American targeting MWC Powers Among Others For Expansion

[DeepGreen]

22 minutes ago, ColoradoEagle said:

If ESPN really turns the screws, there may no longer be a CUSA.

And Judy McLeod be like.......

[Green Otaku]

2 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

Agree. 
 

And I’m not opposed to the MWC. However my concern is if Boise and the top teams leave the MWC, it’s not really the MWC anymore. We’re just left with Tulsa and a bunch of teams in another time zone. 

We’ve been through this before. sure we got to go to CUSA but it was CUSA In name only. It wasn’t the same without SMU, UH, Cincy, Memphis, etc.

If Dennis Dodd is reporting it….I’m guessing Wren has talked to them and conversations are going on. Which also tells me the AAC could be falling through. 
 

I just don’t know what being in the MWC gets us if the MWC isn’t as prestigious a conference. Sure it will be better than CUSA but without the top teams….is it good enough to offset extra costs?

 

I just don't see the MW teams leaving for the AAC. I guess it all depends on the payouts, but I don't see the AAC being able to command the same numbers to make it enticing. 

[MrAlien]

if its not going to be the AAC then I would be happy with the MWC.  Those conferences will probably end up being the top 2 G5 conferences, and that would enable the MWC to attract some better schools (Gonzaga comes to mind).

[TheColonyEagle]

1 minute ago, untjim1995 said:

TCU certainly didn't think that way when they left CUSA to go out west--just as SMU and Rice were being invited to join the old CUSA.

But hey, lets not play Fresno State when we can play Florida International. I mean that's a whole other hour we have to deal with if we play them on the road. And I know playing in the Pit against Western Kentucky could just never compete with playing Nevada, UNLV, or UNM...

As time goes on, the more and more I realize that CUSA West is probably just the best place for our fanbase and our program. 

My point is Fresno St won’t be there. 
 

What I’m saying is I don’t want to be a back fill for the MWC. MWC stays intact and adds us? I am IN. TCU got to play all their top teams. But if we go to a severely weakened MWC (face it. No Boise the MWC loses its reputation just like the Big 12 without UT and OU and just like AAC without Cincy and UCF) we don’t get the same advantage TCU had. 

[untjim1995]

5 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

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

I am certain Memphis and USF are the next ones up--I still believe that KU and someone else will get poached by one of the other Power Leagues as the years move on...

[TheColonyEagle]

4 minutes ago, Green Otaku said:

 

I just don't see the MW teams leaving for the AAC. I guess it all depends on the payouts, but I don't see the AAC being able to command the same numbers to make it enticing. 

Yeah I’m kind of in that boat too. 
 

so to Dennis Dodd’s latest tweet. If they don’t go it’s looking like AAC may actually be in play. 

[untjim1995]

2 minutes ago, TheColonyEagle said:

My point is Fresno St won’t be there. 
 

What I’m saying is I don’t want to be a back fill for the MWC. MWC stays intact and adds us? I am IN. TCU got to play all their top teams. But if we go to a severely weakened MWC (face it. No Boise the MWC loses its reputation just like the Big 12 without UT and OU and just like AAC without Cincy and UCF) we don’t get the same advantage TCU had. 

And I don't see Fresno State getting taken away. Boise, AFA, Colorado State, and SDSU represent the teams the AAC could go after--but I doubt the AAC will be able to poach any of them. I suspect that those four will stay with what they have out west than go play conference games in Philly, Greenville, NC, Tampa, and New Orleans.

[Green Otaku]

14 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

TCU certainly didn't think that way when they left CUSA to go out west--just as SMU and Rice were being invited to join the old CUSA.

But hey, lets not play Fresno State when we can play Florida International. I mean that's a whole other hour we have to deal with if we play them on the road. And I know playing in the Pit against Western Kentucky could just never compete with playing Nevada, UNLV, or UNM...

As time goes on, the more and more I realize that CUSA West is probably just the best place for our fanbase and our program. 

Agreed with everything you posted. It's pretty easy to see when you take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Only the MW (Utah and TCU) and AAC have sent teams to P5 conferences. UNT needs to be in 1 of those 2 if it ever plans on moving up. 

Edited September 16, 2021 by Green Otaku

[TheColonyEagle]

4 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

And I don't see Fresno State getting taken away. Boise, AFA, Colorado State, and SDSU represent the teams the AAC could go after--but I doubt the AAC will be able to poach any of them. I suspect that those four will stay with what they have out west than go play conference games in Philly, Greenville, NC, Tampa, and New Orleans.

If that’s the case and we get the invite I’m in. Because now, MWC is hands down the best G5 conference with the AAC’s defectors gone 

[Danish43]

1 hour ago, UNTLifer said:

I'm sorry, but I would rather play in the AAC with Tulsa, SMU, Memphis, USF, Tulane, ECU, etc... and whoever they can sway from the MWC.  If that falls through, then I would like to go MWC.  I like the aggressive nature of the AAC.

CBS Sports reported that ACC is really going West with San Diego St as a favorite. They mentioned that UAB is a potential candidate but nothing about NT.

Edited September 16, 2021 by Danish43

[MDH]

1 hour ago, TheColonyEagle said:

My point is Fresno St won’t be there. 
 

What I’m saying is I don’t want to be a back fill for the MWC. MWC stays intact and adds us? I am IN. TCU got to play all their top teams. But if we go to a severely weakened MWC (face it. No Boise the MWC loses its reputation just like the Big 12 without UT and OU and just like AAC without Cincy and UCF) we don’t get the same advantage TCU had. 

I'm Fresno born and bred, parents taught at Fresno St, and a big time Bulldog homer outside of these message boards. Fresno St has always been a program that's had hugely bright spots in many revenue and non revenue sports but they have very limited marketability outside of the central valley. There's very little probability for either of those schools (SDSU too) to move anywhere else. The western half of the US has one premier conference (PAC-12) and they'll never be allowed in to that club. Many MWCers would rather poach to make their conference stronger than leave to go elsewhere. There are many that see what UTSA has going and are fairly open to their joining. I agree that I'd want no part of an MWC that lacked Fresno, SD and Boise, but I just don't see where they go. There was a small chance of them joining up with AAC in the past, but schools such as Houston always had their sights and priorities set on the big 12 and they didnt want to jump to a conference where there were others with conceivable in-roads to greener pastures.

[Arkstfan]

Well MWC does have all the surviving western Big West schools sans NMSU 

BUT it has the surviving epic era WAC teams other than Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, and Utah and that means the Front Range. New Mexico, AFA, Colorado State, and Wyoming ain’t close but it’s an hour difference not horrible travel. 
 

it’s not ideal but sure ain’t bad either as long as AFA and CSU stick

[Cr1028]

4 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

@MeanGreenTexanand @PlummMeanGreen--this is exactly what I've been trying to tell you both. This mindset represents the clear majority of this board and fanbase. They like close games to drive to and beating deadlines for our game to be in a newspaper on Sunday morning, since its still 1998 and everything is still the same as it was back then--when we played in the Big West with Nevada, Boise State, Idaho, Utah State, and NMSU. I mean, clearly that mix is basically the same as playing SDSU, Hawaii, Fresno State, San Jose State, Utah State, Colorado State, AFA, Wyoming, UNM, Boise State, Nevada, and UNLV.

So frustrating--but I clearly recognize that I am in the minority here on the MWC...

If the AAC took Air Force, Boise, CSU, and SDSU, you’re left with Hawaii, Fresno, SJSU, USU, Wyoming, UNM, Nevada and UNLV. You’re left with two road games less than 1,000 miles away at distances of 600 and 800 miles. Then the other 6 schools are over 1,000 miles from Denton. That seems a bit much to put on “student” athletes every other week. The  diluted Mountain West would be Big West 2.0 whether you want to accept that or not. What do we have to gain by getting our heads kicked in 1000 miles away vs 200? We have no recent connection to any of those schools unless you count the HOD bowl in Dallas 8 years ago. Remember when we left our last conference to get into a better one and then that one went and surpassed our new one? Big West 2.0 would be exactly that except we would no longer play regional teams that our Texas recruits are actually familiar with. Its kind of like Houston getting into the BIg 12, yes they will be in a P5 conference but a watered down one that may lose its p5 status of Tech and OSU jump to the Pac. We need to focus on regional conference opponents for now. If we can’t get into the AAC or new Big 12 (which I admit we won’t), then we need CUSA to work with the Belt to build a more powerful G5 conference.

[ColoradoEagle]

 

[DeepGreen]

3 minutes ago, ColoradoEagle said:

 

What’s this, sloppy seconds?  No thanks!

[ColoradoEagle]

2 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

What’s this, sloppy seconds?  No thanks!

No, just clarification of the article. Now if you’re saying we should be offended to be second to SDSU, for example, that’s crazy talk. 

[MeanGreen22]

I REALLY don’t get the UTSA love. Someone explain it to me like I’m 5. They’ve had a couple decent football seasons and….? 

[greenminer]

9 minutes ago, MeanGreen22 said:

I REALLY don’t get the UTSA love. Someone explain it to me like I’m 5. They’ve had a couple decent football seasons and….? 

@Arkstfan posted this recently:

 

On 9/15/2021 at 9:43 AM, Arkstfan said:

3. Fans have grudges. Fans look down on some programs because of the past. Few administrators have been around long enough to remember or know those things. They are looking at each other through the lens of the past 3-5 years.

...It forces us to challenge how we think about UTSA, and what we think SMU thinks of us.

[untjim1995]

1 hour ago, Cr1028 said:

If the AAC took Air Force, Boise, CSU, and SDSU, you’re left with Hawaii, Fresno, SJSU, USU, Wyoming, UNM, Nevada and UNLV. You’re left with two road games less than 1,000 miles away at distances of 600 and 800 miles. Then the other 6 schools are over 100 miles from Denton. That seems a bit much to put on “student” athletes every other week. The  diluted Mountain West would be Big West 2.0 whether you want to accept that or not. What do we have to gain by getting our heads kicked in 1000 miles away vs 200? We have no recent connection to any of those schools unless you count the HOD bowl in Dallas 8 years ago. Remember when we left our last conference to get into a better one and then that one went and surpassed our new one? Big West 2.0 would be exactly that except we would no longer play regional teams that our Texas recruits are actually familiar with. Its kind of like Houston getting into the BIg 12, yes they will be in a P5 conference but a watered down one that may lose its p5 status of Tech and OSU jump to the Pac. We need to focus on regional conference opponents for now. If we can’t get into the AAC or new Big 12 (which I admit we won’t), then we need CUSA to work with the Belt to build a more powerful G5 conference.

Ok, you just had the MWC get demolished to join the AAC. Obviously, that’s different and not what I’m advocating…I’d hope you knew that already.

[Cr1028]

2 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

Ok, you just had the MWC get demolished to join the AAC. Obviously, that’s different and not what I’m advocating…I’d hope you knew that already.

I was going off the original post where those 4 are AAC candidates.

[keith]

Realignment is all about the opportunity to “move up” not to move sideways.  Any school currently in the MWC cannot possibly see the AAC as a move up. For the MWC, a move up would be to the B12 or PAC12 and that’s it.  The AAC is dreaming if they think they can lure any school from the MWC (which besides the MAC is the most stable G5 conference).  

If the AAC is going to reload or the MWC is going to expand, the candidates are coming from CUSA or the Sun Belt only.  Anything else is just silly talk IMHO   

 

[ColoradoEagle]

16 minutes ago, MeanGreen22 said:

I REALLY don’t get the UTSA love. Someone explain it to me like I’m 5. They’ve had a couple decent football seasons and….? 

It’s surface level only. People see them as new and shiny and the only FBS school in San Antonio, and assume that means the sky is the limit. You have to dig a bit deeper to see they play basketball in basically a high school gym, have no attendance in that sport, have made very little investment in facilities over all, and don’t have their own football stadium. Even with the Alamo Dome and being the only game in town, they barely outdraw us. I assume the vetting process will see past the fluff. 

[untjim1995]

1 minute ago, Cr1028 said:

I was going off the original post where those 4 are AAC candidates.

Again, I’ll reiterate that I don’t see the MWC losing schools to join the AAC as they already have a strong conference and they have the geography set for travel costs being easier. I don’t see San Diego State or Boise State playing in a conference with Temple and East Carolina…

[Cr1028]

Just now, untjim1995 said:

Again, I’ll reiterate that I don’t see the MWC losing schools to join the AAC as they already have a strong conference and they have the geography set for travel costs being easier. I don’t see San Diego State or Boise State playing in a conference with Temple and East Carolina…

I don’t disagree with you but we also don’t want our travel costs (both financial and physical/mental) to increase unless their is a substantial benefit and I don’t see the MWC being that for us.

[untjim1995]

2 minutes ago, ColoradoEagle said:

It’s surface level only. People see them as new and shiny and the only FBS school in San Antonio, and assume that means the sky is the limit. You have to dig a bit deeper to see they play basketball in basically a high school gym, have no attendance in that sport, have made very little investment in facilities over all, and don’t have their own football stadium. Even with the Alamo Dome and being the only game in town, they barely outdraw us. I assume the vetting process will see past the fluff. 

These conferences believe attendance will pick up if they get a better set of competition to come to the Alamodome. And football apparently is the only thing driving the bus for these networks and conferences.