TXST to the WAC? Window Open?

[TexasTerror]

I've said it before, the WAC is the best chance for the Texas State University-San Marcos program to move FBS.

In fact, it may be the only option for the short term as I likely see the Sun Belt expanding to Jacksonville State and Georgia State before taking the Bobcats in (to get the Atlanta market in) and of course, C-USA may go for UTSA and North Texas (if SMU allows it) before the Bobcats if Texas is where they want to go.

According to the article below, that window that I thought existed seems to be flying more and more open for the Bobcats to step in.

General thought...if TXST is willing to pay the cost of travel associated with the WAC and there's few takers out there (which I suspect), the window for moving to an FBS conference has just opened for the Bobcats.

The question is, does the WAC want TXST in the fold? Will the league be worried that TXST could become like Idaho, a dead-weight school that just wasn't ready for the move up?

Could the WAC force any expansion team, especially one like TXST and possibly current member La Tech into paying some of the travel $$$ to make the trek? That's out there.


“My message as they come to that meeting is, ‘Anything’s on the table,’” WAC commissioner Karl Benson said during July’s football media preview. “It may cause us to do some drastic measure that might have been unheard of or even unthought of two or three years ago.”

One of those measures could be adding a 10th team to the conference, which would create travel partners in basketball and decrease the number of inefficient one-game road trips.

“The majority of us would like a 10th team,” Groth said. “It’s just a question of who is available and does it make sense.”

http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080919/NEWS18/80919064&OAS_sitepage=news.rgj.com%2Fbreakingnews

[Cat79]

TT,

This is pure speculation on your part. How do you know the Sunbelt is not interested. Did you know that they have been on our campus? Yes they have. That is right. The Sunbelt has been on our campus. This shows how much you really know.:D

There is nothing wrong with the WAC. They have a good conference. The WAC has been interested in us also.

[TexasTerror]

How do you know the Sunbelt is not interested. Did you know that they have been on our campus? Yes they have. That is right. The Sunbelt has been on our campus. This shows how much you really know.:D

I'll do what I can to confirm that up tomorrow. I'm sure I can find some source whether at TXST or SBC to let me know one way or another. Until I get a 'nod' from a reliable source, I won't believe it.

I've already confirmed from reliable sources (beat writers and conferences alike) that some of the remarks made here re: a few teams attempts to move to FBS and conference interest were incorrect.


There is nothing wrong with the WAC. They have a good conference. The WAC has been interested in us also.

Only thing wrong with the WAC is the travel and the fact that fans from both sides (whether it TXST or other teams) won't travel at all to the others. Just too expensive!

[Cat79]

TT,

I have a friend in the AD that was there when Sunbelt Reps were on campus. No joke!!!!

Bailiff was coach at that :D time.

You apparently do not have the connections!!!!!!

[griz&beer]

The WAC is way better then the SUN BELT. No way will TX State get in there.

[TexasTerror]

You apparently do not have the connections!!!!!!

When Bailiff was coach? So we are talking 2004-2007. This will not be a problem in confirming this one at all. If anything, that time frame provided just made my life easier in terms of seeking out an answer...


The WAC is way better then the SUN BELT. No way will TX State get in there.

Since you are a bit more familiar with the WAC and the region, are there any other schools from that neck of the woods in discussion as a WAC entrant?

[Cat79]

grizz&beer,

The WAC is interested in you guys first. They have expressed interest in Texas State but said our facilities need improvement. They do have interest in UCD also.

[griz&beer]

Thw WAC wants to keep thing closer together. They have a lot of traval costs. Dump LA Tech ? bad fit. ..Cal Poley? UC Dave? Should I even say it Montana???

[Retro]

The WAC is trying to urge LA Tech to move to another conference, as they should to the sun belt... Texas State doesn't make any more sense than LA Tech does because texas state is still a good 10 - 12 drive from las cruces, the closest team.. As a matter of fact, i'm not surprised NMSU hasn't tried hooking up with the MWC to pursue a more natural rivalry with New Mexico.

I think the WAC will look closer for a team in that 4 corners area if any.

With USA coming online in Football in the next few years for the SBC, i don't think the SBC will pursue any teams that are not currently in their conference in other sports already.

[TexasTerror]

The WAC is trying to urge LA Tech to move to another conference, as they should to the sun belt...

La Tech has no chance at the Sun Belt. Didn't their AD talk some smack about ULM a few months ago? Didn't they upset the Commish when they left for the WAC? I believe both accords are correct.


With USA coming online in Football in the next few years for the SBC, i don't think the SBC will pursue any teams that are not currently in their conference in other sports already.

SBC has no reason to expand right now. The only way their hand is forced is if the C-USA comes in and get teams. Do not see the WAC (especially after UNT rejected it) coming in and getting teams. Same goes for the MAC (no chance WKU leaves the SBC for a 'lateral' move).

[appfan2008]

why would cat79 be worried about the sunbelt... if I were Texas St I would be much more interested in the WAC... they are a much higher ranked conference!

[TexasTerror]

why would cat79 be worried about the sunbelt... if I were Texas St I would be much more interested in the WAC... they are a much higher ranked conference!

Because if the WAC is not interested, the only option on the table would seem to be the Sun Belt and quite frankly, that option is probably not available.

[Cocky]

Everyone may join the A-Sun to keep the basketball auto and start a new FBS league.

[JSU02]

Everyone may join the A-Sun to keep the basketball auto and start a new FBS league.

Did you think that up yourself, or have you heard rumblings?
Is that what our trustees are planning on doing?

[SochorField]

I would take the WAC over the Sunbelt any day of the week.

[Cocky]

Did you think that up yourself, or have you heard rumblings?
Is that what our trustees are planning on doing?

Just me stirring the pot.

[EdubAlum]

I hope the Wac stops letting in FCS or crappy FBS schools in, the west needs another strong conference (behind the Pac-10, MWC is usually on par with the WAC) Personally i'd love to see the top teams from the WAC and the MWC break off and form their own conference, you could have a pretty decient competitor to the Pac-10 year in and out if you took the top 4 or 5 from each.

[CollegeSportsInfo]

I hope the Wac stops letting in FCS or crappy FBS schools in, the west needs another strong conference (behind the Pac-10, MWC is usually on par with the WAC) Personally i'd love to see the top teams from the WAC and the MWC break off and form their own conference, you could have a pretty decient competitor to the Pac-10 year in and out if you took the top 4 or 5 from each.


That was the original goal of the MWC and things have worked out decently.
That said, all the MWC needs to do is add Boise and Fresno and they have a quality group headed by those two, BYU and Utah this year.

[Tim James]

I'd like to see La. Tech and UTEP switch conferences for geography's sake but it won't happen.

[TexasTerror]

I'd like to see La. Tech and UTEP switch conferences for geography's sake but it won't happen.

Not at all. UTEP loves coming to Houston every year (atleast once in football, more so in other sports)...and of course, bi-annual visits to Dallas in football.

[centexguy]

The WAC has a pretty good TV contract compared to the Sunbelt, and a great one compared to the SLC. Put Texas State in the WAC with their budget and they'd be middle of the pack budget-wise. As far as fielding competitive teams, that's another story.

The WAC would give Texas State a lot more visibility around the country initially, but what what about 5 years down the road? Boise State, Fresno State and Hawaii seem to be the schools that carry this conference. If they left for any reason then the WAC's TV contract would probably collapse and the remaining teams would be stuck with the travel costs and little TV money to help cover those costs.

But I doubt the WAC will be expanding into Texas to grab any FCS schools. There's a few FCS candidates in California that fit the bill and would reduce travel costs. I personally think a new southern FBS conference will emerge within the next 5 years due to all the schools that want to move up.

[nevadagriz]

The wac would be crazy not to take Davis.Poly or Sac over TXstate.
It is only about 2hrs over the Mtn. from reno to any of the above three.
Idaho and Utah st would love to have TXST(they could actually beat them for a few years).
Why is TXst moving up? How big are they? Will this move eventually turn them in to a great program? When was the last time they where in the playoffs? How many times have they been conference champs?

[TexasTerror]

How big are they? Will this move eventually turn them in to a great program? When was the last time they where in the playoffs? How many times have they been conference champs?

About 29k-30k, if I am not mistaken.

I am not sure a move up will turn them into a "great" program. They've been in the playoffs once (2005) and that was one season in which the new head coach took advantage of the previous coach's players. Previous coach got fired due to NCAA violations.

One conference co-championship and just a handful of winning seasons. I think one for every four or five since being Div I.

[chrisattsu]

The wac would be crazy not to take Davis.Poly or Sac over TXstate.
It is only about 2hrs over the Mtn. from reno to any of the above three.
Idaho and Utah st would love to have TXST(they could actually beat them for a few years).
Why is TXst moving up? How big are they? Will this move eventually turn them in to a great program? When was the last time they where in the playoffs? How many times have they been conference champs?

While I don't disagree that the WAC would be smart to take a couple of West Coast teams during their next expansion, the WAC commish has indicated that the University of North Texas has an open invitation to conference. That indicates to me that he is looking for Texas team to expand the brand to a new state, and find a geographic way to connect LA Tech to the rest of the conference.

If UNT is not going to take them up on that offer, why not another Texas institution?

To answer your questions-
1. Why is TXST moving up? Simplest answer. The fans want it. Since the name change (and the 2005 playoffs) a new campus pride has taken over Texas State.

A student-led referendum swept through campus last spring. This referendum will increase the budget of the athletic department (to around $20-25M) within the next 4 years.

2. How large? Official numbers have us over 29,000 students this year. Behind UT-Austin, A&M, U of Houston, and UNT, but ahead of Texas Tech, UTEP, and I believe University of Oklahoma. We play these schools in every other sport so our fans keep asking why not football?

3. Will the move make us great? It is hard to say. Long periods of winning makes you great. We have to establish a precedent of winning first. Get some coaching consistency, attract quality players, and pull some upsets. 20 years of losing combined with SWT's "UT-Light" status has created apathy amongst some of the alumni. This new generation of students is excited about the Bobcats. Texas State has the potential to make some noise, but we need wins to shake off the cobwebs and bring the fans and alumni back.

4. 2005

5. Only 1 shared conference championship (2005)

[IndianaAppMan]

Let me first put out my disclaimer that this is just things I'm thinking off the top of my head. That said, I think I have some reasonably logical ideas...

First, I think that travel costs are going to hurt pretty much every program other than those in the sky-high budget BCS conferences. The spread-out conferences are going to be hurt the most. In the FBS, the Sun Belt, C-USA, and the WAC are going to hurt the worst; the Mountain West and the MAC are still reasonably compact; only TCU & Temple are geographic outliers, and I expect those programs will be able to afford increased costs.

In the FCS, most conferences are reasonably compact and won't feel the pinch quite as severely. The Big Sky and Great West, though, are significant exceptions. Teams in those conferences will have to find creative new fundraising methods just to keep their bills paid. I suspect Georgia State may very well have to consider joining the SoCon or Big South when it makes trips to Maine & New Hampshire on a regular basis, even though I understand that they joined the conference for basketball.

I've read grumblings about ECU's AD and now the WAC commissioner about how the excessive travel costs have helped raised their interests in some kind of alternative to their current conference landscapes.

Would it be outrageously unreasonable, given the drastic increase in travel costs that are likely to only worsen in coming years, for the WAC, C-USA, and Sun Belt to end up "exchanging" teams for travel costs' sake, or that a fourth conference emerge from that bunch once a small handful of FCS teams move to the FBS?

Believe me: I understand that schools like Rice, SMU, and Houston would not enjoy being associated with certain WAC & Sun Belt programs; however, couldn't finances force them to compromise their viewpoints?

[IndianaAppMan]

2. How large? Official numbers have us over 29,000 students this year. Behind UT-Austin, A&M, U of Houston, and UNT, but ahead of Texas Tech, UTEP, and I believe University of Oklahoma. We play these schools in every other sport so our fans keep asking why not football?

Side note: I was reading once about how the old Southwest Conference broke up and how Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, & Texas Tech ended up joining the existing Big 8 to form the current Big 12. To summarize, TT & Baylor were very, very lucky to end up in the Big 12 due to the presence of a few big boosters in the Texas state legislature at that time. I can't help but wonder whether Houston, Rice, TCU, and SMU are still frustrated about that. Houston especially, since (as I understand it) they had the chance to follow UT and A&M's lead and didn't.

You can't help but wonder if TT would have become a more relatively anonymous program outside the state of Texas, much as Rice, Houston, and SMU have.

[BearsCountry]

A move to the Sun Belt and WAC should improve Texas State's whole athletic department. If you want a great example of that go look at Middle Tennessee. Football hasnt been great but the rest of the sports has risen up. And thats going from the OVC to Sun Belt. Southland to WAC should be a big step up.