CAROUSEL OF MADNESS': How WKU ended up staying in C-USA and what's ahead for the Hilltoppers

Coach Andy Mac · November 13, 2021

But Oct. 18 was the day.

"That was kind of interesting because all the presidents of the 14 Conference USA schools were together in Dallas for their fall meetings," Stewart said. "They were together on Sunday the 17th and on Monday the 18th – in the room together – and then the night of the 18th it's learned that six are leaving, including North Texas, and their president (Dr. Neal J. Smatresk) was the chair of the Conference USA executive committee. That's what happens on Oct. 18, and that therefore sets off a chain reaction and that's where we are now."

The six, which were announced as future members of the AAC in an Oct. 21 release, were UAB, FAU, Charlotte, North Texas, Rice and UTSA.

The move sent C-USA from 14 member institutions to eight, and left those remaining wondering what would be left of the league.

"It was just a little bit ironic, I think, for everybody to be in the room together on a Sunday and a Monday, and on Monday night it's learned that six are leaving. It was just tough timing," Stewart said. "Really what it does is it just causes everybody to kind of wonder who they can trust. That's not just in Conference USA – I think that's throughout the industry right now. I think there's real trust issues among a lot of people."

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meangreen11 · November 15, 2021

The six, which were announced as future members of the AAC in an Oct. 21 release, were UAB, FAU, Charlotte, North Texas, Rice and UTSA.

The move sent C-USA from 14 member institutions to eight, and left those remaining wondering what would be left of the league.

“It was just a little bit ironic, I think, for everybody to be in the room together on a Sunday and a Monday, and on Monday night it’s learned that six are leaving. It was just tough timing,” Stewart said. “Really what it does is it just causes everybody to kind of wonder who they can trust. That’s not just in Conference USA – I think that’s throughout the industry right now. I think there’s real trust issues among a lot of people.”

The focus then turned to trying to keep the eight remaining C-USA members – WKU, Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, FIU, UTEP, Southern Miss, Old Dominion and Marshall – together, Stewart says. WKU’s director of athletics says there was “a day- or two-day period” where there was confidence the group would stay together, and would add Liberty and FCS James Madison.

“If that had happened, that would’ve been a really strong 10-team league,” Stewart said. “I think you might be able to argue that 10-team league, if it had happened, would have been better than what the new American Conference would have been.”

But that’s not what happened.