If the AAC added Boise, it would all but cement their spot as the permanent top G5 conference, so I’m sure they are still on the radar. And Boise knows that an AAC championship would mean a virtual lock for the AB.

(05-04-2021 12:19 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  If the AAC added Boise, it would all but cement their spot as the permanent top G5 conference, so I’m sure they are still on the radar. And Boise knows that an AAC championship would mean a virtual lock for the AB.

Throw in the fact that Boise is publicly upset with the MWC I think it’s something that is coming. It’s just a matter of time.

(05-04-2021 12:19 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  If the AAC added Boise, it would all but cement their spot as the permanent top G5 conference, so I’m sure they are still on the radar. And Boise knows that an AAC championship would mean a virtual lock for the AB.

I understand your viewpoint, but I look at it from a different angle. Boise doesn't need the AAC to get into a NY6 bowl. They are perennially in preseason conversation every single year. They stand a better chance of making it against a less congested MWC than a more evenly competitive AAC. Also take away regional rivalries and adding that kind of travel will make them less competitive. When Tech played in the WAC our closest conference mate was 850 miles away. Theirs would be double that.

(05-04-2021 12:35 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 12:19 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  If the AAC added Boise, it would all but cement their spot as the permanent top G5 conference, so I’m sure they are still on the radar. And Boise knows that an AAC championship would mean a virtual lock for the AB.

I understand your viewpoint, but I look at it from a different angle. Boise doesn't need the AAC to get into a NY6 bowl. They are perennially in preseason conversation every single year. They stand a better chance of making it against a less congested MWC than a more evenly competitive AAC. Also take away regional rivalries and adding that kind of travel will make them less competitive. When Tech played in the WAC our closest conference mate was 850 miles away. Theirs would be double that.

Currently the AAC is paying out over 7 million per year vs the 5.8 million Boise is making in the MW (4+1.8 extra for their home games). They would absolutely get an upgrade in pay. That’s also not taking into effect the access bowl payout that the AAC would pretty much lock up forever. That adds another 4 million per year to the entire conference roughly 300k per school. They’d have to park their other sports in another conference. I would think Boise would add value to the AAC.

Eventually the aac is going to have to add someone. The NCAA is not going to grant an indefinite waiver, so who do they court? They aren’t getting BYU. My guess is that their short list looks like:

Group A
BYU (Not Happening)
Boise St.
Air Force
SDSU

Group B
Colorado State
UAB
GaSt
Buffalo
Rice

(05-04-2021 12:46 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 12:35 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 12:19 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  If the AAC added Boise, it would all but cement their spot as the permanent top G5 conference, so I’m sure they are still on the radar. And Boise knows that an AAC championship would mean a virtual lock for the AB.

I understand your viewpoint, but I look at it from a different angle. Boise doesn't need the AAC to get into a NY6 bowl. They are perennially in preseason conversation every single year. They stand a better chance of making it against a less congested MWC than a more evenly competitive AAC. Also take away regional rivalries and adding that kind of travel will make them less competitive. When Tech played in the WAC our closest conference mate was 850 miles away. Theirs would be double that.

Currently the AAC is paying out over 7 million per year vs the 5.8 million Boise is making in the MW (4+1.8 extra for their home games). They would absolutely get an upgrade in pay. That’s also not taking into effect the access bowl payout that the AAC would pretty much lock up forever. That adds another 4 million per year to the entire conference roughly 300k per school. They’d have to park their other sports in another conference. I would think Boise would add value to the AAC.

Money talks. If you had told me when I was a kid that OU-Nebraska wouldn't be played every year, I would have laughed at you. Same can be said for UT-A&M. I just don't see how being an outlier in a conference is worth a couple of million a year. I'll put the shoe on the other foot here. Suppose Tech was offered $2+ million a year more to go play in the MWC. I don't know if I would do it. Maybe if Rice and UNT came along but not alone.

(05-04-2021 01:10 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Eventually the aac is going to have to add someone. The NCAA is not going to grant an indefinite waiver, so who do they court? They aren’t getting BYU. My guess is that their short list looks like:

Group A
BYU (Not Happening)
Boise St.
Air Force
SDSU

Group B
Colorado State
UAB
GaSt
Buffalo
Rice

There is absolutely no way the American is inviting Georgia State, Buffalo or Rice.

Rice MAYBE if the American lost Houston, and Rice somehow became a top 25 team...

UAB to the American makes too much sense. Familiarity within their programs not withstanding...

Solid market and they are now starting to fulfill their potential.

I think the AAC would try to take BSU along with SDSU and one more in the west from the MWC. If the money's right they might pull it off. With talk heating up about CFP expansion they no doubt want to consolidate the best G5 schools into one conference to continue their P6 narrative. With that said I feel there's a better chance at least in the very near future of us losing teams to the MWC than the AAC. I think the NCAA will give them at least a few years to figure something out.

(05-04-2021 09:15 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 08:58 AM)Danforth Wrote:  I'm a UTEP fan and I sincerely have nothing against CUSA.

The problem is UTEP is too far away from the other CUSA schools and there isn't a sense of rivalry with any of them.

No offense but I couldn't tell you which city most CUSA schools are in.

I would much rather UTEP be in the new WAC which will have 5 or 6 Texas schools.

So you'd advocate for UTEP to step down to FCS? Granted UTEP is geographically separate but the 3 other TX teams are in major metro areas where I'm sure there are plenty of alumni. Going to the WAC seems like a nuclear option.

The new WAC will have FBS football next year.

Why would the MWC take UTEP? I mean, there’s nothing I’d rather have UTEP be but I’m being realistic, we don’t offer much to the MWC at the moment.

If it ever happens, expect Texas State to get the call. This is a Texas based conference after all and if Old Dominion doesn’t like it, they can go independent or join the Sun Belt.

(05-04-2021 01:48 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Why would the MWC take UTEP? I mean, there’s nothing I’d rather have UTEP be but I’m being realistic, we don’t offer much to the MWC at the moment.

If it ever happens, expect Texas State to get the call. This is a Texas based conference after all and if Old Dominion doesn’t like it, they can go independent or join the Sun Belt.

I agree. AAC has no interest in Boise St. and MWC has not interest in UTEP.

The AAC would take an old CUSA team before Boise St.


My dream conference would be an all Texas Conference.

(05-04-2021 08:58 AM)Danforth Wrote:  I'm a UTEP fan and I sincerely have nothing against CUSA.

The problem is UTEP is too far away from the other CUSA schools and there isn't a sense of rivalry with any of them.

No offense but I couldn't tell you which city most CUSA schools are in.

I would much rather UTEP be in the new WAC which will have 5 or 6 Texas schools.

A common mistake made with naming where FIU is that it's in Miami...but it's not, it's in Sweetwater. HUGE difference. Closer to the Everglades than South Beach. Now you know!

(05-04-2021 01:47 PM)Danforth Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 09:15 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 08:58 AM)Danforth Wrote:  I'm a UTEP fan and I sincerely have nothing against CUSA.

The problem is UTEP is too far away from the other CUSA schools and there isn't a sense of rivalry with any of them.

No offense but I couldn't tell you which city most CUSA schools are in.

I would much rather UTEP be in the new WAC which will have 5 or 6 Texas schools.

So you'd advocate for UTEP to step down to FCS? Granted UTEP is geographically separate but the 3 other TX teams are in major metro areas where I'm sure there are plenty of alumni. Going to the WAC seems like a nuclear option.

The new WAC will have FBS football next year.

FCS football next year

(05-04-2021 01:48 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Why would the MWC take UTEP? I mean, there’s nothing I’d rather have UTEP be but I’m being realistic, we don’t offer much to the MWC at the moment.

If it ever happens, expect Texas State to get the call. This is a Texas based conference after all and if Old Dominion doesn’t like it, they can go independent or join the Sun Belt.

Well, at least you admit it but we still get a vote as does everyone else in the conference. I'd be more in favor of NMST than TXST personally, at least they have decent basketball. Like I said earlier, it'd likely get ugly.

(05-04-2021 01:48 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Why would the MWC take UTEP? I mean, there’s nothing I’d rather have UTEP be but I’m being realistic, we don’t offer much to the MWC at the moment.

If it ever happens, expect Texas State to get the call. This is a Texas based conference after all and if Old Dominion doesn’t like it, they can go independent or join the Sun Belt.

Texas St????? Over UTSA's dead body. Besides, that would basically be the worst pickup C-USA could have from the SBC other than ULM. Literally every other team offers more.

(05-04-2021 01:48 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  Why would the MWC take UTEP? I mean, there’s nothing I’d rather have UTEP be but I’m being realistic, we don’t offer much to the MWC at the moment.

If it ever happens, expect Texas State to get the call. This is a Texas based conference after all and if Old Dominion doesn’t like it, they can go independent or join the Sun Belt.

It really boils down to what other options would they have? If Boise leaves, which they’ve been very outspoken about, then the MW will be in unstable territory. They’d need to add someone to balance the conference. I think the only realistic options they’d have was UTEP or NMSU. There are rumors that the AAC is looking to add Boise, Air Force and SDSU. If that happens I’d expect two Texas schools plus either a third or NMSU to backfill.

(05-04-2021 01:59 PM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 01:47 PM)Danforth Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 09:15 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-04-2021 08:58 AM)Danforth Wrote:  I'm a UTEP fan and I sincerely have nothing against CUSA.

The problem is UTEP is too far away from the other CUSA schools and there isn't a sense of rivalry with any of them.

No offense but I couldn't tell you which city most CUSA schools are in.

I would much rather UTEP be in the new WAC which will have 5 or 6 Texas schools.

So you'd advocate for UTEP to step down to FCS? Granted UTEP is geographically separate but the 3 other TX teams are in major metro areas where I'm sure there are plenty of alumni. Going to the WAC seems like a nuclear option.

The new WAC will have FBS football next year.

FCS football next year

And the year after that, and the year after that.....

Let me just be frank. If a western school leaves CUSA and we add another Texas school, Marshall should strongly consider leaving CUSA.

There is no ill will towards the Texas base schools, but I don't think it would sit well with our administration considering the conference needs to pare down rather than add more mediocrity.

All of the decent Western based schools aside from potentially Louisiana and stAte would bring nothing to the table.

I just don't think we should be building out the west.

(05-04-2021 02:31 PM)rileylives Wrote:  Let me just be frank. If a western school leaves CUSA and we add another Texas school, Marshall should strongly consider leaving CUSA.

There is no ill will towards the Texas base schools, but I don't think it would sit well with our administration considering the conference needs to pare down rather than add more mediocrity.

All of the decent Western based schools aside from potentially Louisiana and stAte would bring nothing to the table.

I just don't think we should be building out the west.

I agree, there aren’t enough votes out west to get enough support for someone like TXST. Louisiana and stAte could be options but I fully expect to go after App if we lose someone.