A proposed merger between the Mountain West and Conference USA “probably will not happen,” college football industry sources told CBSSports.com.

The leagues had hoped to dissolve and form a new league or merge into one league for the 2013-14 season, but that is now “unlikely” at least for the immediate future, sources said. Even though the leagues would remain separate, they are still working together to figure out a way to share television, marketing and scheduling resources.

“There is not much talk about a formal merger of the conferences into one conference entity in the near term, but that is still a future consideration,” a source said.

In February, the two leagues initially announced they would dissolve and form a new league for the 2013-14 season. A month later, sources told CBSSports.com the leagues were no longer considering dissolving, but instead would either merge or remain separate but share resources.

Now a merger of the leagues appears even more unlikely. Whatever decision the leagues officially reach, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson and C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky told CBSSports.com last month that a decision will be made by early June.

By deciding to remain as separate leagues, both leagues would likely pursue additional members from other leagues to replace the schools that have left or will be leaving. After next season, Conference USA is losing UCF, Southern Methodist, Houston and Memphis, while the Mountain West, which loses TCU this summer, is losing Boise State and San Diego State next year.

Because of these defections, the Mountain West will have to expand.

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And CUSA is still three teams short. C'mon CUSA - North Texas, FIU and FAU, grab those big media markets now!

Not that I wanted us to join whatever that conference would be but I still really think our backwards slide the last few years killed our chances for moving anywhere.  I know some guys on here say that a few bad seasons shouldn't matter but with our short history approixmately half we spent rising, and the second half of our career we were falling like a rock.  That lost any respect we had gained and killed off what small fanbase we could have had.  Combine that with lack of facilities for other sports and in the SBC we stay.

At this point I'd really like us to be able to dominate the Sun Belt for a few consecutive seasons.  I think that is an attainable goal that our team should have……for now atleast.