Texas A&M Leaves Big 12

UNTflyer · August 30, 2011

The MWC is still there. I prefer MWC over CUSA even as it is now.

Not I. The MWC is becoming the old WAC.

NorthTexan95 · August 30, 2011

SMU won't be moving up to the Big 12 so we can stop that talk. I also think the Big 12 will add one team and continue on it's way.

However, what happens if Texas and OU (taking OSU with them) leave for independence and/or the Pac-12? Then I think you could see a big reorganizing of the non-BCS conferences. Perhaps the remainder of the Big 12 grab some western CUSA teams and some eastern MWC teams ... and maybe NT ... to form a new conference.

New Conference

Iowa State

Kansas

Kansas State

Missouri

Air Force

Colorado State

Baylor

Texas Tech

Houston

SMU

North Texas

Tulsa

I'd love to replace Tulsa with Oklahoma State if they split from OU - heck, I'd replace Tulsa with just about any other school. I think this would immediately become the best non BCS conference - assuming it would lose it's BCS ranking. This is a conference I would love to follow even if it didn't include UNT.

Disclaimer: I spent about 10 minutes on this so forgive me if I've missed something obvious. Like I said, I don't think this will happen but it would be great for UNT if it did.

UNT90 · August 30, 2011

Apogee--even in its current configuration, would be plenty big enough should UNT gain membership to the MWC, CUSA, MAC, and would be virtually the same as Duke or Wake Forest should UNT somehow go to the ACC.

Stadium is not a stumbling block any more, in any way. Main thing is to fill it, and win.

Wake and Duke were members of the ACC long before the BCS came along. They reAy don't compAre to a school trying to move up while, at the same time fighting a perception problem.

If there is a major big 6 realignment, expect Wake and possibly Duke to be on the outside looking. In.

Yes, the stadium is plenty big for CUSA. I just hope we have loftier goals than that.

cdizzle86 · August 30, 2011

Well, I don't think that's a good strategy.

It would be a good strategy if we want to be THE college team of Denton/Dallas.

cdizzle86 · August 30, 2011

SMU won't be moving up to the Big 12 so we can stop that talk. I also think the Big 12 will add one team and continue on it's way.

However, what happens if Texas and OU (taking OSU with them) leave for independence and/or the Pac-12? Then I think you could see a big reorganizing of the non-BCS conferences. Perhaps the remainder of the Big 12 grab some western CUSA teams and some eastern MWC teams ... and maybe NT ... to form a new conference.

New Conference
Iowa State
Kansas
Kansas State
Missouri
Air Force
Colorado State

Baylor
Texas Tech
Houston
SMU
North Texas
Tulsa

I'd love to replace Tulsa with Oklahoma State if they split from OU - heck, I'd replace Tulsa with just about any other school. I think this would immediately become the best non BCS conference - assuming it would lose it's BCS ranking. This is a conference I would love to follow even if it didn't include UNT.

Disclaimer: I spent about 10 minutes on this so forgive me if I've missed something obvious. Like I said, I don't think this will happen but it would be great for UNT if it did.

I really like this alignment, even if it seems like a longshot.

UNTflyer · August 30, 2011

It would be a good strategy if we want to be THE college team of Denton/Dallas.

Staying in the Sun Belt would do nothing to help us achieve that. SMU could go Big 12 and we go C-USA and still be a better team. Can anyone argue that TCU wasn't better than half of the Big 12? If SMU whores herself out to the B12 , she'll become the doormat of the conference.

MeanGreenHoops · August 30, 2011

Yep. I have heard that in one off-season it can be expanded to a capacity of 50k...and that is just by adding onto the student side. That does no count any tweaks that could be made to the endzone seating (which if all goes well will probably involve the removal of the wing to enclose the bowl).

Removal of the wing zone should never be done under any circumstances! It's such an iconic thing already. Look around other boards when they talk about our new stadium they always talk about it. They will remember us for it. Remembering us for anything has always been a problem.

LongJim · August 30, 2011

I also think the Big 12 will add one team and continue on it's way.

I agree that's what will happen--in the short term.

Perhaps the remainder of the Big 12 grab some western CUSA teams and some eastern MWC teams ... and maybe NT ... to form a new conference.

New Conference

Iowa State

Kansas They will be picked off by a bigger conference for basketball.

Kansas State

Missouri Possible, but will probably get picked off.

Air Force

Colorado State

Tulsa

Tulane

Baylor

Texas Tech Will almost certainly land with Texas/OU/OSU destination, IMO.

Houston

SMU

North Texas

Texas State/UTSA (Why not?)

UAB

Disclaimer: I spent about 10 minutes on this so forgive me if I've missed something obvious. Like I said, I don't think this will happen but it would be great for UNT if it did.

It's fun to speculate. Good list!

UNTflyer · August 30, 2011

Texas State/UTSA (Why not?)

Why not?!

WHY???

Mean Green Matt · August 30, 2011

Removal of the wing zone should never be done under any circumstances! It's such an iconic thing already. Look around other boards when they talk about our new stadium they always talk about it. They will remember us for it. Remembering us for anything has always been a problem.

I have to disagree...if everything goes the way we all want it to, eventually we are going to need that endzone closed off. For aestetic purposes, that will mean the wingzone will need to be removed so the entire endzone will be concrete (the wingzone also is steeper than the rest of the stands). I do think though with the money that we will hopefully have, something very cool can be done in that endzone.

Mean Green Matt · August 30, 2011

Why not?!

WHY???

Dealing with their fans is reason enough to not want to be in a conference with them. They would be like the Lafayette fans on steroids.

EDIT: That statement actually only applies to UTSA.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Mean Green Matt

UNTflyer · August 30, 2011

I have to disagree...if everything goes the way we all want it to, eventually we are going to need that endzone closed off. For aestetic purposes, that will mean the wingzone will need to be removed so the entire endzone will be concrete (the wingzone also is steeper than the rest of the stands). I do think though with the money that we will hopefully have, something very cool can be done in that endzone.

Something else can be done to preserve the wing... maybe painting the benches with a kind of "shadow" of the old wing section.

Eagle1855 · August 30, 2011

Why are we reading that SMU is the only program around here that has contacted them for consideration?

North Texas should have been the first to make a case for inclusion.

Who said we haven't? In fact, I would be surprised if we haven't.

Rick V made a comment a few years ago that they were thinking bigger than C-USA (which I realize to some, it's hard to imagine there being any such thing).

UNTflyer · August 30, 2011

Who said we haven't? In fact, I would be surprised if we haven't.

Rick V made a comment a few years ago that they were thinking bigger than C-USA (which I realize to some, it's hard to imagine there being any such thing).

But we aren't going public about it like SMU. If we did, at least people would be talking about it.

cdizzle86 · August 30, 2011

Harry needs to put together an official press release stating that GoMeanGreen.com has given its blessing for North Texas to talk to the Big IX.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · August 30, 2011

Harry needs to put together an official press release stating that GoMeanGreen.com has given its blessing for North Texas to talk to the Big IX.

I second that! Done! Harry...you're up, yo!

PlummMeanGreen · August 30, 2011

We need a bowl season THIS YEAR. Otherwise, we may be let without options.

Win.

Unfortunately, I don't think what we do in one year will be a deal maker for us or any school. When these re-alignment things happen the timing of it is never our ally.

Only way for North Texas is if we have friends out there in high NCAA places we are totallly unaware of now. Maybe Dr. Rawlin's connections will help down the line.

Our last 25 years without any Top 50 ranked team has just been too unstable. If they go by a school's upside then we have a chance of finding a new conference neighborhood, but I don't think that will be the case, either. We just need Lady Luck to smile on us with this latest round of conferrence re-alignment.

Edited August 30, 2011 by PlummMeanGreen

UNTLifer · August 30, 2011

SMU has no shot.

I'm talking about outside percetion, not tfe way people on this board feel and think. Just look at the FWST, who thinks so much of us that they didn't even preview us.

A major paper in our supposed market.

Like it or not, we are a non-factor in these discussions.

Is the FWST still a paper? Conferences look at a lot of variables when picking schools for their conference. I don't think newspaper coverage is one of them.

Green Mean · August 30, 2011

Not I. The MWC is becoming the old WAC.

The good WAC members have gone to the MWC.

Air Force - Academy school that is nearby and they always seem to have viable FB and BB programs.

Boise State - Name speaks for itself

Nevada - Good football program and always a good basketball program.

Fresno State - Usually a good football program, with more than viable basketball and baseball(NC a few yrs ago) program

UNLV - Great location along with a nice basketball program

Hawaii - Destination school and a football program that has a pretty good fanbase.

Wyoming - not a world beater but i dont mind being their conference mate.

Colorado state - not very consistent in football but again they're one of those conference mates that id like to have.

On the whole from top to bottom I think the MWC is the best option and have the best rep. It is all about perception and the MWC has a lot more of that than CUSA in my opinion.

UNTLifer · August 30, 2011

The good WAC members have gone to the MWC.

Air Force - Academy school that is nearby and they always seem to have viable FB and BB programs.
Boise State - Name speaks for itself
Nevada - Good football program and always a good basketball program.
Fresno State - Usually a good football program, with more than viable basketball and baseball(NC a few yrs ago) program
UNLV - Great location along with a nice basketball program
Hawaii - Destination school and a football program that has a pretty good fanbase.
Wyoming - not a world beater but i dont mind being their conference mate.
Colorado state - not very consistent in football but again they're one of those conference mates that id like to have.

On the whole from top to bottom I think the MWC is the best option and have the best rep. It is all about perception and the MWC has a lot more of that than CUSA in my opinion.

That is roughly the Big West all over again and poses the same issues as joining the WAC.

Green Mean · August 30, 2011

That is roughly the Big West all over again and poses the same issues as joining the WAC.

When will our fanbase let go of the 'Big West all over again' statements. This isn't the Big West anymore. Boise State has gone from the Big West days to what...like a #3 or 4 team in the country and a consistent top 25 school the past 5 yrs or so? These schools have made waves and advanced their programs...we're just starting too also. Times are different now and the MWC is a better option than CUSA from a perception standpoint and in my opinion even a talent standpoint.

MeanGreenTexan · August 30, 2011

When will our fanbase let go of the 'Big West all over again' statements. This isn't the Big West anymore. Boise State has gone from the Big West days to what...like a #3 or 4 team in the country and a consistent top 25 school the past 5 yrs or so? These schools have made waves and advanced their programs...we're just starting too also. Times are different now and the MWC is a better option than CUSA from a perception standpoint and in my opinion even a talent standpoint.

Plus, who would rather go to Murfreesboro over Hawaii? Vacation/Mean Mean Green football in the same trip!