who knows, with the MWC & CUSA merger, they might decide to add ZERO!

9 C-USA (UAB, ECU, Marshall, Memphis, USM, Rice, UTEP, Tulane, Tulsa)
7 MWC (AFA, Colorado St, Fresno, Nevada, UNLV, New Mexico, Wyoming)


Just another waiting game!

San Antonio Express News sports writer wrote a blog (with anonomous sources cited) that University of Texas at San Antonio (Larry Coker is head football coach and they completed their first season of competition this year) may be looking at Sun Belt and/or C-USA. Read it here. It was posted on 27-Nov.

(UTSA recently accepted a bid to the WAC)

"With football finally over, I’ve been able to devote a bit more time to getting a clearer idea of where UTSA stands in terms of its future conference alignment, what with the non-stop rumors of the Western Athletic Conference’s impending demise and the announcement of a football-only merger between Conference USA and the Mountain West that could offer another step up the ladder.

After speaking with multiple sources over the past month, here’s what I have been told:

UTSA has had very informal discussions with CUSA commissioner Britton Banowsky and Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters in recent weeks.

While the latter didn’t sound like much more than an exercise to keep the lines of communication open — UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey declined comment, reiterating her school’s commitment to the WAC – it’s still interesting that one source described Waters as having reached out to the Roadrunners."
…
"More interesting is that UTSA has apparently already begun its efforts to lobby CUSA, sending material to the school presidents who will ultimately decide which schools are added. Multiple sources said it is also in the early stages of assembling a team of local business and political leaders to help sell the school if an opportunity to join does materialize.

It’s telling of how murky this process can be that opinions of UTSA’s prospects are split even inside the athletic department. Once source described CUSA’s collective response as “lukewarm at best,” while a second put little stock in such skepticism, saying the league’s decision makers won’t be able to form a real opinion until UTSA has made a full presentation.

And, should the Big East indeed plunder the league – CUSA members Houston, SMU and Central Florida have been portrayed as good as gone, with the Mountain West’s Boise State and Air Force joining them – UTSA has little reason to believe it won’t get that chance. Because even though the Roadrunners won’t be a bowl counter until 2013, and are light years from being a finished product, their location in a prime Texas market should be enough to at least get their foot in the door.

Do that, the second source said, and it’s hard to imagine there are more than a few schools that could top their bid."

Looks like they have some serious momemtum going...

FAUfasho said

I could see FIU going before us because of facilties. They are renovating their arena…

Yep.



I don't think it's them stepping in front of us as much as it is them keeping in line with us: the renovation brings about a new plaza entrance, new locker rooms and bathrooms, new scoreboard and new suites overlooking the court… sound familiar?

For those interested, you can see a few more pictures here.

They needed it, that gym smells like pee

That won't matter after we build our new arena next to our palace/football stadium.

Captain said

fauowls44 said

But if anything, we'd both probably get invited.

C-USA is losing two teams in its western division and one east team. No way they will take FAU and FIU, unless someone already in C-USA east wants to move to the west.

east, west, north, south……. none of that matters just take a look at the whole mess.  complete garbage.  they might as well do away with all conferences and just make everyone an independent.

Captain said

fauowls44 said

But if anything, we'd both probably get invited.

C-USA is losing two teams in its western division and one east team. No way they will take FAU and FIU, unless someone already in C-USA east wants to move to the west.

Memphis and Southern Miss could be moved to the west and to SBC teams could move in to the eastern division. I don't see a reason why this couldn't work.

GO OWLS!!!

According to this guy, FAU will be left behind when C-USA comes calling:

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/College-football-conference-breakdowns-after-latest-moves-120611

Conference USA
What We Know: The league is merging forces with the Mountain West for just football. At the moment, East Carolina, Marshall, Memphis, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP, Tulane and Tulsa are members with Houston, SMU and UCF taking off for the Big East.

What’s Probably Going To Happen Next: Conference USA hopes there's strength in numbers with the tie-ins to the Mountain West. With Houston, UCF and SMU gone, three of the league's power players — maybe not SMU — are out, leaving East Carolina, Southern Miss, and Tulsa as the only programs with any recent success. Picking off some Sun Belt teams like Arkansas State, FIU or Western Kentucky could bring more live bodies into the equation. Adding Louisiana Tech from the WAC makes too much sense not to have happened yesterday, but for now, the conference appears to be looking to simply weather the storm and hope ECU and Southern Miss aren't taken.

Sun Belt
What We Know: South Alabama will be the newest member next season, joining Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, FIU, La.-Lafayette, La.-Monroe, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Troy and Western Kentucky.

What’s Probably Going To Happen Next: Conference USA could soon come calling for FIU and Western Kentucky, while North Texas and Arkansas State are attractive options that could make a jump soon.

---

The guy who wrote this article, his name is Pete Fiutak

So here's what I know….. NEVER trust a man who's last name begins with FIU!

So here's what I know….. NEVER trust a man who's last name begins with FIU!

GREAT LINE! :D

Yeah and a conference losing their top Florida and Texas markets wants a program from Bowling Green KENTUCKY, not even THE Bowling Green, to replace them! Great choice for the media contracts which they are now in danger of losing! I can see FIU and even NT but other than those two we are still the best option!

And who is left in the Mtn. west after Boise, TCU, SD St. and maybe even AF leave? let's see - Colorado St., Wyoming, New Mexico and UNLV
a combined 14-34 and 4 of those vs. FCS programs. WOW does that sound attractive to me and talk about media giants….

Maybe this guy "graduated" from the FIU business school