Wac Had Bcs Bowl Champ, Now Has 2 In Top 25

[PlummMeanGreen]

I know, here we go again with all this WAC(ky) talk, but what the heck....

Hayden Fry told a gathering at one UNT athletic function within the last year that we should try to get out of the SBC as soon as we can. Hmmm? Obviously, Hayden (who lives with his wife in Nevada) is not imbedded in our Mean Green forest where so many of us cannot (sometimes) see the trees for the forest when it comes to so many things and even what our conference future should be?

I know all the reasons why we shouldn't go to the WAC, but the only thing we ever seem to get when "said" SBC football school which has the "hot hand" (and the NO's Bowl berth) for a few seasons running (Troy U?) is how they will be the next school in CUSA (and UNT now seems to come in 3'rd on the CUSA potential list with MUTS even being talked up for it since Troy and MUTS fits their league footprint moreso than another Texas school). I realize we all think we would be a superb addition to CUSA, but I don't think there is "ONE" CUSA Texas-based school would ever give us a vote (since having too many Texas schools in one league was actually one of the listed reasons another similar conference imploded in the mid-1990's).

Troy U got 2 freakin' votes for Top 25 this last week? Folks, if Troy U had been in the WAC that "speed merchant" team would be in the Top 25 vying for a WAC championship (IMHO, of course).

Edited November 21, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[Green Mean]

I've always believed that one of the dumbest decisions RV has ever made was not joining the WAC.....its an outright better conference and I dont see the budget being that much greater.

[foutsrouts]

I know, here we go again with all this WAC(ky) talk, but what the heck....

Hayden Fry told a gathering at one UNT athletic function within the last year that we should try to get out of the SBC as soon as we can. Hmmm? Obviously, Hayden (who lives with his wife in Nevada) is not imbedded in our Mean Green forest where so many of us cannot (sometimes) see the trees for the forest when it comes to so many things and even what our conference future should be?

I know all the reasons why we shouldn't go to the WAC, but the only thing we ever seem to get when "said" SBC football school which has the "hot hand" (and the NO's Bowl berth) for a few seasons running (Troy U?) is how they will be the next school in CUSA (and UNT now seems to come in 3'rd on the CUSA potential list with MUTS even being talked up for it since Troy and MUTS fits their league footprint moreso than another Texas school). I realize we all think we would be a superb addition to CUSA, but I don't think there is "ONE" CUSA Texas-based school would ever give us a vote (since having too many Texas schools in one league was actually one of the listed reasons another similar conference imploded in the mid-1990's).

Troy U got 2 freakin' votes for Top 25 this last week? Folks, if Troy U had been in the WAC that "speed merchant" team would be in the Top 25 vying for a WAC championship (IMHO, of course).

I have always agreed that the WAC would not be all that WACKY for us. I do like CUSA for the proximity games with Houston, Rice, Smuu, and Tulsa, but the rest of that conference doesn't do much for me at all. I also believe, as a guy who grew up around SWC sports, that a couple of those schools are going to try and keep us out of CUSA at all costs. Does this mean that we should bolt for the WAC if they'll have us? Probably not at this point IMHO. I might say differently if I didn't think that the WAC and MWC were pretty near some kind of consolidation. On the other hand, I guess it's possible that a WAC/MAC consolidation could include us down the road if we quickly jumped to the WAC, but that would be major speculation. I think that we're basically stuck where we are for the moment until we prove ourselves on the field and improve ourselves with the stadium. Once that happens, we may have at least a couple of options to pursue. Hey, the SBC is proving itself to be a lot better all around than I would of expected a couple of years ago. Let's see if we can make it happen on th field, the court, and HOPEFULLY on the diamond.

[Eagle1855]

Troy U got 2 freakin' votes for Top 25 this last week? Folks, if Troy U had been in the WAC that "speed merchant" team would be in the Top 25 vying for a WAC championship (IMHO, of course).

while they might be vying for a WAC champ, they'd still be unranked. Boise has one loss and is only ranked 17th, Hawaii has none and has only managed 14th. Troy has 3 losses, and I cant imagine them being ranked over a 3-loss Illini, Cincy, Tennessee or Wisconsin team... or even a 4-loss Auburn team.

[VideoEagle]

I dont see the budget being that much greater.

Then you didn’t see the math. Thanks to La-La and La-Mo, NT was given access to the budget data submitted by La Tech to their state boards. It was NOT pretty. We would be significantly worse off. The numbers just don’t add up.

Furthermore, there would be the huge cut back in press coverage that we already suffered back in the Big West Days. You play with a 6pm starting time on the west coast and you are not going to be on the news or in the paper in DFW. TCU got the Mountain West to agree to early start times, but the western WAC school said no way.

Then there is the bowl problems the WAC has. Hawaii Bowl must have Hawaii most years or fold. It is not easy to get to Boise from DFW. It can be done, but not cheaply nor nearly as easily as New Orleans, Houston, or anywhere in Florida.

Let’s just not go WACy.

[stebo]

You guys remember when TCU was the talk of the town... their last year in CUSA? I rarely hear about TCU anymore. Very little coverage (if any) in the papers due to the late games. Very little TV coverage in this area. Very little buzz about TCU, period. A west coast conference is just plain bad for a Texas team. It has been proven time and time again. Now, at least TCU is not losing money over it the way that we would in the WAC, the MWC makes a lot more money then the WAC. But I just cannot see trading out UL, ULM, ASU, Troy, MTSU, etc... for San Jose, Idaho, Utah State, Nevada, Boise, etc.. .Yes - Boise is a good team... so is Hawaii and sometimes Fresno, but those three teams would garner very little interest in this area. I know that I am happy for them but I could care less about seeing them in person. We have done this whole WAC thing before, it was called the Big West - but it was essentially the same thing... and we suffered miserably in that conference. The Belt is beating 3/4 of the WAC teams in terms of attendance. Our Sag score is right behind them and if you took away their two heavy hitters then we would probably be in front of them. We make more money in the Belt. We are able to build regional rivalries in the Belt. We have been able to build new athletic facilities in the Belt. NOW - if the WAC had accepted the EAST/WEST WAC arrangement - that brought Troy, MTSU, ASU, and ULL along with us - then that would have been another story. But that wanted NT and NT alone... not gona work. La Tech's closest conference mate is 1200 miles away, no thank you.

Finally - as VE pointed out, the WAC is down to two bowls again. Hawaii and Boise. Hawaii is guaranteed the spot if eligible (and with the crea mpuf schedule that they play, they are almost ALWAYS eligible)... even if they weren't eligible one year, I certainly couldn't afford to go to Hawaii for a bowl game. Boise is great and all, but who in the hell want to vacation in Boise? I have been to Boise and trust me, that is the last place in the contry that you would want to be in for Christmas or New Years... and it would cost you about $800 per person for airfare to get there (now the hotel would be cheap because it is filled with mostly Super 8's). Those are the WAC's two guaranteed bowls... no thank you.

Finally part 2, when people talk about these conference moves they always just think about football. Football is easy. Not that many games, lots of money in it, easy to break even. What about the other 16 sports? How do we pay to get our basketball teams all over the West? What about our golf, swimming, track, volleyball, (you get the point) teams..??? The WAC makes no sense. If you really want to play the big boys of the WAC like Boise, let's schedule an OOC game with them, I would be willing to bet that they would jump at the chance. Not many people are willing to travel to Boise. It is EXPENSIVE.

Edited November 21, 2007 by stebo

[greenminer]

I freakin' love the WAC, but Stebo and VE are correct: it makes no sense whatsoever for us to be there.

[SUMG]

I think the WAC also has a tie-in with that bowl in Albuquerque.

[keith]

Did coach Fry happen to say why he felt that way?

Keith

[AJR2010OX]

You know, if our football, softball, track and every other coach besides soccer who always get the job done.. would have actually done their job and recruited good athletes and produced results for not just one year... but consistently for a 5 year time period, and you guys (I say you guys because I was in middle/high school during the NO Bowl berths and had never heard of UNT till my senior year) had encouraged your friends to come out every game, win or lose and support the program, we wouldnt be in this predicament. Then again, it goes back to the 70s (I think) when our dumbass administrators decided to think small time and not do anything about our situation back then, and not expand on the success of the basketball and football team.

conferences want schools that are consistent in all facets. win or lose we need to get 25k average to the games, 4-5k for bball, a new stadium, etc. we also need to be soundboards for our school, since our administrators (not in athletics but in other things) dont do a good job. Talk us up to your UT friends. Hell, I was at a conference in LA during Navy weekend, with people from USC, UT, KU, Cal (it was also during the USC-Cal weekender game), Arizona, Florida, FSU, Miami and a bunch of other BCS schools. We had our breakout sessions during the Navy game and you can bet what score all 200 people at that conference knew..... (yes even the UT people cared) We have closet alumni in this area, more than 60,000 since there is maybe 10,000 alumni at football games,. Lets fix it. Ask yourself everyday: What have I done to help North Texas? Athletics is trying hard, we must pick up the slack for the 100,000 alumni nationwide and 20,0000 students that don't care. If you are running the Dallas Turkey Trot, wear something North Texas and try to find other people doin the same thing, we'll get a huge group and have people come up and ask about UNT, and we'll spread the gospel of the Mean Green. Saint Rick has done his job, let us, the apostles (did I spell that right) of North Texas, convert all 6 million people in the DFW area to followers of the Mean Green.

Remember the question: What have I done to help my school today? Do it, and good things will come... (aka a conference move)

[LongJim]

The WAC makes no sense.

"Yes, this is horrible, this idea."--Samir

[untbowler]

why are we so obsessed with pissing in someone elses pool when we can not even hit our own toilet here in the Sun Belt.

Dominate the Belt first then maybe when our aim is better we can move to bigger things, unless the Sun Belt con't to improve and surpasses CUSA, MAC, and WAC.

Edited November 21, 2007 by untbowler

[emmitt01]

why are we so obsessed with pissing in someone elses pool when we can not even hit our own toilet here in the Sun Belt.

Because this board is chock full of quick fix pundits.

"We need more posters!"

"We need more yard signs!"

"We need a new conference!"

Kinda makes me think of a late night informercial. "New WAC not only gets rid of grease, blood, crayon stains and pesky pet dander...it also builds stadiums and draws massive home crowds with magic! You'd expect to pay hundreds of dollars for a product like this wouldn't you? Well, if you act today, you can get new WAC...and four free sponges...for not $100, not $50, not even $25....but the special introductory price of bankrupting your athletic department!!!! Call now, operators are standing by."

[JayDub]

Umm...Fire Slinker?

[Quoner]

Because this board is chock full of quick fix pundits.

"We need more posters!"

"We need more yard signs!"

"We need a new conference!"

Kinda makes me think of a late night informercial. "New WAC not only gets rid of grease, blood, crayon stains and pesky pet dander...it also builds stadiums and draws massive home crowds with magic! You'd expect to pay hundreds of dollars for a product like this wouldn't you? Well, if you act today, you can get new WAC...and four free sponges...for not $100, not $50, not even $25....but the special introductory price of bankrupting your athletic department!!!! Call now, operators are standing by."

So you don't believe more postersand free tickets would solve all attendance problems? I thought that was a pre-req at registration.

[UNT Mean Green]

Kind of off topic, but here's what we really need for a conference:

"The New Southwest Conference"

North Texas

SMU

TCU

Baylor

Rice

Houston

UTEP

Louisiana Tech

New Mexico State

I think this could generate great fan interest, and establish rivalries in all athletic programs across the board.

[Guest 97and03]

Kind of off topic, but here's what we really need for a conference:

"The New Southwest Conference"

North Texas

SMU

TCU

Baylor

Rice

Houston

UTEP

Louisiana Tech

New Mexico State

I think this could generate great fan interest, and establish rivalries in all athletic programs across the board.

I would have to include Tulsa and Tulane. Could also go for New Mexico if you are going to go for NMSU.

I do think it would be hard to lure teams out of the MWC. Would be alot easier to lure WAC and CUSA teams.

[Eagle1855]

Dominate the Belt first...

well technically we already did that and it didn't get us an invite to the C-USA prom...so...

[MCMLXXX]

Forget Tulane, add ULL and Arkansas State with Tulsa for 12.

[JesseMartin]

I think any of those combos would work.

And as far as the "pre-req" comment about registration regarding Emmitt's post...when he and I got there, they really cared that we had a pulse and a way to pay tuition. Baylor and TAMU and UT shirts at all events were considered acceptable for some stupid-ass reason.

[VideoEagle]

Kind of off topic, but here's what we really need for a conference:

"The New Southwest Conference"

North Texas

SMU

TCU

Baylor

Rice

Houston

UTEP

Louisiana Tech

New Mexico State

I think this could generate great fan interest, and establish rivalries in all athletic programs across the board.

That would be a GREAT conference to be a member of, but I can’t see it happening anytime soon. Otherwise, it would be great.

Baylor - other than football, they have shown they can compete in every other sport. With the right coach they might compete in football.

TCU - not going to settle for any other conference that doesn’t include UT and A&M. Their alumni would never agree to finance it

SMU, Rice, Houston and UTEP - while leave CUSA yet? If it dissolves, then all bets are off!

La Tech - (some of their fans) claim they are doing so well in the WAC they don’t need anyone else. Why argue with them?

[PlummMeanGreen]

BLASPHEMOUS SUN BELTED THOUGHTS

Would you prefer to have a matchup this Saturday with a Top 25 ranked Boise State, a Top 25 ranked Hawaii, a Fresno St., a La Tech (an annual rivalry waiting to happen), or a New Mexico State (Hello, remember those Aggies?), etc, etc, etc, or.............Western Kentucky (still officially in 1-AA as they transition to 1-A)?

Chapter One

Why Treat The (never, ever been ranked) SBC As If It Were Holy or Sacred Ground? How many in the good ol' Sun Belt Conference would leave the SBC in a New York Minute if they had the opportuntiy to do so for an upgrade? Heck, SBC Commish' Wright Waters has even been shopping himself of late for other commissioner job possibilities so I don't think we have something so sacred here with the SBC that those who feel they could better themselves wouldn't. Would Troy U or MT turn down a most "inudated with Texas member schools" CUSA if invited? Is the Pope Catholic? Is Billy Graham Baptist? Would Hillary Clinton Flip/Flop Issues In The Space of 5 Minutes & Say Just About Anything To Get Elected President? Aren't Many Who Call Others Biggots Many Times The Biggots Themselves? I'll stop there...

Having been an "intererested" follower of all things North Texas since 1972 (and that includes more than just athletics BTW), I have met more than a few UNT leaders during that span of time and, quite frankly, we've had some good ones IMHO, but many of those same UNT leaders seemed to do so few things that would really catapult our varsity sports programs to new & better heights (of which I call having ranked varsity programs new & better heights).

Certainly, as posted by many of us older farts ad nausem, Hayden Fry gave us a too brief taste of glory that few of us who experienced it will forget in our life times, but at UNT.................. we just seem to move at a snail's pace when it comes to getting things done, built, raised as far as mega-buck donations by the truly Big Texas Tycoons that few (if any) on this board are in the neighborhood of giving such Big Monies.

And I'm talking about the kind of mega-bucks which moves an NCAA D1-A athletic program from one level to the next level, no small feat if you think about it. I know we probably don't have our own version of T. Boone Pickens, but maybe even someone with lesser millions than Pickens would fit the bill for UNT, but I suppose those names and phone numbers of such Big Donors are kept in locked safes in the UNT Administration Bldg I suppose.

FWIW and IMHO..............I just don't see the Sun Belt improving quick enough (the next 10 years?) to make it to where any of our schools will ever get much Top 25 ranking considerations even if some of our schools meet some of the same criteria WAC & MAC have, ie, their schools which have been in the Top 25 more than just a few times the last few years.

Anyone ever think that the WAC has a voting bloc of western USA-oriented sports writers (and voters) for Top 25 that we will never have as a member of the Sun Belt?

Might the Big 12 and SEC have all such votes literally tied up in their "tradition-oriented" mindsets that they (as a block of voters which is what we'd have to have to get rankings); anyway, could any of that bloc of voters ever seriously consider a SBC school for a Top 25 ranking, least of all such rankings for an SBC football school on an annual basis which Boise State seems to have found their niche in doing?

Yet at UNT unless someone has finally found our mini-version of T. Boone Pickens, I think we will do our typical "slower than a snail's pace" modus operendi in doing what we need to do for our football and basketball program that would ever help us lose the bad name we get with the schools we are presently associated (and yes, I even include UNT in that association with the rest of the SBC so I'm hardly saying our crap stinketh not and everyone elses does, either, BUT THE FACT REMAINS...

........4 bowl games in the Big Easy did nothing to get us even close to Top 25 rankings while schools in the WAC and the MAC were in it during that same time we were bowling. All of us Sun Belters seemed to merely stand around with fingers up our nostrils just enjoying the hell out of all our Bottom 25 success stories.

Chapter Two

Like many of you, I like the Sun Belt. It has served a purpose for UNT, maybe even saved us from the NCAA graveyard for schools that spend just enough money for their football program to keep it on life support.

DD's 4 bowl games merely got our noses above water and it probably kept Mean Green football from drowning and we looked at his first 4 dreadful years as our HFC (and again, many of us gave DD due credit for the 7 years we supported him until it all came tumbling down); but still..........it did not get our entire varsity football torso (if you will) out of the water in such a way that Top 25 rarely ever came up for discussion on this board during the Dickey Years other than in pipe dream ways, ie, pie in the sky by and by type stuff and something to shoot for some other coach in some other decade (maybe). Who on this message board truly thought our recruiting the last 10 years would make us a Top 25 fixture?

As previously said, for 7 years many of us gave Coach Dickey his due AND..............DD recruited some pretty damn good football players from time to time with one very good class in the late 1990's, but I will defer to what I always do say when I say the aforementioned inasmuch as he just didn't recruit enough good players to complement the small core of good Mean Green football players. Whatever way Boise State ran their football program after we both left the Big West the same year, UNT officials just might need to investigate what they did because we hardly emulated or came even close to the kind of success the Broncos had post-Big West split.

This for those who can look beyond a coaches first season: Many of us think Todd Dodge (in due time) will get this program near or to Top 25 caliber talent-wise, his recruiting seems to be headed that direction, but I fear if this football program is still in the Sun Belt, we will not attain Top 25 rankings such as WAC and (for crissake's folks) even MAC schools have been in the last few years.

I say things have changed and things will keep on changing & UNT better look out for its own good and take care of ourself because that is what everyone else is doing, but looking down the road for our long term gain (and true Top 25 ranking possibilities), lets get a couple of fellow SBC schools to join us and Go West(ern)Athletic Conference. Why?

I really feel the annual ranked WAC teams give us better rivals (for attendance purposes) and................ IMO...............we can get Top 25 votes out West whereas I don't think we ever will as a Sun Belt member. Troy has only 2 votes with their fine team & even with a win over Oklahoma State. Just my .02, that's all.

Edited November 22, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[PlummMeanGreen]

"We need to be in the WAC to be able to outrecruit (or stay on a recruiting par) with the Texas-based CUSA schools." (anonymous)

First of all, a letter to the editor from a subscriber to the Dallas Morning News just 1-2 Sundays ago had their own New SWC listing of schools but North Texas was even left out of their listing of schools. How many of you want to continue taking this abuse that many of us have for almost half a century. Some things are just written in stone, folks, and I think our "league assocation" with all the Texas-based CUSA schools we'd need votes from is one of those things written in stone to never happen.

There is still just too much politics with the old SWC schools versus North Texas (for whatever their reasons and crazy as they may be) but its still the reality of the situation and all the politics involved with all this will most likely ever prevent a marriage to happen with those schools with our beloved alma mater. Some of us have been around this SWC politics for decades so just trust us with all this, Young Gunners.

Secondly, I don't think UNT has the history of doing things that all the Florida upstart schools do to warp speed their football programs forward and even get into better conferences so I (in all honesty) think North Texas will continue to plod along in the SBC, but I'm not so sure that we may need to start looking for change and why change can better our entire program across the board. Last year, I thought being in the WAC would be a joke for UNT, but that was before Boise State did what they did with the OU Sooners and then with their leagues having some football progarm most always in the Top 25 and now.........

.....with the WAC having 2 of its football teams in the Top 25 with even one having an outside chance of the WAC having a 2'nd BCS Championship Bowl Series team in as many years.

TODAY..........One Metroplex Mean Green football fan had brought to my attention some interesting points for us all to ponder concerning the WAC & I'll try to remember them:

Said the distance from Miami to Denton compared with Boise to Denton is not much difference in mileage.

Said flying to many (but not all) WAC member's cities might now even be cheaper than driving ($3.00 a gallon?) to Jonesboro, Murfreesboro, Miami, Western Kentucky, etc, etc etc,

Said UNT would most years pick up Top 25 ranked rivals along with rivalries that could happen fairly quick with La Tech with a resuming of our rivarly with New Mexico State.

Said why not a WAC hosted bowl in the Cotton Bowl? NO's has 2 bowl games with less than 500,000 pop. post-Katrina so why not Dallas with 2 bowls with close to 6 million populationn? After all, even Fort Worth has its annual TCU Frog Bowl Game about every other year. Cotton Bowl? And aren't talks still on to completely renovate that stadum at Fair Park so Dallas can keep the Texas/OU game?

Said FAU and Troy U have a very upwardly mobile NCAA D1-A "rising up the D1-A totem pole" attitudes inasmuch as FAU's Coach Schnellenberger has made it no secret of his wanting out of the Sun Belt to upgrade their program's ambitions with even a new stadium on their horizon. Yet doesn't it seem thats just the way they do things in Florida as we look at other Sunshine State upstart college football programs upgrade to better conferences? Wonder why such attitudes as the Florida schools have seems to not be prevalent in Texas?

Of course, Troy U has already become the toast of the Sun Belt and would probably like to put their football ship in larger (more ambitious) waters where they would have a chance to get more than 2 votes for a recent win over Oklahoma State and even with a farily close loss to Georgia. NOTE: Anyone else beginning to detect how difficult its really going to be to get whoever our SBC football power for the moment is inside (or even close) to Top 25?

Said many WAC schools are not immediately surrounded by other higher profile schools (such as ULL being so close to Baton Rouge, Murfreesboro to Nashville or Knoxville) and one can just go down the line of SBC schools and all our Big Brother/Traditional U schools who surround us (and, of course, get most of the media attention and Top 25 votes. All this while an unranked SBC football champion gets to play an un-ranked CUSA opponents in the NO's Bowl each year.

Said even this year the WAC's Hawaii football team may be a candidate for a BCS Bowl Championship Series bowl game just as recent WAC champion Boise State was quite recently; and their bowl game versus OU that those who saw it will not soon forget.

Said recruiting edges might come from a WAC membership over CUSA & SBC schools since they have had a BCS Bowl Championship entry along with annual Top 25 rankings and the other 2 aforementioned conferences have not. (Anyone else wonder why La Tech has never been interested in SBC membership now)?

I said the WAC could probably come up with a better TV package which would include the North Texas Metroplex and moreso since DFW is the 6'th largest TV market in the USA (which would be the largest in the WAC).

The MWC has most definitely dropped the ball with their TV package but I really think they had just signed that TV package as TCU was becoming a member of the MWC--seems rather foolish that the MWC doesn't want DFW in their TV line-up BUT.................I'd bet the Western Athletic Conference would and I think their commish' has even stated such in the past.

I know I left out some other pro-WAC points out our fellow Metroplex Mean Green fan made and maybe I will remember them, but only after I eat some turkey and dressing in a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving All...

Edited November 22, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[CajunNation]

Let's dream, shall we?

Hawaii

Fresno State

San Jose State

Nevada

Idaho

Boise State

Utah State

New Mexico State

North Texas

Arkansas State

Louisiana Tech

Louisiana (ULL)

Even better, bye bye Idaho

Hawaii

Fresno State

San Jose State

Nevada

Boise State

Utah State

New Mexico State

Texas State

North Texas

Arkansas State

Louisiana Tech

Louisiana (ULL)

This would rock.

Also, getting San Antonio to host a second bowl game for the E-WAC would be easy to do, especially if Texas State were included at some point.

The SBC would survive. They could easily add App St and Georgia Southern to get back to 8.

Edited November 22, 2007 by CajunNation

[PlummMeanGreen]

Let's dream, shall we?

Hawaii

Fresno State

San Jose State

Nevada

Idaho

Boise State

Utah State

New Mexico State

North Texas

Arkansas State

Louisiana Tech

Louisiana (ULL)

Even better, bye bye Idaho

Hawaii

Fresno State

San Jose State

Nevada

Boise State

Utah State

New Mexico State

Texas State

North Texas

Arkansas State

Louisiana Tech

Louisiana (ULL)

This would rock.

Also, getting San Antonio to host a second bowl game for the E-WAC would be easy to do, especially if Texas State were included at some point.

The SBC would survive. They could easily add App St and Georgia Southern to get back to 8.

For certain we are merely dreaming with all this [b]CajunNation , but as you would know, that is what major accomplishment and changes for the better usually begins with.

Again, my main contention with SBC membership is our best team of any given year's inability to get significant votes (if any at all) to even become seriously considered as a Top 25 player, but other than that the Sun Belt Conference has really been a decent place for some of our schools to hang our hats, but I'm not so sure that now is the time for us to think about changing our hat racks for our long-term betterment.

Troy U gives us an interesting study of what all SBC football schools may continue to face in the future with the voting media mostly located in Big 12 and Southeastern Conference territories, ie, the territories that surround the Sun Belt Conference. NOTE: We might as well add CUSA as another league that will get regional media consideration (and Top 25 votes) before the Sun Belt does just as well.

Case-point: Troy University Trojans

Folks, Troy U has been beating & playing close upper echelon D1-A schools almost since they transitioned to become NCAA D1-A and an official SBC member. Who can forget their stadium's grand opening (on a national ESPN telecast) win versus a Big 12 school, ie the #17 ranked Missouri Tigers? Troy U should have at the time of their Missouri win started building (voting) media attention and support so that by this Fall (2007) they would begin garnering more than just 2 ridiculous votes for Top 25 consideration. This kind of lack of attention for the SBC could easily go on another 10 years minimum, but I'd bet one Florida school and one from Alabama won't stay around the SBC scene long to continue in this slobber-knockin' slap by the regional media who make Top 25 a reality for other schools.

EYE-OPENER FOR SOME, PERHAPS? The new WAC (after their main schools left to form the MWC) were still successful with poll voters as they all but started over with their (basically) new league while the Sun Belt remains the "ONLY" NCAA D1-A conference that has never had one school even close to a Top 25 ranking.

The Trojans beat another Big 12 school (OSU Cowboys) and that should have been yet another "voting media types" eye-opener--it was not. They played the Georgia Bulldogs and had a less than 2 TD loss in Athens, Georgia, but then they lost some votes after even playing an SEC school close?

I'll say it again, yet the SBC (because of our league members being surrounded by almost 1/4'th of the entire D1-A division football schools cannot seem to get the attetention of those who will make the Sun Belt Conference's best team of any year (of which Troy U is that team from last year as well as this year).

Edited November 22, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen