American targeting MWC Powers Among Others For Expansion

[MeanGreenTexan]

2 minutes ago, Magic95Fan said:

As long as the MW teams don't bolt to the AAC, the idea of UNT and Tulsa being travel buddies in the MWC is extremely appealing. 

 

Let's high-five Tulsa and do this.

Dude,
Tulsa is likely doomed for a FCS landing spot within the next 10 years.  Their athletics budget is microscopic, and shrinking.   We cannot tie our ship to theirs.   
They're not leaving AAC unless they get kicked out, and if they do, MWC is not going to save them.  They'll be the top dog in the SLC.

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

I can’t see the American taking more than 2 AT MOST MWC teams. If they were smart, they take Boise and the MW takes NT Tulsa and UTSA (maybe even Gonzaga for basketball only, although that would make it an odd number)

[TheColonyEagle]

The Athletic’s article on this is pretty good if you have a subscription. 
 

https://theathletic.com/2826426/2021/09/15/conference-realignments-next-steps-what-im-hearing-about-the-american-sun-belt-and-more-in-the-group-of-5/?source=user_shared_article

And what he says about UNT is RIGHT ON compared to other schools like us  

Bigger budget. Phenomenal facilities. Big coaching salary. All things they want. 
 

Just one thing holding us back: We’re not winning football games. It’s why I get so angry about Littrell’s piss poor results on the field. He’s holding us back. 

Edited September 17, 2021 by TheColonyEagle

[Jonnyeagle]

2 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

I can’t see the American taking more than 2 AT MOST MWC teams. If they were smart, they take Boise and the MW takes NT Tulsa and UTSA (maybe even Gonzaga for basketball only, although that would make it an odd number)

Which conference do we want?  If Houston and some of the other teams leave the AAC is it still as good as the Mountain West?  Also will our fans be willing to travel out west?

[Jonnyeagle]

1 minute ago, TheColonyEagle said:

The Athletic’s article on this is pretty good if you have a subscription. 
 

https://theathletic.com/2826426/2021/09/15/conference-realignments-next-steps-what-im-hearing-about-the-american-sun-belt-and-more-in-the-group-of-5/?source=user_shared_article

And what he says about UNT is RIGHT ON compared to other schools like us  

Bigger budget. Phenomenal facilities. Big coaching salary. All things they want. 
 

Just one thing holding us back: We’re not winning football games. It’s why I get so angry about Littrell’s piss poor results on the field. He’s holding us back. 

I think we will look back 100 years from now and say that Littrell was the only missing piece.  Really quite a shame as we have been hoping for this opportunity for many many years.

[Cougar King]

It's fun watching the G5 schools fight over scraps. 

[ADLER]

16 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

While were guessing ... What happens if the B12 comes back and takes Memphis also?

It's not if. The Big 12 is taking Memphis. They just haven't said how quickly, and with what other schools (USF, BSU, SDSU, CSU, etc). That number could increase, Baylor365 said this morning that "Kansas is still in talks with Big 10".

Big 12 would then need 5 additional schools to get to 16.

[ColoradoEagle]

At this point, I would assume that we're nowhere near the 'final' makeup of any conference, especially the Big 12. PAC 12, ACC, and Big 10 all have room to grow to match the SEC, and there's no reason to think they won't pounce if they see an opportunity.

There was already a rumor that the PAC 12 was very close to adding TCU and UH. It's not hard to imagine the Big 12 carcass being picked clean now that ESPN has given the go ahead for 16 team conferences.

[El Paso Eagle]

17 minutes ago, ADLER said:

It's not if. The Big 12 is taking Memphis. They just haven't said how quickly, and with what other schools (USF, BSU, SDSU, CSU, etc). That number could increase, Baylor365 said this morning that "Kansas is still in talks with Big 10".

Big 12 would then need 5 additional schools to get to 16.

If Kansas goes to the Big Ten do they end up taking Iowa state also? I know that academics are a very big issue for the big 10 and both schools are AAU certified.

[Rowdy]

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Yes!   
If MWC jumps to a 16-team format, they would ideally move to a "pod" style with 4 4-team pods, in which the 4 Texas schools would obviously be our own pod.   Something like this:
"Texas Pod"
UNT, UTEP, UTSA, Rice (or, if Rice joins their old C-USA buddies in AAC, then LATech)
"I-25 Pod" or whatever...
UNM, Air Force, COSt. Wyoming
"NorthWest Pod" or whatever...
Boise St, UTSt, SJSU, NV
"SouthWest Pod" or whatever...
UNLV, Fresno St, SDSU, Hawaii


The "Texas Pod" would play crossover games with the "I-25" pod of UNM, COSt, Air Force, & Wyoming, as well as just 1 game against one of the far-west teams (and that would be a home game every other year).   

So ideally, there would be just 1 game every other year on West Coast Time.    And there would be only 2 games per year on Mountain Time.   Meanwhile, we still get to keep the nearby "rivalries" we built up with our C-USA Texas peers.   That is MORE THAN DO-ABLE.

I wish people could understand this.   Moving to the MWC is not a bad thing for UNT.   
As long as Judy is at the helm of C-USA, we're doing nothing but getting worse.   We have to get her out, or get out ourselves, and honestly, the latter would be best.

I like this.  I do like the idea of AAC, but if Memphis gets taken too, whats left?  nothing very enticing although still better than CUSA.  I go back and forth on weather MWC would actually be better, but we also dont know how all the shuffling of teams is going to play out.  What are your thoughts on the two conferences?  Would you rather AAC or MWC? 

[TheColonyEagle]

Just now, Rowdy said:

I like this.  I do like the idea of AAC, but if Memphis gets taken too, whats left?  nothing very enticing although still better than CUSA.  I go back and forth on weather MWC would actually be better, but we also dont know how all the shuffling of teams is going to play out.  What are your thoughts on the two conferences?  Would you rather AAC or MWC? 

All things staying the way they are now. I prefer the MWC. Just seems like the leftovers on AAC + some CUSA teams is not as strong as the current MWC. 
 

In my mind more prestigious football conference trumps regionalization. 
 

If the top teams leave the MWC then I would prefer to go regional. 
 

MGT’s “pod” scenario looks pretty dang good to me. I’m not as interested in Rice as some are so a Texas/LA foursome of UNT, UTSA, UTEP and La Tech sounds good to me in addition to the existing MWC. 

[Green Otaku]

5 minutes ago, ColoradoEagle said:

At this point, I would assume that we're nowhere near the 'final' makeup of any conference, especially the Big 12. PAC 12, ACC, and Big 10 all have room to grow to match the SEC, and there's no reason to think they won't pounce if they see an opportunity.

There was already a rumor that the PAC 12 was very close to adding TCU and UH. It's not hard to imagine the Big 12 carcass being picked clean now that ESPN has given the go ahead for 16 team conferences.

Another reason to join the MW. Now I'm going to say this with the * that it's a 1:1,000,000 chance of happening, but just hear me out. Imagine the AAC doesn't get the MWC schools, and backfill with UAB, FAU, and 2 others other than UNT. UNT goes to the MW with 1 or 3 travel partners. Then things cool on realignment for a decade, UNT goes on a Boise St. style run, dominating the MW. Now realignment comes around again, everyone wants to match the SEC and go to 16. UNT would be smack in the middle of possible the last shuffle for decades. B1G would need 2, Big XII would need 4.  We've already talked about it on this thread that pickings are slim in the west and the only place the PAC has to draw from is the MW. Is there a chance UNT would get consideration from the PAC? Having already been in a western conference might give us some consideration. I know that's a pipe dream from another dimension, but we definitely aren't getting that in CUSA. 

[Moobs]

4 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

All things staying the way they are now. I prefer the MWC. Just seems like the leftovers on AAC + some CUSA teams is not as strong as the current MWC. 

This. Especially when it's already pretty widely believed that we'll sign another home and home with one of their best remaining teams (smuT).  We really don't need to join the P6. 🙄

[MeanGreenTexan]

6 minutes ago, Rowdy said:

I like this.  I do like the idea of AAC, but if Memphis gets taken too, whats left?  nothing very enticing although still better than CUSA.  I go back and forth on weather MWC would actually be better, but we also dont know how all the shuffling of teams is going to play out.  What are your thoughts on the two conferences?  Would you rather AAC or MWC? 

Like you're saying... there are just so many moving parts right now.   If Memphis leaves AAC, and USF goes anywhere, then the AAC is basically back to our 2013 C-USA model, which is not awful.   Definitely an upgrade over our current setup.
And if any of Boise/Air Force/SDSU/COSt get picked off of MWC to the Big12 (...because I really don't think they're going to the AAC), that definitely is not ideal, but I still think if an entire Texas Bloc (and/or LATech) were to join MWC together, it would be better than our current setup in C-USA, and possibly whatever the AAC lands on. 
If the MWC sticks together and adds some, they will likely be considered the stronger conference than the fake "P6" AAC.

 

[PlummMeanGreen]

8 minutes ago, Moobs said:

This. Especially when it's already pretty widely believed that we'll sign another home and home with one of their best remaining teams (smuT).  We really don't need to join the P6. 🙄

 

14 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

All things staying the way they are now. I prefer the MWC. Just seems like the leftovers on AAC + some CUSA teams is not as strong as the current MWC. 
 

In my mind more prestigious football conference trumps regionalization. 
 

If the top teams leave the MWC then I would prefer to go regional. 
 

MGT’s “pod” scenario looks pretty dang good to me. I’m not as interested in Rice as some are so a Texas/LA foursome of UNT, UTSA, UTEP and La Tech sounds good to me in addition to the existing MWC. 

POST OF THE MONTH!  👍👍
 

I especially like TCE’s quote saying:

“...In my mind more prestigious football conference trumps regionalization.” 
 

SEE YALL AT APOGEE, MANANA!
(Please don’t stay home & watch this on TV). 

Edited September 17, 2021 by PlummMeanGreen

[TheColonyEagle]

5 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

Another reason to join the MW. Now I'm going to say this with the * that it's a 1:1,000,000 chance of happening, but just hear me out. Imagine the AAC doesn't get the MWC schools, and backfill with UAB, FAU, and 2 others other than UNT. UNT goes to the MW with 1 or 3 travel partners. Then things cool on realignment for a decade, UNT goes on a Boise St. style run, dominating the MW. Now realignment comes around again, everyone wants to match the SEC and go to 16. UNT would be smack in the middle of possible the last shuffle for decades. B1G would need 2, Big XII would need 4.  We've already talked about it on this thread that pickings are slim in the west and the only place the PAC has to draw from is the MW. Is there a chance UNT would get consideration from the PAC? Having already been in a western conference might give us some consideration. I know that's a pipe dream from another dimension, but we definitely aren't getting that in CUSA. 

I’ll put it like this. Geography is probably what’s holding Boise back from the Big 12 for now. Pick their school up and put it in Texas. They would be a no brainer for the Big 12. It’s really the only difference between Boise and TCU. 
 

Now fast forward 5-10 years and say UNT DOES go on a Boise run. If the Big12 needed 4…..screw the Pac. I know where I’m looking. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

9 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

All things staying the way they are now. I prefer the MWC. Just seems like the leftovers on AAC + some CUSA teams is not as strong as the current MWC. 
 

In my mind more prestigious football conference trumps regionalization. 
 

If the top teams leave the MWC then I would prefer to go regional. 
 

MGT’s “pod” scenario looks pretty dang good to me. I’m not as interested in Rice as some are so a Texas/LA foursome of UNT, UTSA, UTEP and La Tech sounds good to me in addition to the existing MWC. 

Rice's Academics alone are worth partnering with.    But their baseball can be a feather in any conference's cap if they decide to contend again (they've really sucked recently).   I think if the choice was between LATech and Rice, I'd pick Rice.   But I bet they rejoin their private school friends SMU, Tulane, & Tulsa in the AAC regardless.

[Rowdy]

13 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Like you're saying... there are just so many moving parts right now.   If Memphis leaves AAC, and USF goes anywhere, then the AAC is basically back to our 2013 C-USA model, which is not awful.   Definitely an upgrade over our current setup.
And if any of Boise/Air Force/SDSU/COSt get picked off of MWC to the Big12 (...because I really don't think they're going to the AAC), that definitely is not ideal, but I still think if an entire Texas Bloc (and/or LATech) were to join MWC together, it would be better than our current setup in C-USA, and possibly whatever the AAC lands on. 
If the MWC sticks together and adds some, they will likely be considered the stronger conference than the fake "P6" AAC.

 

Just about anything is better than this CUSA setup we have going on.  

[MeanGreenTexan]

9 minutes ago, Rowdy said:

Just about anything is better than this CUSA setup we have going on.  

Judy says, "You're welcome!"

[Cr1028]

17 hours ago, Green Otaku said:

The last Texas team in the MW is now in the BigXII. If we have the chance to join, we take it and don't look back. 

That last Texas team also spent over 50 years in the Southwest Conference while we were playing around in the Missouri Valley and Southland. It is not the same thing.

[ColoradoEagle]

1 minute ago, Cr1028 said:

That last Texas team also spent over 50 years in the Southwest Conference while we were playing around in the Missouri Valley and Southland. It is not the same thing.

[Cr1028]

 

1 hour ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Which conference do we want?  If Houston and some of the other teams leave the AAC is it still as good as the Mountain West?  Also will our fans be willing to travel out west?

I think if you look at away game (or even home game) bleacher photos from 1996 to 2000, you’ll have a good idea. But to save you the trouble, no, they won’t show for home or away games.

[RBP79]

I keep seeing posts declaring MWC is too hard for NT fans to attend games. Have those that have this concern been to any NT away games other than SmuT? I've been to several recently and it's not like 1000's of UNT fans show up. It's mainly parents and a few loyal Alums. Don't think ease of attendance should be a driving factor.

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by RBP79

[Cr1028]

16 minutes ago, RBP79 said:

I keep seeing posts declaring MWC is too hard for NT fans to attend games. Have those that have this concern been to any NT away games other than SmuT? I've been to several recently and it's not like 1000's of UNT fans show up. It's mainly parents and a few loyal Alums. Don't think ease of attendance should be a driving factor.

We get a really good group to Rice and UTSA. I’ve been to and seen both with my own eyes. We didn’t take hardly anybody to Fayetteville when I went and that one was closer than every MWC team by almost 300 miles. Texas teams, we need to play them. We play 5 annually counting SMU, we are looking at playing 1 or none if we leave for the MWC.

Edited September 17, 2021 by Cr1028

[RBP79]

1 minute ago, Cr1028 said:

We get a really good group to Rice and UTSA. I’ve been to and seen both with my own eyes. We didn’t take hardly anybody to Fayetteville when I went and that one was closer than every MWC team by almost 300 miles. Texas teams, we need to play them. We play 5 annually counting SMU, we are looking at playing 1 or none if we leave for the MWC.

So for a few close games we turn our back on MWC. I've been to those games also. It's a decent NT crowd. But I've been to USM and Latech games where not so much. I continue to lean to the MWC as long as it remains what it is today.