BigJack85 said:

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TallTexan said:

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BigJack85 said:

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TallTexan said:

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nacluth said:

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Thornton looks like a good commish for basketball.

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I love it, because at the end of the day, that's our ticket to stardom.

But I think it's interesting that the conference decided to go that direction. Especially after the expansion direction they went with McNeese/UIW.

This does make me more hopeful about the future of the conference though.

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There must be one more shoe to drop in the WAC. Why would you add 2 schools in southwest and create unbalanced divisions (6 in the West 7 in the southwest) ? Unless you expected another WAC SW member to leave?

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Or two SW schools? I'm pretty sure Seattle is gonna head out so that'd be even more unbalanced.

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Even with a potential Seattle move to the WCC it would require sending one of the Texas schools to the west to have two divisions of 6. I still wonder what the play is with adding both McNeese and UIW unless the powers that be think McNeese is getting an invite to CUSA also.

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Ya let's make UIW the school that has to travel.

Kinda baffling to be honest.

BREAKING: New Mexico State Board of Regents has unanimously voted to accept the invitation to join Conference USA in all sports, beginning in 2023. Official announcement coming later today.

The Aggies stint as an FBS Independent has come to an end; they will join UTEP in #CUSA.

— Colin Deaver (@ColinDeaverTV) November 5, 2021

Well we knew it was coming. We'll see if they will hold off for two full seasons. Now we'll wait to hear about Sam.

Im sure the TX State BOR meeting would be merely a formality, but have they met yet?

TallTexan said:

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Im sure the TX State BOR meeting would be merely a formality, but have they met yet?

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Next meeting is in Huntsville on Nov 18-19
It will be a formality

We do not move until 2023 one more BOTPW in 2022

Kat1990 said:

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https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/united-states-of-college-basketball-2021-22-where-every-team-ranks-in-each-state-from-top-to-bottom/

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Thanks for posting this. I haven't laughed this hard in a long time.

WKU and MTSU were supposed to announce their decision today.

PurpleOut said:

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According to The Athletic, C-USA has also held talks with us.

If WKU and MTSU do leave...then the C-USA will need to fill more spots (at least one to remain an FBS conference).

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One of the reasons I haven't been completely crapping on the CUSA idea. Though I hate the idea of being around Liberty.

I think Keeler was right though. Playing for a championship in FCS seems like more fun for a coach than the famous Idaho Spud Bowl.

Kat1990 said:

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TallTexan said:

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Im sure the TX State BOR meeting would be merely a formality, but have they met yet?

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Next meeting is in Huntsville on Nov 18-19
It will be a formality

We do not move until 2023 one more BOTPW in 2022

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Can we put this one back on campus?

Nacogdoches is closer to every CUSA school (proposed/unofficial) than Orem, Utah which is much closer than Riverside, CA or Seattle, WA.

nacluth said:

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Nacogdoches is closer to every CUSA school (proposed/unofficial) than Orem, Utah which is much closer than Riverside, CA or Seattle, WA.

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True dat.

Sam Houston set to join Conference USA #EatEmUpKats

STORY ✏️ https://t.co/UfLwPUs8ia pic.twitter.com/yw2uPw7n8w

— Sam Houston Athletics (@BearkatSports) November 5, 2021

For me here's the deal. I don't know if we have a chance at an offer, but if we do, I think we should make a move now. I don't know how we could sell it to the school except to say it will allow us to bring in more money.

We're about to be in the WAC without its two best football schools, and two of its top 5 basketball schools. I'm not saying with McNeese and UIW that it's a re-envisioned Southland, but it's not much more than that after 2023. We cannot let McNeese take the spot up.

The 5-10 year plan to move to FBS is basically shot now with the best teams gone. We either move to a mid level D1 school now or we're committed to a low major place for a while. Maybe I'm reactionary, but it seems like it's now or a long while.

Dnk if this for sure but I heard the addition of UIW hastened our interest in leaving the WAC
This goes back to the Sept meetings to consider their addition and McN

nacluth said:

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For me here's the deal. I don't know if we have a chance at an offer, but if we do, I think we should make a move now. I don't know how we could sell it to the school except to say it will allow us to bring in more money.

We're about to be in the WAC without its two best football schools, and two of its top 5 basketball schools. I'm not saying with McNeese and UIW that it's a re-envisioned Southland, but it's not much more than that after 2023. We cannot let McNeese take the spot up.

The 5-10 year plan to move to FBS is basically shot now with the best teams gone. We either move to a mid level D1 school now or we're committed to a low major place for a while. Maybe I'm reactionary, but it seems like it's now or a long while.

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Take this also for what is worth was told that the WAC does not have a plan for FBS despite what was said
Said look at adding UIW here again no way they could be ready in 4-5 years

Sounds like KC Keeler is not happy with the move. He said he has no interest in playing in a low level bowl as opposed to competing for a national title.

If we get the invite at this point I say we take it if nothing else so we can keep the rivalry with Sam going. There are benefits to FBS football. The more consistent recognizable competition will organically increase our attendance numbers and there's a very real possibility we could host a lower power 5 like Texas Tech or Oklahoma State at some point, they do make trips to smaller schools.
But we will need to spend a massive amount on stadium renovations. Homer Bryce is not an FBS stadium.

Bowers isn't either for that matter, and I'm curious how Sam Houston is gonna cope with having to make the necessary adjustments in such a short period of time.

Kat1990 said:

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Dnk if this for sure but I heard the addition of UIW hastened our interest in leaving the WAC
This goes back to the Sept meetings to consider their addition and McN

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I honestly don't think that UIW gets in if Sam & NMSU stay.

Feel like the meetings were more a formality if needed, hence why the McNeese AD said "crazy week". Likely they hadn't heard back and then the WAC learned those two were actually leaving and panicked.

nacluth said:

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For me here's the deal. I don't know if we have a chance at an offer, but if we do, I think we should make a move now. I don't know how we could sell it to the school except to say it will allow us to bring in more money.

We're about to be in the WAC without its two best football schools, and two of its top 5 basketball schools. I'm not saying with McNeese and UIW that it's a re-envisioned Southland, but it's not much more than that after 2023. We cannot let McNeese take the spot up.

The 5-10 year plan to move to FBS is basically shot now with the best teams gone. We either move to a mid level D1 school now or we're committed to a low major place for a while. Maybe I'm reactionary, but it seems like it's now or a long while.

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Have to agree there on accepting an offer if it's made. Losing the basketball side hurts the most, bc that was the conference's best selling point. We're about to go from 15th ranked conference to 20s in a hurry.

However, CUSA is unwieldy enough that I wonder whether in 10 years we'll be mad we missed this opportunity or glad we avoided it.

"However, CUSA is unwieldy enough that I wonder whether in 10 years we'll be mad we missed this opportunity or glad we avoided it."

Losing Sam and NMSU sucks for the WAC. That said this sentence from Texan is right on the mark. CUSA was virtually destroyed by all their defections. I would questions their viability long term as a conference. They had to throw numerous "hail marys" to replenish a lineup and were very fortunate to find takers that have or want to have FBS football. As for $$, what kind of contracts are they going to get for TV with the new lineup?
Where is all the money going to come from to upgrade Homer Bryce and anything else we would have to rebuild and repair? CUSA in it's current state would be a questionable move.

Also have to wonder if all this conference shuffling won't continue over the next 2-3 years .Everything could change again drastically in a short time.

PurpleOut said:

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Sam Houston fans are definitely ready for better C-USA basketball opponents. It showed when Louisiana Tech came to Huntsville a few years ago.

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Probably a record for a non SFA matchup.

Ljacks&Longnecks said:

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"However, CUSA is unwieldy enough that I wonder whether in 10 years we'll be mad we missed this opportunity or glad we avoided it."

Losing Sam and NMSU sucks for the WAC. That said this sentence from Texan is right on the mark. CUSA was virtually destroyed by all their defections. I would questions their viability long term as a conference. They had to throw numerous "hail marys" to replenish a lineup and were very fortunate to find takers that have or want to have FBS football. As for $$, what kind of contracts are they going to get for TV with the new lineup?
Where is all the money going to come from to upgrade Homer Bryce and anything else we would have to rebuild and repair? CUSA in it's current state would be a questionable move.

Also have to wonder if all this conference shuffling won't continue over the next 2-3 years .Everything could change again drastically in a short time.

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CFP revenue is likely to be far more valuable to CUSA than any tv deal.

That said, they're also looking at somewhere between 25-40 mil in exit fees.

And I think we might see a further small reshuffling in the future if the Big 12 expands again after Texas and OU leave. I think they're gonna want a chance at Boise and maybe Memphis/SMU.

Appears SFA has no plans/interest in following Sam.

That being said if we let Tarleton get to the FBS like is somehow speculated before us, imma be mad.

PurpleOut said:

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SFA_03 said:

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Appears SFA has no plans/interest in following Sam.

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Which I'm good with. We're in the world where everything changes and everyone wants to leave quickly (conferences, players, coaches...everyone). We don't know what the future will bring (neither does Sam), so I trust Ryan and our leadership. We'll see how it plays out.

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No we don't but I am trusting our new President and admin made the best decision they had with the information available to them
If a G5 playoff arises as they think that looks like the current FCS model
The P5 pulls out completely to do their own thing away from the G5
This move will look really good if it does not then who knows?

The way I try to think of this is if we had not moved to the WAC before Texas and Oklahoma announced their move to the SEC, we may have been scrambling for a spot somewhere. I'm sure we would've found one, but it may not have been as stable as where we are now. Sure I was looking forward to playing New Mexico and Sam, but at least the WAC in its current form is a small upgrade in talent. At least the WAC seems to have good leadership. Conference leadership in itself was worth the move to me.

It is clear to me now that the additions of McNeese and UIW were to fill the holes left by New Mexico and Sam. UIW may not be the best choice out there, but better than nothing and at least we know what we are getting.

I disagree that the addition of UIW and McNeese was in preparation of losing Sam and NMSU. The WAC was wanting more football members, so they were likely looking last year for new members.

C-USA is absolutely not done searching for new members, but Ivey's comments along with some unofficial reports saying that SFA did meet with C-USA officials means either SFA is not interested or C-USA had not offered yet.

Once football season concludes if SFA wins out and makes the playoffs, I expect there will be more talks behind closed doors.

SFA_03 said:

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I disagree that the addition of UIW and McNeese was in preparation of losing Sam and NMSU. The WAC was wanting more football members, so they were likely looking last year for new members.

C-USA is absolutely not done searching for new members, but Ivey's comments along with some unofficial reports saying that SFA did meet with C-USA officials means either SFA is not interested or C-USA had not offered yet.

Once football season concludes if SFA wins out and makes the playoffs, I expect there will be more talks behind closed doors.

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I think reports are probably on target. I don't think it makes sense for us to move unless we get Lamar Tarleton along.

Ivey's letter looks more like a "we want to go too" letter than a "we wouldn't have left" letter.