Alliance Update Article from Southern Miss

"That will cut the C-USA–MWC membership to a number of 16 in 2013, but both Thompson and Banowsky are open to adding more teams. C-USA will likely have nine teams at that point with the Mountain West featuring seven.

Groth said the alliance will have the options of forming an east and a west division or potentially breaking up into four divisions.

“I think that’s what makes this exciting and doable for all of us,” Groth said. “We have many options and any of them could work. Right now, we have 17 or 18 teams out there. That’s nice that we’re not dealing with seven or eight.”

So help me out here. How is the merger at 16 teams?

MWC = WY, AF, CO St, UNLV, NM + Fresno St, NV, HI that's 8.

CUSA = So Miss, ECU, Marshall, UAB, Memphis, Tulsa, Rice, UTEP, Tulane, that's 9.

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"That will cut the C-USA–MWC membership to a number of 16 in 2013, but both Thompson and Banowsky are open to adding more teams. C-USA will likely have nine teams at that point with the Mountain West featuring seven.

Groth said the alliance will have the options of forming an east and a west division or potentially breaking up into four divisions.

"I think that's what makes this exciting and doable for all of us," Groth said. "We have many options and any of them could work. Right now, we have 17 or 18 teams out there. That's nice that we're not dealing with seven or eight."

So help me out here. How is the merger at 16 teams?

MWC = WY, AF, CO St, UNLV, NM + Fresno St, NV, HI that's 8.

CUSA = So Miss, ECU, Marshall, UAB, Memphis, Tulsa, Rice, UTEP, Tulane, that's 9.

New math.

"That will cut the C-USA–MWC membership to a number of 16 in 2013, but both Thompson and Banowsky are open to adding more teams. C-USA will likely have nine teams at that point with the Mountain West featuring seven.

Groth said the alliance will have the options of forming an east and a west division or potentially breaking up into four divisions.

“I think that’s what makes this exciting and doable for all of us,” Groth said. “We have many options and any of them could work. Right now, we have 17 or 18 teams out there. That’s nice that we’re not dealing with seven or eight.”

So help me out here. How is the merger at 16 teams?

MWC = WY, AF, CO St, UNLV, NM + Fresno St, NV, HI that's 8.

CUSA = So Miss, ECU, Marshall, UAB, Memphis, Tulsa, Rice, UTEP, Tulane, that's 9.

still a moving number. ECU is desperate to get the last "football only" slot in Big East, as is Temple. however, Nova' dead set against Temple, so ECU might be "last best available", but odds are against them. they have no real sponsor for admittance, but do average 50,000 in attendance.

ECU fans are currently the most vocal about anti Texas teams.... I actually wish they would leave CUSA

ECU fans are currently the most vocal about anti Texas teams.... I actually wish they would leave CUSA

its odd that they are agressively campaigning for Big East admitance while at the same time demanding more east coast schools in CUSA. don't know how much creditability that gives them during MWC/CUSA merger talks scheduled for january 15th.

I tend to believe ECU tries to act a lot bigger than what they really are.

I tend to believe ECU tries to act a lot bigger than what they really are.

I totally disagree. ECU has support more like a BCS auto-bid school should than many of the schools that currently enjoy the BCS auto-bid benefits.

I totally disagree. ECU has support more like a BCS auto-bid school should than many of the schools that currently enjoy the BCS auto-bid benefits.

Product of a dormant sports environment in east Carolina. They still hinder our chances for sure.

I totally disagree. ECU has support more like a BCS auto-bid school should than many of the schools that currently enjoy the BCS auto-bid benefits.

i don't disagree with your statement, but why the lack of Big East interest in adding ECU for football only? small market? just asking.

Hawaii is a football only member of the MWC, they parked the rest of their sports in the Big West. They cannot be counted towards the 8 member statute.

Edited December 26, 2011 by stebo

Hawaii is a football only member of the MWC, they parked the rest of their sports in the Big West. They cannot be counted towards the 8 member statute.

why not? a number of conferences have added members for football only. is this a NCAA rule? just asking.also, still wondering why Big East shows no interest in ECU as a football only member.

The correct answer is they have 16 all sport members, I was just poking fun at leaving out Hawaii.

The MWC isn't going to get an auto-bid. The MWC/CUSA merger is going to be in all sports. HI is going to become a full member. The Big East is looking for another "western" school and not a football only ECU. Our chances for the last spot in the merger are alive.

why not? a number of conferences have added members for football only. is this a NCAA rule? just asking.also, still wondering why Big East shows no interest in ECU as a football only member.

Yes, it's a 6 or 7 year old NCAA rule. That's why the Sun Belt had to let Louisiana-Monroe in as a full member in 2005. Prior to that ULMo was a full member of the Southland Conference that was allowed to play FBS football in the Sun Belt.

The Big East shows less interest in ECU because of market. This last expansion had CUSA candidates in Orlando, Dallas, Houston and Mayberry. Which school was left out, and why?

The whole thing is weird from the get-go.

I really think Big XII is going to pick up two more before July 1 and I would bet Louisville is team #11. I just don't know if Cincinnati, Rutgers or South Florida is team #12.

This all has the makings of getting messy.

The whole thing is weird from the get-go.

I really think Big XII is going to pick up two more before July 1 and I would bet Louisville is team #11. I just don't know if Cincinnati, Rutgers or South Florida is team #12.

This all has the makings of getting messy.

The Big 12 have really lowered their standards if they go after a Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers or USF. Any school from the Big East is no big catch in my book. Athletically speaking.

The Big 12 have really lowered their standards if they go after a Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers or USF. Any school from the Big East is no big catch in my book. Athletically speaking.

As the ACC learned with Boston College, it is bad for the long-term health of a league to leave a school out completely isolated (imagine Louisiana, ULM, and UALR out of the Sun Belt).

The Big XII needs another school in the region and Louisville is the best of what is left and they actually sell tickets so I'm guessing they also draw a few eyeballs for TV.

As the ACC learned with Boston College, it is bad for the long-term health of a league to leave a school out completely isolated (imagine Louisiana, ULM, and UALR out of the Sun Belt).

The Big XII needs another school in the region and Louisville is the best of what is left and they actually sell tickets so I'm guessing they also draw a few eyeballs for TV.

Arkstfan - I agree that the Big 12 needs to get a couple of schools to go w/ WVU. I wonder how lawsuit b/t WVU and Big East over exit date impacts this. I was a little surprised that the Big 12 just didn't invite two more Big East schools and try to kill the league. That way they could have at least 10 teams by 2012. Right now, the Big East/Big 12 battle over WVU is going to be interesting.

Arkstfan - I agree that the Big 12 needs to get a couple of schools to go w/ WVU. I wonder how lawsuit b/t WVU and Big East over exit date impacts this. I was a little surprised that the Big 12 just didn't invite two more Big East schools and try to kill the league. That way they could have at least 10 teams by 2012. Right now, the Big East/Big 12 battle over WVU is going to be interesting.

I have always contended that Louisville and BYU will eventually get in the Big XII, assuming it stays alive. BYU needs the cash from its deal right now as an independent, but that will evenutally fade, as their football team muddles into mediocrity with the poor schedule issues that will only get worse as time moves on. If BYU doesn't succumb to this, though, and stays indy, I would imagine that Cincy would then be the next pick, since they have been to two BCS bowls and have a solid hoops program.

I don't know if Louisville is a step down..They have top facilities and I've heard that they have a very sizable athletics spending budget. I think Louisville would be a great addition to the B12 should they get offered.

I know market is a monster selling point, but with the picking up of TCU I think national status is also very important. I truly believe the BIg 12 should have gone after BYU and Boise. Those 2 programs have proved they are going to have large solid fan bases that will follow them everywhere and fill up bowl games. Let BYU bring their network and make their money. They will not be mediocre forever as they will always replenish the Mormon pipeline. In Las Vegas this week the Strip looked like an international soccer match with small and large Boise flags flying off the vehicles up and down the Las Vegas Strip after the win. They brought another large following to Vegas 1.5 months after bringing a HUGE group to Vegas in early November when playing UNLV. Boise is keeping Petersen and will replenish the potato pipeline to excel in the Boise system. I think those two national programs with their huge and growing fanbases would rival what Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, K State and OSU. With that I think the Big 12 survives. I am just not sure how long Texas is going to feel great about hanging with and playing the frogs, bears, wildcats and cyclones. Add the Broncos if they were invited and any of those Big East shools like Louisville and Cincy.

The WVU is going to make it interesting. I am just excited which SEC programs get to roll into Aggieland next year.

GMG

So if the MWC does get the auto bid....could Boise come back to the MWC?

Why go to the big east at that point?

Couple of thoughts.

1. WVU isn't going to win it's lawsuit against the Big East. The BE won't be able to force them to stay, but WVU is going to have to pay to leave.

2. The Big 12 isn't in a hurry to expand. They'll sit at 10 until they can get who THEY want (not Boise and BYU).

3. MWC won't get an autobid. The powers that will show the record of the remaining MWC teams vs the inflated numbers they submitted with Utah, TCU, and Boise's wins that the MWC is basing their BCS appeal on.

4. The merger isn't just a response to conference realignment it's a proactive move by two conferences that are getting ignored.

5. The SEC is going to go to 16 and change everything again.

But I'd rather talk about UNT. One point that hasn't been discussed is the alliance will change the bowl tie-ins. Which means UNT maybe a more attractive prospect to the alliance as they work to keep tie ins with the Armed Forces Bowl and Ticke City Bowl. Any team that can sell 15,000 tickets to a DFW bowl game has to be on the radar.