7 Athletic Programs Ready to Become C-USA Members

[Travis]

Did you get all the stink off you this year?

AState and ULL get mentioned because we do something really odd.

Win games.

Sell tickets.

Spend millions on facility upgrades.

Not a clue why any quality conference would lower itself to affiliate with such flawed and inferior programs.

We can be a bit disillusioned sometimes and not give us the proper self-confrontation we deserve.

[Travis]

I think a poll should be added to this topic to see what the majority prefer. I'm interested to see if SWTSU-SM, ULL, or ASU would be in the lead.

I would go with ULL and then ASU next. But, I would be fine with either.

[Cerebus]

We can be a bit disillusioned sometimes and not give us the proper self-confrontation we deserve.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I think a poll should be added to this topic to see what the majority prefer. I'm interested to see if SWTSU-SM, ULL, or ASU would be in the lead.

Ask, and ye shall receive:

[Cerebus]

Not a clue why any quality conference would lower itself to affiliate with such flawed and inferior programs.

What Arkstfan is really trying to say:

I think ULL gets the invite. I would be happy with any of: ULL, TXST, ASU

[untjim1995]

To me, ASU leads the pack just because it gives you another state to play games in and they have a solid presence in Memphis and Little Rock, which is good for fans and recruiting. ULaLa is basically tied with ASU on my list, for all the reasons mentioned on this thread, but they have La Tech to argue with about being admitted to CUSA and I don't see La Tech budging on this based on their historical ltreatment of all Louisiana schools not named LSU. Texas State is gonna have the problem we had when SMU was here--they basically are stuck behind UTSA here. While they would be great for us, the eastern CUSA schools will never go for them. South Alabama has some possibilities, though, just because you get a presence in the state of Alabama again to replace UAB, but they have a bigger market and bowl game in Mobile than anything Troy can offer.

I still believe that UConn is going to be in the ACC sooner rather than later. And I think Cincy will go to the Big XII eventually, along with BYU, UCF, and USF.

After that, I expect that the P5 breakaway will be done and closed. And then the G5 and top FCS programs are going to need to come up with a more regionalized alliance out of necessity. I think there will be several schools that are just gonna UAB-it to their programs, but I also know that there will be many who will be able to compete well at that level if they decide that it is worth it. Only because Apogee is so new, I think we will still be playing college football at least at this level for the next few decades. Whether anyone will care or go to games anymore is the hardest answer to obtain--it dropped like a rock when we were in 1-aa, but there were a lot of circumstances that affected that, from the facility, to funding, to being in the complete shadows of the old SWC, and to the fact that most of the SLC schools were considered podunk schools that no one really knew of or cared anything about back then. Maybe it would be different today in a setup where we do have a conference with the current regional G5 and top-end FCS schools and a really smart playoff system that could still draw fan interest...

[oldguystudent]

I just don't think you'll see this kind of glorious tomfoolery outside Lafayette. I must attend this at some point in my life.

[Cerebus]

That guy has some ULL cargo shorts on. I would kill everyone in this thread for some SoW cargo shorts.

[Eagle1855]

All this talk about having a presence is Arkansas and Louisiana really means nothing to North Texas. UNT needs to be a household name in its own state, first and foremost. I couldn't possibly care less about how we do in TV's in the state of Arkansas. I want Central Texas and Houston-area recruits to grow up knowing about UNT's football program. Adding Texas State is the best option for NT. And that's all I care about.

[GreenTexan13]

I just don't think you'll see this kind of glorious tomfoolery outside Lafayette. I must attend this at some point in my life.

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/42929c90398c9ec8b04bf18981c1008604e54102/c=0-232-3656-2288&r=x1803&c=3200x1800/local/-/media/LafayetteLA/2014/10/31/-1021ultailgating016.jpg20141022.jpg

Cajun food and cold brewskis

[Cerebus]

Let me tell you the non starters:

TexSt: I would like to have them in the same conference, and it would get SBC football out of Texas. However, I think the eastern schools would balk at having a five Texas voting bloc, especially with the conference HQ already in Irving.

NMSU: UTEP would fight them tooth and nail. Long term this would in effect be a UTEP for NMSU swap.

Liberty: The votes are cast by the university presidents. No way they vote to be associated with them. Look beyond creationism. No tenure. The president doesn't have a PHD. It's in effect a giant diploma mill.

Ohio: My understanding is the reason Akron and NIU are looking to leave is because they want to increase athletics spending, while there is a movement in the MAC to place a cap on spending. Ohio is one of the proponents of the cap.

[oldguystudent]

That guy has some ULL cargo shorts on. I would kill everyone in this thread for some SoW cargo shorts.

^ ^

Superfluous. Unnecessary. Does nothing to support your thesis.

FTFY

[Shof]

It's because of the competitiveness and fan base ULL has, ULL packs their stadium and I would guess they travel well. When we beat them in 2012 at apogee our attendance was a little over 17,000 though. Kind of half stadium... It didn't help that we had a losing season though.

A lot of y'all don't agree with TX State. I'm curious as to why you wouldn't want them to join CUSA?

If I recall, it was a weeknight (Tuesday?) and cold as ****! Really wanted to drive up for that one.

[FirefightnRick]

Texas State is new enough to where they don't have the Sun Belt stench. Also, we have a lot of history with them. Would be awesome to be in a division with all Texas schools and La Tech which is really close. I've never understood the crush that some of our fan base has on ULL and ASU.

Have you ever been to ULL on game days?

Rick

[Arkstfan]

All this talk about having a presence is Arkansas and Louisiana really means nothing to North Texas. UNT needs to be a household name in its own state, first and foremost. I couldn't possibly care less about how we do in TV's in the state of Arkansas. I want Central Texas and Houston-area recruits to grow up knowing about UNT's football program. Adding Texas State is the best option for NT. And that's all I care about.

I get it that Texas is whole nuther country and all that but I don't get this reasoning.

There are a finite number of FBS quality kids to recruit.

If you accept the premise that being in CUSA rather than Sun Belt provides an edge in recruiting, why would you forego that edge vs. Texas State in recruiting Texas players and why would UTSA in particular want to share conference with a school that competes with them for students, athletes, casual fans, and media exposure in San Antonio?

I know ULL fans say they are best pals with La Tech then I look at the rosters and see 57 Louisiana kids on the Cajun roster and 48 on the La.Tech roster and see a lot of the same high schools and wonder how excited La.Tech is about the Cajuns since they are closer to the greater bulk of Louisiana recruits when ULL is larger in enrollment and just expanded their stadium. Then I see another 16 Louisiana kids (most south Louisiana) on the USM roster and it makes me wonder how excited USM is about perceived equality as well. At least with the Cajuns there isn't a lot of direct competition for casual fans, though with the Cajuns signing with CST and having two radio stations in North Louisiana (Shreveport and Monroe) pretty evident the Cajuns intend to battle for fans with Tech no matter what.

[ColoradoEagle]

NIU is the only option so far to be worth the add.

[wardly]

I agree that CUSA probably doesn't want another Texas program, and while I don't think La.Tech would want ULL, I don't know if they have enough juice to prevent their admittance. Either USA or A-State would be a good compromise.

[ADLER]

First choice is LaLa, hands down. Arkie St and Texas St tie for second and third. Everybody else is right out.

I agree 100%.