Realignment Carousel Spins Up again (USC and UCLA to Big 10)

[Stickboy46]

Thankfully it looks like Texas State will be headed to the MWC and not the AAC. Also mentioned is NIU football only

[Aargh]

Why would they want to go to the MWC at this point? They'd give up other Texas schools, have a smaller media payout in the long run and increase travel costs. So no, they're really not. They may have been prior to them joining the AAC. I think the AAC knew that UTSA and Rice would be expansion targets for the MWC to get into Texas, same with UNT, and that's one of the reasons all were added together. We took the schools with the most value/potential in Texas that would have been available. I think the AAC also thought that it might help lure AFA in as well as being able to grab Army. I believe Navy was also vocal about their desire to play and get exposure in Texas.

The MWC cannot pull an AAC school unless they get some kind of major media assistance. Hell, the PAC who should have more money than the MWC in media rights just got rejected by four AAC schools, including UTSA.

Thanks fr the explanation. I appreciate it and it absolutely makes sense.

[SubGod22]

Just wait until UNLV and AFA have collected their $$ from exit fees. Then go get AFA.

Is UTSA not a candidate for a poach by the MWC?

Why would they want to go to the MWC at this point? They'd give up other Texas schools, have a smaller media payout in the long run and increase travel costs. So no, they're really not. They may have been prior to them joining the AAC. I think the AAC knew that UTSA and Rice would be expansion targets for the MWC to get into Texas, same with UNT, and that's one of the reasons all were added together. We took the schools with the most value/potential in Texas that would have been available. I think the AAC also thought that it might help lure AFA in as well as being able to grab Army. I believe Navy was also vocal about their desire to play and get exposure in Texas.

The MWC cannot pull an AAC school unless they get some kind of major media assistance. Hell, the PAC who should have more money than the MWC in media rights just got rejected by four AAC schools, including UTSA.

[Aargh]

Just wait until UNLV and AFA have collected their $$ from exit fees. Then go get AFA.

Is UTSA not a candidate for a poach by the MWC?

[Stickboy46]

If the AAC wants to expand I'd prefer James Madison for all sports and/or VCU for Olympics only.

Not that we have a voice .. but hard pass on Texas State. We already added extra teams to protect against teams leaving. If we are going to add, it needs to be a home run candidate that either is elite in one sport or very good in multiple sports. Zero need to add just to add at this point.

[BAShocker]

Breaking: After being turned down by every school in the Western two time zones…the Pac 12 Conference has announced they will be adding Barclay College out of Haviland Kansas. Congratulations to the Bears.

#DaBears

[AndShock]

The PAC-12 possibly looking at a best-case scenario of Texas State is hilarious. That also means Hawai’i and Sacramento State have to be nonzero possibilities.

[SubGod22]

Welcome to 1991...what a clusterfuq

Fun fact, filmed on campus at North Texas.

[SubGod22]

If the AAC wants to expand I'd prefer James Madison for all sports and/or VCU for Olympics only.

Honestly though, if the AAC really wants Texas State, I would think we'd have the best shot out of the three, but then I remember that the CUSA-6 are only getting half shares right now and that deal, with no alterations, goes another 6 years or so. In which case, the PAC money may be the better offer in the short-term.

I will say I was in San Marcos once about 12 years ago and it was a beautiful area. It's also nice that it sits within a reasonable distance to some more major metro areas.

If the AAC really wants to expand, they have to get more money from ESPN. There's really no way to compete with adding teams when both the MWC and PAC are going to be able to offer more than the half share that the last 6 additions got.

There's probably potential in Texas State. I'm not sure they've ever put it together really, but it may be there. I don't know what kind of academic institution it is. I also wouldn't completely object to another Texas school. Texas is good for WSU. They wouldn't be my first choice overall though. They're also in a relative area seeing massive growth.

I had a poll a while back about potential SMU replacements that didn't include the MWC. It seems a little more relevant now. Not a lot of votes on that poll, but the only ones with multiple votes were Toledo, UMASS, and Western Kentucky. The AAC has an interest in urban research universities and I'm not sure if that changes or not. UMASS I believe has committed to joining the MAC. I'm not sure if that would prevent us from taking them. Though to the best of my knowledge they've never really been good at football and haven't been relevant in basketball since Marcus Camby. I'm sure they potential though. Toledo seems to be one of the few pretty consistent schools in the MAC in both major sports. Western Kentucky is far from an urban school, but has pretty solid basketball and football is hit and miss I believe. Some may argue that WKU may get you into the Nashville market. Same argument has been made for Middle Tennesse, but I'm not sure if either are true. Haven't really looked into it.

James Madison I believe just beat somebody in football, but they're also still transitioning to FBS I think. I'd have to double check that. They've had some decent basketball but are also not in a real urban setting. Not sure how important that is, but it seems relevant on some level.

I know Georgia State was seen as a school with potential in time, and would put the AAC in Atlanta. But when we added the C6, I believe even GSU basically said that they weren't ready to move up to the AAC, but they're working on improving things. Trying to remember off the top of my head others who were mentioned before the C6 were called upon. I'm sure Marshall was on the list at some point. Though the Sun Belt is an ESPN property and there's belief that ESPN won't pay the AAC for taking ESPN properties out of the Belt.

[BostonWu]

Welcome to 1991...what a clusterfuq

[ABC]

Guessing he's having fun with the fact that Washington State (WSU) is mentioned in nearly every post about the PAC

No, specifically "Wichita State" as basketball-only.

[ShockerFever]

I mean if this stuff is at all remotely true (who knows), the Mountain PAC truly is a desperate hodgepodge of misfits and will end up being at the AAC level or even lower.

Oh yah, that PAC12 branding sure is going somewhere… lol

[TrackSuitAndTie]

If the AAC wants to expand I'd prefer James Madison for all sports and/or VCU for Olympics only.

[SubGod22]

Texas State would jump at the PAC, but I'm not sure if the PAC is willing to do that as they're not very good at any major sport, nor have they been really. It would give them a school in Texas, but that's also quite the island. It would be about 860 miles to the nearest school for them. CUSA offers 4 trips closer than that in UTEP, NMSU, SHS, and LaTech.

The next closest school is San Diego State at about 1312. FIU and Liberty are just a little over that.

The money and upgrade over CUSA may very well make up for all of that for them, but it will mean a lot more travel for all of their student-athletes.

I'd think if they went into Texas that they'd want two, but I'm not sure who the other would be. The American teams seem to all be out of play considering what their lack of an offer was and the speculation on what their media deal would be. The exit fees just aren't worth it. Most of the Texas schools available are fairly new to FBS, if they're there yet.

I don't see the PAC calling up and FCS school unless they keep getting rejected and have to find someone closer to their footprint.

The MWC may have no choice but to call up and FCS school or two. I think New Mexico will fight any talk of NMSU joining. UTEP could be a decent option and I'm not sure if New Mexico has any issues with that or not. I'd reach out to the Dakota schools. They're the most capable FCS schools to jump and would bring the most interest from outside parties in regards to media, but they've been pretty reluctant to move. Sac State makes some sense. I don't think the Montana's offer enough and the MWC doesn't appear to be that desperate. Do they need to add a Texas school to make AFA happy? Does UTEP do enough for that or do they need to go after a Sam Houston to get closer to the more populated areas? They were a strong FCS team before they moved up. Texas State would be an option if they don't end up in the PAC. Still some similar travel concerns but AFA, UNM, and Wyoming would offer a few closer options than the PAC. Though after that it gets dicey and the PAC money helps more than the MWC money.

Or you could just look at the current FCS Top 25 and see the options that are in the western(ish) half of the country.

1. South Dakota State (40)
2. North Dakota State (5)
3. Montana State (6)
4. Idaho (5)
5. South Dakota
8. Montana
9. North Dakota
10. Sacramento State
14. UC Davis
15. Incarnate Word
16. Tarleton State
20. Abilnene Christian
25. Weber State

I always forget about Weber State. I knew the Big Sky was a pretty good FCS conference, I guess I didn't realize they were quite this good in football

[TrackSuitAndTie]

So MWC needs 2 full members and PAC needs 1 in order to remain a conference. So still some poaching to go.

My guess:

Texas State to the PAC-12
UTEP and Sacramento State to the MWC