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Welcome to "Second Guess" Tuesday. It's just like two-for-Tuesday pasta specials, but the opinions are meatier. n There probably couldn't have been a worse time for Britton Banowsky to step down as Conference USA's commissioner. This is a crucial, cross-road year for the league. C-USA's television contract expires after this year and a new pact has to be negotiated. Banowsky's presence and acumen would be essential in those negotiations. But, now, it appears highly doubtful that Banowsky, who led Conference USA for nearly 13 years, will be around for those talks. Sure, Banowsky has said he will stay with C-USA until the league names his successor, but it's unlikely his tenure will last long enough to negotiate a new television contract. And in this day and age of television driving collegiate sports well, these contracts have become the life-blood for leagues. So, what's the outlook for C-USA's future television contract? Not too good. Just look at the league's announced television schedule for the 2015 season. The good news is more than 40 games will be televised by FS1 (Fox Sports 1), FSN (Fox Sports Network), FCS (Fox College Sports), CBS Sports Network and ESPN. The sobering news is ASN (American Sports Network) is televising 30 games. No offense to the fledgling network that was launched Aug. 30, 2014, but ASN is at the bottom of the food chain for sports networks. The fact Conference USA has 30 games on ASN speaks volumes. read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x45924054/Not-a-good-time-for-Banowsky-to-bolt

Conference USA's upcoming spring meetings should be more interesting than most. Thanks to UAB. Besides needing to select a host city, venue and format for the annual C-USA men's and women's basketball tournaments, the league's athletic directors have to discuss the ongoing situation with UAB's membership when the meetings commence Monday in Destin, Fla. It appeared the Blazers' swan song in C-USA would be the 2015-16 school year since embattled UAB President Ray Watts terminated the school's football program last December. Under league bylaws, UAB cannot remain in the league without a football program. So, it looked fairly cut and dried. Until last Thursday, that is. Read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x1641589675/C-USA-meetings-could-get-interesting

But there's a caveat. That's because UTSA, Old Dominion, North Texas, Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Florida Atlantic and FIU became members of Conference USA while East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa still were members. "That means the new members will receive some money, too," pointed out Hamrick. C-USA officials confirmed the only current member that won't get at least a sliver of the pie is Western Kentucky, which joined in July and will begin competing in 2014-15. So, just how much money is involved? Well, it appears the original pot was fairly hefty, thanks to figures obtained by CBSSports.com. The league reported more than $36 million in "membership dues" on its last two Internal Revenue Service tax returns. That includes $20.78 million from the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. Read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x720301542/Exit-fees-enter-MU-coffers-as-promised

It's time to quit pretending. Marshall is never going to play in an FBS national championship game like Florida State and Auburn will Monday night. Never ever. At least, not in the current format. Marshall never will reach the four-team playoff that begins after the 2014 regular season. Even if the Herd goes 12-0, it still won't happen. The five power conferences -- SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC -- simply won't allow it. Read More: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x780154967/Marshall-should-get-to-play-for-title-too

Know what the best news was from the recent Conference USA meetings? What wasn't said. Namely, no talk about expanding the league back to 16 teams after East Carolina, Tulsa and Tulane leave in 2014. Oh, sure, commissioner Britton Banowsky mentioned the "16-team model" for about the bajillionth time. But did the C-USA athletic directors say a word about future expansion during their meetings? "It wasn't discussed a single time," said Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick. Thank goodness. When the league's East Division is composed of Marshall, Old Dominion, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic and Florida International, which is the configuration I favor, then that will be enough. And when a West Division of Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP, Rice, Louisiana Tech, North Texas and UT-San Antonio is complete, which is the other side I advocate, that will be enough as well. C-USA doesn't need an additional two members. There are two reasons for that opinion. No. 1: The five remaining C-USA members, who have stayed the course while the seven others bolted for the boringly named American Athletic Conference, would be insane to agree to slicing another two pieces out of the league's revenue pie. Read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/marshall/x1430512008/No-news-of-C-USA-expansion-a-positive

Britton Banowsky has got to be feeling frustrated. How could he not? Every time Conference USA's veteran commissioner plugs a hole, fixes a leak or patches a crack another develops. Banowsky has used more Bondo, duct tape and spackle than a poor man's Bob Vila. And he might not be finished. Remember when East Carolina and Tulane announced they were leaving C-USA back on Nov. 27? Remember how the Pirates and Green Wave joined the stampede to the Big East? Remember how Banowsky quickly countered by inviting Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic to join C-USA? It was a prime example of "The Domino Effect" where every action has a reaction. But what happens if the dominoes un-fall? What then? That is precisely the premise Banowsky and C-USA just might be facing. What if East Carolina and Tulane take a hard, honest look at a Big East Conference that has been gutted like a mackerel and decide it isn't worth leaving C-USA? It is a distinct possibility. "East Carolina and Tulane haven't formally withdrawn from Conference USA," said Courtney Morrison-Archer, C-USA's Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs. "They have one full year to do that." Read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x2070307741/Schools-playing-dominoes-vs-C-USA