I guess it depends on if the Sun Belt wants to pick any bones. If so La Tech and Southern Miss would fit right in. Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee were in the Sun Belt once. FIU doesn’t really fit in. Marshall might as well call the MAC. Old Dominion needs to head back to the CAA. UTEP is well and truly scroomed.
If not I guess they try to call up some FCS powers and have them try their hand at the FBS? Who would go?
The thought of taking both Rice and (especially) UTSA to thwart MWC expansion had crossed my mind, but apparently this came after the MWC announced their decision not to expand.
https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/status/1450278303265402883?s=21
So one of the few reasons I could see for taking all three was apparently a non-factor.
The scuttlebutt is that being a former member of the SBC actually kind of counts against you as far as they are concerned. “You left us!” and all that. I find it a little difficult to believe they’d be counterproductively petty*, but it does seem like the Sun Belt doesn’t need anybody and may just go with that.
IF ESPN made the $ worth it for more MACtion - W KY, Middle Tenn, Marshall could make a solid southern group. (Marshall is very close to Ohio University.)
$ would need to be enough to make the travel worth it.
ODU (like West KY and Middle Tenn)is a hike from the Ohio/Michigan MAC strongholds but still could get a look.
I would have gone App State, UAB, FAU
If markets are the criteria, then Ohio U is definitely out.
Athens, Ohio is TINY.
And having gone to college in Ohio, I can tell you that their athletic following within that state is MINISCULE.
Sooo … who woke up Aresco … damage done now he is back to sleep …
SMU to the MWC … eh … more like they are going BACK to the WAC …
The MWC is just a spruce up WAC conf … or ah pig with …
Now we are just missing
From that article…
Rice would be a somewhat-surprising addition, though it shares an academic familiarity with Navy. Since falling out of the Southwest Conference in 1995, the Owls have struggled to stay competitive in non-power conferences. Rice has finished with a losing record 18 times in the last 26 seasons since the SWC folded.
Sure caught me off guard!
Shame the MWC isn’t expanding. UTEP would fit right in there.
I still refuse to believe the American would take a bunch of weak schools from a garbage conference like cusa…Makes no sense. .Cant believe ESPN wants to do that, either… we will see what actually happens…If SMU and Tulsa / Memphis forced to stay because MWC doesnt want them, i think American only takes 4… Fight American! Fight to stay relevant!
Those teams aren’t forced to stay in the AAC. They can count and they know $7M is more than $4M in the MWC therefore the MWC will not be able to poach AAC schools.
According to the article, the eight existing AAC schools will retain their shares of $7M while the new schools will get less.
Aresco made sure no other G5 conference would poach his teams.
What do we care about the AAC anymore … NEVER LOOK BACK …
Teams leaving to better hunting grounds never looked back … TCU Utah Colorado Nebraska Missou A$M Ark … now UT and OU … they don’t/didnt care about their previous abode nor those still residing there …
Goodbye lousy commish … sorry bowl games … no playoff opportunities … terrible ratings … being left to rot in '96 … begging for crumbs while the P5s got richer … NO THANKS … those days are in the past now … we FINALLY crossed the Jordan and no longer wandering in the wilderness
Those doing a Lot’s wife looking back and caring about what is still happening in the wilderness … FINE … not moi …
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again.
If the AAC wants to remain the best G5 football conference, then it should add the following teams:
UTSA
Coastal Carolina
Liberty
Appalachian State
U-La-La
Maybe UNT
Adding those schools to what’s left would give the AAC at least a few ranked teams every year, and support their P6 argument.
But adding the schools mentioned here (UTSA excepted) simply cements them into the G5 basement.
Rice??? REALLY???
Forget about the market. Rice doesn’t deliver that market. Hell, I’ve never met a Rice grad that gave a crap about Owls football, and only know of one that cares about Rice sports at all (I never met that guy personally, nor do I wish too). Even Rice baseball is a has been. And forget about academics. Academics do not drive football conference expansion.
Charlotte??? REALLY???
Hell, Illinois is a B1G bottom feeder, and even they beat Charlotte by double digits this year. Charlotte plays in a 15K seat stadium, and has like a .367 all-time winning percentage.
Ridiculous.
FAU??? REALLY???
.448 all time record. 29K stadium.
Why add those clowns when Coastal, U-La-La, and either Liberty or Appalachian are out there?
Obviously getting big TV markets is what ESPN wants or Aresco would definitely not do it. Remember the AAC is all ESPN therefore if ESPN say they are going to give you decent money for these schools in these markets, you add those schools.
To me it’s not hard to understand because it’s all about money and not necessarily about who’s winning right now.
UH hasn’t won anything in years but the Big12 wanted the big TV market and recruiting ground. Of course TF may have had a little to do with it. 
SMU to the MWC, no other reason to add North Texas.
our funk happened when Jenkins then Helton became our coaches, a full 5 years prior to the demise of the SWC. Our last 5 years in the SWC we went 12-42. That was the beginning of mediocrity, not joining C-USA
Ya know…in reading this thread…
I am so grateful that we are where we are, rather than these programs, either treading water or out and out drowning…
Because we were in their shoes, we can truly appreciate their misery, and be thankful and hopefully humble.
On the bright side, the leftover 8 won’t lose any money.
Uhhhh………
The fact that we have had a major bowl victory and Top Ten finish in football, and an Outland Award winner in recent years probably factored in as well.
And our recent Final Four in basketball didn’t hurt our chances either.
It’s not JUST a market thing.
It’s a success and name brand thing. We were among the best BRAND NAMES available.
Remember, OU isn’t getting an invite to the SEC because of the market that they are located in.
They are being invited because of their football success and NAME BRAND.
And that’s why the AAC is screwing up here: because they are not bringing in the best football NAME BRANDS available, and, even worse, are bringing in some really sucky football brands instead.
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