the Pac-12 are few, giving SMU a realistic chance.

4 conferences. 16 members per conference. 64 teams total.

It is one scenario out of several, but it is our best chance.

Look, there's no way the Pac-12 adds SMU to get to 16. None. Who would we be added with? You think they're going to take Houston and its academics? And it's not like either program adds the Texas market. You think U-Verse or [fill in the blank Texas cable provider] is going to charge its subscribers a dollar a month or whatever the cost is for the Pac-12 Network to appease UH and SMU fans? Uh, no. Hell, it took Texas what, a year to get its network picked up by cable providers...and they're the state's flagship university. The Pac-12 will stay at 12 before it ever adds SMU...we don't make the pie bigger, we just steal a slice. You have to think about the pie. It's all about the pie.

[East Coast Mustang]

They would take Rice over us I think.

No, they wouldn't.

[SMUfrat]

We have no options. WE HAVE NO OPTIONS

Houston, SMU, Rice: our best days were behind us. period.

Am I wrong? I want to be wrong.