More Conference Realignment Talk; This One Involves Arkansas

[gangrene]

It sounds like a lot of hot air and speculation from a sports radio personality, but the thread made three pages on the Hawg forum.

[the real grad88]

No way the Big XII gets rig of Colorado...now Baylor is a different story. However, either way, Arkansas would be nuts to leave the SEC to join the BigXII. I'll believe that one when I hear it officially announced. I would love to see it happen because those Arkansas/Texas battles were really fun to watch. I would also love to see more conference shakeups which will give more opportunity for UNT to be moved around eventually.

[RamoneArchie]

Just looking for some opinions here. What conference do you think UNT would be a good fit for? Is CSUA the only real possibility or do you think we could make a run at the Mountain West? I'm thinking the CSUA and after years of success maybe move on to replacing Baylor in the Big 12 (ha ha that probably won't happen). What do you guys think?

[Eagle1855]

Just looking for some opinions here. What conference do you think UNT would be a good fit for? Is CSUA the only real possibility or do you think we could make a run at the Mountain West? I'm thinking the CSUA and after years of success maybe move on to replacing Baylor in the Big 12 (ha ha that probably won't happen). What do you guys think?

I think C-USA has to be our goal right now. It makes the most sense geographically and its full of familiar teams. If the MWC came calling as a travel partner with TCU, you'd absolutely have to consider it. I would love to have home games against the likes of TCU, BYU, CSU, etc.

Sincerely,

The only guy on the board that doesn't care about building up the Sun Belt conference.

Edited July 12, 2007 by Eagle1855

[GreenBat]

No way the Big XII gets rig of Colorado...now Baylor is a different story. However, either way, Arkansas would be nuts to leave the SEC to join the BigXII. I'll believe that one when I hear it officially announced. I would love to see it happen because those Arkansas/Texas battles were really fun to watch. I would also love to see more conference shakeups which will give more opportunity for UNT to be moved around eventually.

I heard rumblings of the PAC 10 going to the PAC 12, adding Colorado and Colorado State, a few years back, but I haven't heard anything in the last couple of years.

[Greendylan]

Just looking for some opinions here. What conference do you think UNT would be a good fit for? Is CSUA the only real possibility or do you think we could make a run at the Mountain West? I'm thinking the CSUA and after years of success maybe move on to replacing Baylor in the Big 12 (ha ha that probably won't happen). What do you guys think?

There's some chatter around the TCU campus that they are slated to eventually replace Baylor. Consequently, UNT would then fit nicely into TCU's vacated spot in the Mountain West - or so the thinking goes amongst some Horned Frog fans. If that scenario did unfold, I would tend to think that the SEC (a LONG ways down the road) would be more of a possibility than the Big XII. This is all, of course, just vague speculation.

[RamoneArchie]

I heard rumblings of the PAC 10 going to the PAC 12, adding Colorado and Colorado State, a few years back, but I haven't heard anything in the last couple of years.

Crap they could still call it the PAC 10 look at the Big 10. That would be great for UNT I think. The big 12 would have to replace Colorado and The Mountain West would have to replace Colorado State. That means possible two CSUA teams could be gone. Or most likely TCU going to the Big 12 and let the domino effect begin.

[Eagle1855]

There's some chatter around the TCU campus that they are slated to eventually replace Baylor. Consequently, UNT would then fit nicely into TCU's vacated spot in the Mountain West - or so the thinking goes amongst some Horned Frog fans. If that scenario did unfold, I would tend to think that the SEC (a LONG ways down the road) would be more of a possibility than the Big XII. This is all, of course, just vague speculation.

where would that speculation put Baylor?

[gangrene]

I agree that Conference USA makes the most sense for us right now for a number of reasons.

IF we were to ever get an invite to the Big XII (or Big XX - whatever it might be called if that time were to come), I'd only want to accept if our program was good enough to expect winning seasons. I would hate to replace Baylor as the Big XII whipping child just for the sake of being in the conference.

[gangrene]

where would that speculation put Baylor?

Hmmm....now that is a good question. It sure would suck if Baylor got the boot from the Big XII and suddenly got the invite to join Conference USA instead of us!

[BobFam]

where would that speculation put Baylor?

Unfortunately, Baylor would probably fit in at C-USA if they were bumped out of the Big 12. MWC might sneak Boise out of the WAC to replace TCU, and the WAC takes........who? Apparently not us but would we balk at a second chance?

Edited July 12, 2007 by BobFam

[Eagle1855]

Apparently not us but would we balk at a second chance?

In that scenario, yes. we would say no again for many reasons (which have been listed on here ad nauseum since it first came up) but also because a WAC without Boise State probably isn't any better than a Sun Belt with a strong Troy & North Texas team (which is the way I see it going in the next 2 years) accompanied by decent WKU, MTSU and ASU teams.

Edited July 12, 2007 by Eagle1855

[emmitt01]

I think CUSA in its present alignment is where we should be shooting for. If any of the dominoes falls (BSU or FSU to MWC, Anyone to Pac-10, TCU to Big XII) then it benefits us but I would prefer CUSA...yes, even over MWC. The reason being is this. I think if we were to join CUSA (and don't bother with the "SMU wouldn't let us talk" because they would be quickly outvoted if we have our ducks in a row) then it would push the eastern CUSA teams to look for greener pastures. Those greener pastures just might be alignment with the eastern belt schools leaving the UL-? teams and possibly Arky state and La Tech to come into CUSA. Those basketball schools in CUSA are barely tolerating the layout of the conference as it is and I think they could convince some of the basketball/football schools to defect with them. SMU would have to stay with us in CUSA because, let's be frank, nobody else wants them. TCU changes conferences every time SMU comes nipping at their heels and no other conference is beating down the pony door.

[the real grad88]

I would hope that if another major restructring occurred among several conferences, that the regional players would take that opportunity to discuss a revived Southwest Conference. We have talked about this before, but for the newies on the board: UNT, Baylor, Houston, SMU, La Tech, UtEP, Ark State, Tulsa, and La La. That would be a tremendous regional conference affording contained travel costs, good regional TV coverage and interesting regional matchups and rivalries. Just let it happen...for once let common sense prevail in college athletics. Then the leftover CUSA schools can take the eastern Belt schools and they would be set. Everyone would have a regional conference for years to come!

[Greendylan]

where would that speculation put Baylor?

Southland Conference lol!

[Arkstfan]

Just summer boredom.

The final say on conference membership is the beast called the university president or chancellor.

They might agree to join a different club but they aren't likely to kick people out of their club (see the Board of Directors over-ruling the Management Council on I-A criteria). The only kick-outs I can think have involved serious scandals or a wink and nod from the school being kicked out.

Arkansas to the Big 12? Makes wonderful geographic sense, but compare checks. Arkansas is staying put.

Pac 10 requires a unanimous vote to expand and absent Texas and Colorado coming calling that's unlikely and both said no when they finally got around to an invite.

Real football talk can't arrive soon enough

[H-towngreen]

I would hope that if another major restructring occurred among several conferences, that the regional players would take that opportunity to discuss a revived Southwest Conference. We have talked about this before, but for the newies on the board: UNT, Baylor, Houston, SMU, La Tech, UtEP, Ark State, Tulsa, and La La. That would be a tremendous regional conference affording contained travel costs, good regional TV coverage and interesting regional matchups and rivalries. Just let it happen...for once let common sense prevail in college athletics. Then the leftover CUSA schools can take the eastern Belt schools and they would be set. Everyone would have a regional conference for years to come!

Thats what I would like to see happen...throw in Rice and we're set.

[RamoneArchie]

for once let common sense prevail in college athletics.

But does common sense lead to national interest and money? That's the real reason this might not happen common sense or not.

[greenminer]

for once let common sense prevail in college athletics.

But does common sense lead to national interest and money? That's the real reason this might not happen common sense or not.

I was thinking the same thing. One of your pros, grad88:

That would be a tremendous regional conference affording contained travel costs, good regional TV coverage and interesting regional matchups and rivalries.

What drives these people is national attention and money/profit. I would love to see a conference similar to what you described, but not at the expense of national attention. "Good regional TV coverage" but in addition to regular national attention. If this situation came to fruition, would we be afforded coverage outside of the southwest? Perhaps, if we scheduled our OOC opponents with that in mind.

[UNTflyer]

Arkansas fans should be livid over any suggestion of leaving the best conference in college football.

[Arkstfan]

The only guy on the board that doesn't care about building up the Sun Belt conference.

Pointless comment there.

If a school gets it act together the conference gets better, if it doesn't, they weigh us down.

Nobody gives a crap about building the conference except in pushing the bottom schools to get their feces together and stop being a liability.

The only concern I have toward the conference in wanting ASU to continue its improvement is that everyone else be working on that same goal so we can get better power ratings and a better perception. Conference improvement is nothing but short-hand for everyone needs to work on fixing their problems.

FIU last year was a prime example. In Sagarin where you are comparing results, it is difficult to assign true value to how strong a team is when it doesn't win and they undervalue. FIU went winless and hurt everyone's power ratings. Conversely when you don't lose it is hard to assign value which has resulted in such oddities as Harvard being top 40 a few years ago or Boise being ranked over teams like Wisconsin or Auburn that it would have been very unlikely to beat.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

It sounds like a lot of hot air and speculation from a sports radio personality, but the thread made three pages on the Hawg forum.

Not going to happen. Hog fans and administration won't let it. They may be debating it on the scout board, but most Hog fans enjoy the SEC and have no desire to join the big 12.

[Dodge2007]

If we were to move into a new conference, regardless of conference, how many years (best case scenario) would it take to move?

Is the Stadium the biggest hurdle, the lack of following UNT attracts, or a combination of both?

[the real grad88]

for once let common sense prevail in college athletics.

But does common sense lead to national interest and money? That's the real reason this might not happen common sense or not.

Are we really concerned with national interest OR regional interest? Is anyone nationally interested in CUSA, the BELT or the WAC? No. These conferences and their members have a regional appeal. The sooner all of the above programs and conferences begin thinking REGIONAL, the better it will be for all concerned. There are regional TV opportunities. Regional is not a bad thing. It's a good thing.

[PlummMeanGreen]

There's some chatter around the TCU campus that they are slated to eventually replace Baylor. Consequently, UNT would then fit nicely into TCU's vacated spot in the Mountain West - or so the thinking goes amongst some Horned Frog fans. If that scenario did unfold, I would tend to think that the SEC (a LONG ways down the road) would be more of a possibility than the Big XII. This is all, of course, just vague speculation.

The last time TCU was in a conference similar to the Big 12, Baylor (in that league's last quarter of a century) excelled and TCU did not.

If Baylor could legally get kicked out of the Big 12, doesn't it make sense that Vanderbilt U would have been kicked out of the SEC decades ago?

Baylor will be in the Big 12 a long, long time and TCU will be like the rest of the non-BCS; that is, on the outside looking in for a long, long time--sorry, Horned Frog friends, but you who know how all this works know this more than anyone.