Conference

[houstonmeangreen]

Are we leaving a conference that is developing a reputation for being tough, for a not so tough conference?...ULM, UNT, TROY, Ark State....well?

[Eastwood Eagle]

I think CUSA is having a down year. That still does negate the fact that we will be playing Texas schools and schools that are closer.

[island eagle]

I'd rather be playing Rice, Tulsa, UTEP, Louisiana Tech, Tulane, Southern Miss, etc. than ULM, Troy, and Middle Tennessee. In the first place, most people are going to give more credit to the former than the later. Second, they are better institutions, reputation wise, in almost every respect. You are judged by the company you keep.

[Mean Green Matt]

Most of the CUSA schools sucking it up are moving to the Big East next year...that is something the fans of other schools in the Sun Belt talking trash about CUSA don't seem to understand. An example of the Sun Belt plans claiming Texas State over Houston to be a victory for the SBC over CUSA...faulty logic.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Mean Green Matt

[Texas Stranger]

Don't overlook that we (NT and FIU) will strengthen CUSA and weaken the SBC by moving.

[glick1980]

As great as ULM's win over Ark was, I have no desire to ever play them again in any sport...ever.

[runt96]

As great as ULM's win over Ark was, I have no desire to ever play them again in any sport...ever.

Browning will graduate and move on.

[Eastwood Eagle]

Most of the CUSA schools sucking it up are moving to the Big East next year...that is something the fans of other schools in the Sun Belt talking trash about CUSA don't seem to understand. An example of the Sun Belt plans claiming Texas State over Houston to be a victory for the SBC over CUSA...faulty logic.

To be fair, UH, UCF and SMU leaving the CUSA actually make it worse than it is now, regardless on how they are playing at the moment.

[Mean Green Matt]

To be fair, UH, UCF and SMU leaving the CUSA actually make it worse than it is now, regardless on how they are playing at the moment.

That wasn't my point.

[UNT90]

Most of the CUSA schools sucking it up are moving to the Big East next year...that is something the fans of other schools in the Sun Belt talking trash about CUSA don't seem to understand. An example of the Sun Belt plans claiming Texas State over Houston to be a victory for the SBC over CUSA...faulty logic.

I get your point, and completely agree.

I vote play no Sun Belt schools at least the first 4 years after leaving the conference.

Clean break.

[GrandGreen]

The Belt isn't likely to ever pass up CUSA. CUSA and the Belt are both weak this year, but CUSA is weaker than the norm and the Belt has had some early success. The Massey composite ratings for example still rate the Belt as the worse with CUSA only ahead of the MAC and Belt.

The wishful Belt fans are using an ULM victory over Arkansas and a WKU win over Kentucky for their basis of an improving Belt. Add to that a winning record over CUSA which consists of two wins over hapless Memphis and a slightly better UAB. CUSA is way down this year apparently except Tulsa but it won't stay that way.

The problem is money and perception, in the long run it counts a lot. NT made the right move even if the conferences were equal, but they are not and likely never will be. Any Belt team that consistently wins with the exception of ULM and Troy ( i don't see them added under any circumstances) could be offered a CUSA bid and would be gone from the Belt in a year.

Edited September 18, 2012 by GrandGreen

[Eastwood Eagle]

That wasn't my point.

If the conference is bad with those schools in it, presumably, it can only get worst once those schools leave.

ETA- I hope I don't sound like I'm advocating we stay in the SunBelt. It's the opposite.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Eastwood Eagle

[ntmeangreen11]

So what if CUSA is down this year and the sun belt is up? It's only one year(that's only 20% through BTW) we're moving in to a conference with better recognized programs who we will be proud to be associated with. Look at CUSA recruiting compared to the sun belt thus far, CUSA gets first pick at who the AQ teams pass over and a few here and there with impressive AQ offer sheets. The sun belt has to pick from what CUSA passes over for the most part and I don't expect that to change because the sun belt has played 3 weeks of decent football. ULM is not going to pull in a top 50 recruiting class even with their success, Tulane is doing just that without any marque win. We will have a better chance at success in CUSA, end of story.

[Green Mean]

Perception is everything and while we all know the Sunbelt is pretty good and feisty the outsiders still view this conference as probably the complete worst of all the FBS ones.

[shaft]

The SBC is having an up year, CUSA and the MWC are having a down year, the sky is not falling.

The hardest thing for a mid major to do is sustain success.

[foutsrouts]

Are we leaving a conference that is developing a reputation for being tough, for a not so tough conference?...ULM, UNT, TROY, Ark State....well?

Certainly a thought, but I'm glad we're going anyway. Wish CUSA would have gone a little easier on the startups though. I think most of that was to please East Carolina, and they could be going away before too long.

[GrayEagle]

If you believe Massey's Comparative Rankings (55 rankings) CUSA is still superior to the Sun Belt. The average ranking of Conference USA is 90.75 and the Sun Belt average is 93.1; the highest of any conference. The SBC still doesn't get any respect.

[Side Show Joe]

Are we leaving a conference that is developing a reputation for being tough, for a not so tough conference?...ULM, UNT, TROY, Ark State....well?

No. The Belt is showing some signs of life, but few will remember these wins and close games at the end of the season when bowl bids are handed out and C-USA has 6 or 7 teams selected, and the Belt has 2 or 3. Despite the Belts current success, C-USA will remain the better conference.

[Proud North Texan]

C-USA > sunbelt..... forever

[UNT 90 Grad]

If you believe Massey's Comparative Rankings (55 rankings) CUSA is still superior to the Sun Belt. The average ranking of Conference USA is 90.75 and the Sun Belt average is 93.1; the highest of any conference. The SBC still doesn't get any respect.

The Sagarin computer ranking even has the WAC > Sun Belt. The landscape will be very different next year.