Big East presidents vote unanimously to expand

[ADLER]

The above was posted on the CUSA board and the Sun Belt board.

If any of it is true ....especially concerning Air Force or SMU, things are going to get pretty interesting pretty quickly in Denton, Texas.

[GreenGuy123]

Not to be negative about possibly going to C-USA, but a this point...I just want a Sun Belt win!

[Green Mean]

Should be interesting what happens with Louisville, Cincy, and even West Virginia.

I think if the Big 12 wants to invite them I am not sure they would say no...with the exception of maybe West Virginia.

[GreenGuy123]

Should be interesting what happens with Louisville, Cincy, and even West Virginia.

I think if the Big 12 wants to invite them I am not sure they would say no...with the exception of maybe West Virginia.

You think if everything pans out for the Big East and add the schools they listed...will they be good enough to qualify as an AQ? I tend to think no. It would be a glorified C-USA.

[Green Mean]

You think if everything pans out for the Big East and add the schools they listed...will they be good enough to qualify as an AQ? I tend to think no. It would be a glorified C-USA.

I think they still would because they have a ton of credibility. Plus they have a gigantic footprint in the northeast and we know how far that goes. I think it's still a better football conference overall compared to CUSA but they're definitely the worst of the AQ ones. Either way...whoever gets a Big East invite should be super happy it will be a clear upgrade if you're currently in a non AQ conference. Edited October 3, 2011 by Green Mean

[UNTflyer]

Big East actually has the third best BCS Bowl record of all the AQs. The worst AQ BCS conference by far is the ACC.

[northtexasfrog]

As a TCU fan, I'd love to see AF, Navy, UCF, and SMU ending up in the Big East to add some stability.

As a UNT fan, the CUSA opportunity would be intriguing, but I want to see a few Sun Belt wins first. I don't think we'd have too much an issue competing in the CUSA (no more so than in the Belt), but a few wins before a possible jump would be nice.

[PlummMeanGreen]

As a TCU fan, I'd love to see AF, Navy, UCF, and SMU ending up in the Big East to add some stability.

As a UNT fan, the CUSA opportunity would be intriguing, but I want to see a few Sun Belt wins first. I don't think we'd have too much an issue competing in the CUSA (no more so than in the Belt), but a few wins before a possible jump would be nice.

NTF, I know where you are coming from, but when SMU entered CUSA they were sucking hind teat as a football program as I recall. I realize they came in with a consortium of schools, too, but still SMU's poor multi-years W/L record didn't impede their getting into CUSA. The Stangs with June Jones certainly have it going on now.

Lady Timing, Lady Luck, UNT and Realignment: Most if not all our fans are just sick that we are not dominatting the SBC now like we did the first 5 years when the league (albeit not a strong one in those years) first opened for business and the reasoning with that since an acutal winnning program speaks louder than words compared to a school's potential to a possible new conference home and its officials.

Our 1,000 plus acre Mean Green Village of athletic venues topped off with Apogee Stadium which I don't think could be built today for less than $125 million gives North Texas an upside that even UH and Big 10 Indiana fans in attendance at Apogee were blown away with to hear their comments.

Yet, it helps to have friends in high re-alignment conference places of which I'm not sure where North Texas stands in that department. We feel former UNT consultant Chuck Neinas will always put in a good word for us albeit we know we are not Big 12 prime time ready for at least a few years.

Many of us on this board would kill for a chance at either CUSA or even the MWC of which I think the MWC is closer to ACQ status than CUSA, quite frankly. Just sayin'....

Edited October 3, 2011 by PlummMeanGreen

[drex]

I am fascinated by the Big East's interest in SMU...small alumni base with little support from the general public in Dallas. Very spotty attendance, too.

[Mean Green 93-98]

I am fascinated by the Big East's interest in SMU...small alumni base with little support from the general public in Dallas. Very spotty attendance, too.

Going to the Big East would immediately improve their support from the general public and their attendance.

[UNTFan23]

Going to the Big East would immediately improve their support from the general public and their attendance.

The same thing could be said about interest/support for North Texas if we were invited to the Big East.

[Mean Green 93-98]

The same thing could be said about interest/support for North Texas if we were invited to the Big East.

True, and true of any team in a lower-tier conference.

It's almost all about football success. SMU's had it recently, we haven't.

[UNTFan23]

True, and true of any team in a lower-tier conference.

It's almost all about football success. SMU's had it recently, we haven't.

I guess it all depends on how far back you want to go for "recent" success in football. Since 2001, we have been to 4 bowl games and SMU has been to 2 and will likely go to one again this year.

[Harry]

I gotta think that if SMU goes to the Big East, UNT would be considered as an auto add to CUSA. They would have to get a school for this market and the CUSA administrative offices are located here in DFW for goodness sakes! RV needs to call Britton Banowsky and buy his lunch!

[Mean Green 93-98]

I guess it all depends on how far back you want to go for "recent" success in football. Since 2001, we have been to 4 bowl games and SMU has been to 2 and will likely go to one again this year.

No, I would not define that as recent, at least not when we have 2005-2010 standing between us and that run of success.

There were always doubts about how successful our success really was. We definitely dominated the Belt, but the Belt of that time was unquestionably the worst conference in 1-A football. And we lacked victories against quality OOC opponents. I'm not trying to minimize it, because I loved every minute of it. But the outside perception of our success was not comparable to the perception of TCU's or probably even SMU's recent success.

But even that success would have put us in a better conference (albeit not an AQ conference) if we would have had the other things in place (especially a stadium). But if you look at the teams who have advanced conferences--South Florida, TCU, UCF, etc.--they have all had success in football.

[PlummMeanGreen]

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/02/3413552/big-12-presidents-meet-to-address.html

So might there be 2 conferences looking after the BE and Big 12 finish their cherry pickin'?

[El Paso Eagle]

I could take SMU to the Big East and UNT takes their place. The perhaps the Belt goes after UTSA (I don't even want to think of the implosion around these parts if there is an opening and C-USA decides to take a "River Walk")

[Green Mean]

True, and true of any team in a lower-tier conference.

It's almost all about football success. SMU's had it recently, we haven't.

You're spot on. Another thing to consider is the fact that the BE would be picking from CUSA versus the SBC. Perception wise the SBC is just non existent in people's college sports conscious. Had we been in CUSA and been somewhat better established in football then I think we'd be getting a much bigger look than SMU. It is just being in the right place and the right time and SMU has that right now.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I could take SMU to the Big East and UNT takes their place. The perhaps the Belt goes after UTSA (I don't even want to think of the implosion around these parts if there is an opening and C-USA decides to take a "River Walk")

Might they have to put higher protective fencing at the top of the Wing Section of Apogee to keep some of our fans from jumping?

This re-alignment business is sheer insanity, but would be just fine if we could get the conference of our choice, right?

CUSA or MWC would be just fine, though. Wonder what La Tech'sters think of their chances now?

[glick1980]

Going to the Big East would immediately improve their support from the general public and their attendance.

You think that but which games do you think would get more attendance, yearly games with Houston, Rice, Tulsa and UTEP or games with Cincinatti, UConn, Rutgers, and South Florida?

[UNTcrazy727]

SMU has a rich football tradition dating back to early 1900s and has a hand full of legendary players. They were a member of the SWC, which was arguably the best conference in the nation during it's heyday. The decision makers in conference realignment remember most of those days and is why they get mentioned quite a bit even though they've only had a couple respectable years the past couple decades. Oh, and it helps that SMU has donors with deeper pockets than the Grand Canyon.

[Green Mean]

You think that but which games do you think would get more attendance, yearly games with Houston, Rice, Tulsa and UTEP or games with Cincinatti, UConn, Rutgers, and South Florida?

You'd have more travelers possibly coming to your stadium but perception is reality. The Big East is an AQ conference with school a lot more known nationally. Let's not forget what it does to both TCU's and SMU's basketball programs. Sure they are completely bottom of the barrell right now but their profile increases greatly because they arguably in the best college basketball conference in the country. The pros going to the BE is not even disputed by any cons in my opinion.

[Mean Green 93-98]

You think that but which games do you think would get more attendance, yearly games with Houston, Rice, Tulsa and UTEP or games with Cincinatti, UConn, Rutgers, and South Florida?

Good point. The BE has lost, and continues to lose, its biggest names in football.

However, you still have to throw West Virginia and Louisville into the mix . . . I think those two would draw better home attendance than any of the C-USA games. And just the knowledge that SMU is playing on a bigger stage with bigger stakes would have to generate interest . . . wouldn't it?

[VideoEagle]

Despite the way it appears, realignment is about more than "recent football success." Just look at Syracuse. One winning season since '05 including 1-10 in '05, 2-10 in '07 and 3-9 in '09. Those are the same kind of seasons we have had yet the ACC jumped at the chance to invite Syracuse.

Meanwhile the ACC says "no" to West Virginia who's worst record in the same time frame was 9-4. Things outside of recent football success clear play a significant role.

[northtexasfrog]

You think that but which games do you think would get more attendance, yearly games with Houston, Rice, Tulsa and UTEP or games with Cincinatti, UConn, Rutgers, and South Florida?

Only downside to that logic is that Cinci, UConn, and USF all travel well.