Smoke your cigars and enjoy the band while you can....

[0.42]

let's ask scoops lukeahan of TMB fame




















scoops sez: no, denied

[SPEmaw]

Greg Swaim seems pretty ITK and he suggests that they are 1 & 2 on our wish-list. Now, I don't know if the feeling is mutual. Louisville & BYU next is much more likely.

I'm getting pretty hopeful that the BIG 12 follows me to the southeast when I move to SC this June and we add Clemson & FSU. I really like our conference if we take FSU, Clemson, BYU, & Louisville to get to 14. The buzz around going to 16 seems to have settled a bit for now, but Cincy and/or rutgers/USF/Houston/Tulane make a pretty complete conference.

 

[Rage Against the McKee]

Greg Swaim seems pretty ITK and he suggests that they are 1 & 2 on our wish-list. Now, I don't know if the feeling is mutual. Louisville & BYU next is much more likely.

I'm getting pretty hopeful that the BIG 12 follows me to the southeast when I move to SC this June and we add Clemson & FSU. I really like our conference if we take FSU, Clemson, BYU, & Louisville to get to 14. The buzz around going to 16 seems to have settled a bit for now, but Cincy and/or rutgers/USF/Houston/Tulane make a pretty complete conference.

 

Why would we still want BYU and Louisville if we get FSU and Clemson?

[SPEmaw]

14-team conference? More natural divisions/sub-leagues/rivalries. Super-mega-huge TV deals? I thought we were catching on to 21st century major college football. 'Come on, guys!

[bigDcat]

Wasn't there a thread about this somewhere?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sonofdaxjones]

Oh my gosh Clemson and Florida State . . . 

[pissclams]

swaim is itk?  wtf?

[steve dave]

swaim is less itk than anyone that posts on this board 

[kstater]

I don't care who we add as 11, I just want to leave the door open for ND for #12.

[Cire]

do not want

[SPEmaw]

I don't care who we add as 11, I just want to leave the door open for ND for #12.

ND doesn't want us. Louisville is most likely.

[pc5k]

Question- Does anybody think that Miami is going to sit back content with ACC money and let FSU go get even richer without them? My bet is that wherever Florida State goes Miami will follow.

[ednksu]

From the leader in world wide sports!!!!

just a little fodder for the discussion, probably mostly info from last week/month


http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7574104/west-virginia-mountaineers-join-big-12-july-big-east-lawsuit-settlement

West Virginia will join the Big 12 for the 2012 season after a lawsuit settlement was reached with the Big East, the school and league announced Tuesday.

The Big East Conference board of directors voted to terminate West Virginia's membership, effective June 30. The vote is conditioned upon WVU fulfilling its obligations under an agreement that resolves the lawsuits between both parties.

West Virginia accepted an invitation in October 2011 to join the Big 12, and sued the Big East in its home state to get out of the league without waiting the required 27 months. The Big East filed its own suit in Rhode Island, seeking to hold West Virginia to the waiting period.

The Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail, citing an anonymous source, has reported that the Big East will receive $20 million in the settlement, with WVU contributing $11 million, and the Big 12 covering the remaining amount.

Galloway & Company

West Virginia AD Oliver Luck shares his thoughts on Mountaineers' transition to the Big 12, his insight into the conference scheduling process and more.

More Podcasts »
WVU already has paid half of the normally required $5 million exit fee to the Big East.

"The bylaws are the foundation of how the conference governs itself," Big East commissioner John Marinatto said Tuesday. "To have the court in West Virginia acknowledge their validity of enforceability obviously reinforces the premise that the conference is viable moving forward, and in a position to do so."

Continuing to fight West Virginia "would have only made the lawyers happy," he said.

Later Tuesday morning, the Big 12 released its football schedule for the upcoming season, which includes West Virginia. The Mountaineers will play their first Big 12 game Sept. 29 at home against Baylor.

The Big East decided to terminate West Virginia's membership because of accusations made in the school's lawsuit, along with the school's willingness to resolve the legal wrangling, including its settlement payment.

"This closes a chapter and opens a new one filled with exciting possibilities for WVU's future," West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck said in a news release. "I've heard from Mountaineer fans across the country who have made it very clear that they are proud and honored to be heading into the Big 12."

Coming and Going

When West Virginia decided it was going to fight the Big East, it was pretty clear from the start that the conference wasn't going to win, writes Andrea Adelson. Blog

Finally, with West Virginia safely in the fold, the Big 12 can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to normal, David Ubben writes. Blog

The latest sorry episode in conference realignment should give BCS commissioners plenty to discuss when they meet next week, writes Mark Schlabach. Story

Luck also stressed that no state or taxpayer funds, tuition or academic support money will be used to pay the settlement. Any settlement funding will come from private sources and independently generated athletic revenues.

The price to depart the Big East may seem high, but it also will prove lucrative. Luck said WVU should get about $18 million to $19 million a year in television payouts, about double what it gets from the Big East. Payments are being prorated for the first three years at 50 percent, 67 percent and 87 percent, he said, reaching 100 percent in the fourth year.

"It's a very healthy television payout, and it's important we maintain our self-sufficient status," Luck said. "With this move, we'll be in an excellent position to do so."

West Virginia's departure leaves the Big East with seven football schools for 2012.

Syracuse and Pitt announced previously that they were leaving the Big East for the ACC, but have said they were willing to abide by the 27-month waiting period, which means they won't join the ACC until the 2014-15 season.

Whether they decide to jump a year early now, given West Virginia's departure, likely will come up for discussion.

Marinatto said Tuesday he "would not be open to a conversation" with either school about departing this year. "But given the strength and speed of our expansion efforts, I think our board might be open to a discussion about 2013."

With all of the losses, the Big East has added seven members (Boise State, Central Florida, Houston, Memphis, San Diego State, SMU, Navy) to get up to 12 teams by the 2015 season. But the league is down one team for 2012, and it has tried to get one of its new members to join the league a year early to alleviate scheduling concerns. But so far, there has been no progress in that regard.

The conference realignment affects other West Virginia sports. The Mountaineers must find a home for their men's soccer team because the Big 12 doesn't sponsor the sport.

Teams in rifle, wrestling and women's gymnastics at West Virginia compete in other conferences besides the Big East.

Big 12 membership requires WVU to add a men's sport, but Luck said he hasn't determined which it will be or when it will happen.

Andrea Adelson covers the Big East for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Follow Andrea Adelson on Twitter: @ESPN_CollegeFB

[OlatheWildcat]

Question- Does anybody think that Miami is going to sit back content with ACC money and let FSU go get even richer without them? My bet is that wherever Florida State goes Miami will follow.

.
My guess is the SEC is going to just hand us great schools to get us to 16. If it weren't for their stupid rules about not taking universities already in their footprint, they'd have Florida State and Clemson. But no, if the SEC wants to go to 16 they'll have to take Maryland and Virginia Tech (yawn) while giving us Florida State and Clemson (and while we're dreaming the U).

[Katpappy]

Question- Does anybody think that Miami is going to sit back content with ACC money and let FSU go get even richer without them? My bet is that wherever Florida State goes Miami will follow.

.
My guess is the SEC is going to just hand us great schools to get us to 16. If it weren't for their stupid rules about not taking universities already in their footprint, they'd have Florida State and Clemson. But no, if the SEC wants to go to 16 they'll have to take Maryland and Virginia Tech (yawn) while giving us Florida State and Clemson (and while we're dreaming the U).

Wouldn't it be nice if we all could get along _o/   If we get FSU, Clemson and Miami; ND may be ripe for the taking.  If this pipe dream happens, we will match SEC in conference size and quality. 

[CyberToothCat]

Question- Does anybody think that Miami is going to sit back content with ACC money and let FSU go get even richer without them? My bet is that wherever Florida State goes Miami will follow.

.
My guess is the SEC is going to just hand us great schools to get us to 16. If it weren't for their stupid rules about not taking universities already in their footprint, they'd have Florida State and Clemson. But no, if the SEC wants to go to 16 they'll have to take Maryland and Virginia Tech (yawn) while giving us Florida State and Clemson (and while we're dreaming the U).

Wouldn't it be nice if we all could get along _o/   If we get FSU, Clemson and Miami; ND may be ripe for the taking.  If this pipe dream happens, we will match SEC in conference size and quality. 

I happen to think that the 4-pack of Miami, FSU, Ga Tech and Clemson would be a pretty nice addition.  That would put us at 14, leaving us two spots to add ND and ??? [insert school of ND's choice].  It would also give WVU some east coast friends

I know that we had no choice about TCU because we HAD to add someone to keep our membership numbers and they were available and geographically made sense... but I kinda wonder if we're going to regret adding the Horned Frogs.  An 8-team midwest division plus an 8-team east coast division would be a pretty sweet setup for a 16-team conference.  But now that we have 9 midwest teams, we'll never be able to create that nice, neat greographic divisional arrangement.

Midwest
KSU, KU, ISU, OU, OSU, UT, TT, BU

East Coast
WVU, FSU, Clem, GT, Miami, Pitt, Va Tech, and MD

It would be pretty easy to group these teams into geographic pods and divisions, and everything would be all hunkydory.  But with TCU in the mix, it just won't work.

[Katpappy]

Question- Does anybody think that Miami is going to sit back content with ACC money and let FSU go get even richer without them? My bet is that wherever Florida State goes Miami will follow.

.
My guess is the SEC is going to just hand us great schools to get us to 16. If it weren't for their stupid rules about not taking universities already in their footprint, they'd have Florida State and Clemson. But no, if the SEC wants to go to 16 they'll have to take Maryland and Virginia Tech (yawn) while giving us Florida State and Clemson (and while we're dreaming the U).

Wouldn't it be nice if we all could get along _o/   If we get FSU, Clemson and Miami; ND may be ripe for the taking.  If this pipe dream happens, we will match SEC in conference size and quality. 

I happen to think that the 4-pack of Miami, FSU, Ga Tech and Clemson would be a pretty nice addition.  That would put us at 14, leaving us two spots to add ND and ??? [insert school of ND's choice].  It would also give WVU some east coast friends

I know that we had no choice about TCU because we HAD to add someone to keep our membership numbers and they were available and geographically made sense... but I kinda wonder if we're going to regret adding the Horned Frogs.  An 8-team midwest division plus an 8-team east coast division would be a pretty sweet setup for a 16-team conference.  But now that we have 9 midwest teams, we'll never be able to create that nice, neat greographic divisional arrangement.

Midwest
KSU, KU, ISU, OU, OSU, UT, TT, BU

East Coast
WVU, FSU, Clem, GT, Miami, Pitt, Va Tech, and MD

It would be pretty easy to group these teams into geographic pods and divisions, and everything would be all hunkydory.  But with TCU in the mix, it just won't work.

This is easy, just put ISU in the East Coast.  We don't need Maryland and put TCU in the Midwest. 

[0.42]

Some news out of the bargain bin of FBS

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/34838955

      

Karl Benson expected to become new Sun Belt boss




WAC commissioner Karl Benson is expected to take the same position with the Sun Belt Conference, CBSSports.com has learned.

Benson, 60, has been in his current position since 1994. The recent instability of the league may have led to his decision to pursue the Sun Belt job. Current Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters is retiring later this year.

A formal announcement on Benson is expected Thursday.

Under Benson's watch both Boise State and Hawaii played in BCS bowls since 2007. But conference realignment has cost him both of those schools. The WAC currently consists of eight schools in 2012. However, Hawaii, Nevada and Fresno State are leaving for what will be the new Mountain West/Conference USA conglomerate in 2013.

In the late 1990s, Benson oversaw the first super conference when the WAC expanded to 16 teams. The arrangement quickly became too unwieldy. In 1999, eight schools broke off to form the Mountain West.

Benson is a proud former shortstop at Boise State. He is expected to take office at the New Orleans-based Sun Belt on April 1, the week the city is hosting the Final Four.

This is utterly bad for the WAC if true. Benson's McGuyver'd that conference from getting destroyed countless times throughout its history, and it's unlikely that anyone with any sort of competence is going to want to take this job. If Benson leaves, the WAC is likely mumped unless they can somehow poach someone decent like Tom Burnett from the Southland Conference. This also likely means that there have been behind the scenes machinations with the new Mountain West-Conference USA merger that poached the last few WAC teams on the wagon--namely Utah State, San Jose State, Louisiana Tech, and possibly New Mexico State. That leaves Idaho, maybe NMSU, UT-San Antonio, and Texas State ( ) holding their dicks.

Idaho is basically mumped unless the MWC-CUSA merger decides to be charitable and put them in their western expansion, which is unlikely for a number of reasons. They could possibly steal a Sun Belt bid since they were there before. NMSU also used to be in the SBC and had a "rivalry" with North Texas back in the day, so they're likely a safe bet to merge with the SBC if the Mount USA merger doesn't take them. TXST and UTSA have to pray that the merger gets a couple of Sun Belt teams poached and that the SBC extends a life raft to them. North Texas will likely want to cockblock the Texas twins unless circumstances necessitate taking them for UNT's survival, but a majority could overrule them regardless. However, if UNT gets taken into the MWC-CUSA merger, then the Sun Belt may just decide to expand eastward and take FCS teams from that area like Georgia Southern instead of the Texas twins...although it's hard to think they'd just give up media markets in Texas that easily. If the Texas twins can't find a conference home, I really don't know how they'll survive the transition to FBS...especially not Texas State (UTSA has a better media market, our admin is reactive unlike UTSA's proactive group, Austin doesn't want to cover us much, etc.). Neither can survive being an independent for long. The NCAA can't necessarily force them back down to FCS this year because they've already recruited towards the FBS scholarship limit, but this certainly doesn't look good for them.

What will likely decide everything is whether the MWC/CUSA merger expands to 18 or 24. They have 16 right now, 8 in western states and 8 in eastern states. If the merger goes 18, they likely take Louisiana Tech for the east and Utah State or San Jose State for the west. The Sun Belt would then decide with whom they would want to merge, if any--UTSA, NMSU, TXST, Utah State and Idaho being the most likely candidates, in that order. San Jose State would have to hope for a full merger between the SBC and the WAC if they get left out of the MWC-CUSA merger or they're looking at FCS play within a few years.

If the MWC-CUSA merger goes 24, things get more interesting. SJSU, USU, NMSU, and Idaho would get added to the west without much of an issue. Figuring out the east isn't as easy. Louisiana Tech is a lock, then the most likely candidates seem to be North Texas, FAU, FIU, or if things get really weird, some team(s) from the MAC to help Marshall out a little bit. On the outside looking in for the merger are Texas State and UTSA--who might be able to get La Tech, UTEP, Rice, and maybe Tulane to lobby for them--and the generally successful but market-poor Sun Belt programs of Troy, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee. Louisiana Tech has some serious hatred going on with ULM and ULL and will scream bloody murder at any attempt to include them, and South Alabama just moved up so they're not going to get a look.  Appalachian State has talked about moving up and would be a prime target for the east, but they have no media market and they may not be able to move up in time for the merger. In terms of media markets, the merger would be smart to take some combination of 3 out of the 5 Texas and Florida schools. IMO though, the most likely combination is La Tech, UNT, FAU and/or FIU, UTSA, MAC school like Ohio/Temple/MiamiOH, TXST, in that order. Any WAC schools left out in this equation (likely both Texas schools, but most likely Texas State between the two ) would have to go begging to hang out in Sun Belt purgatory in order to to avoid the inevitable program suicide that would come with FBS independence--and ultimately, a drop back down to FCS.

tl;dr: WAC folds, Texas State gets boned out of an FBS bid or spends the next 10 years in Sun Belt obscurity. FML.

[Rage Against the McKee]

Some news out of the bargain bin of FBS

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/34838955

      

Karl Benson expected to become new Sun Belt boss




WAC commissioner Karl Benson is expected to take the same position with the Sun Belt Conference, CBSSports.com has learned.

Benson, 60, has been in his current position since 1994. The recent instability of the league may have led to his decision to pursue the Sun Belt job. Current Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters is retiring later this year.

A formal announcement on Benson is expected Thursday.

Under Benson's watch both Boise State and Hawaii played in BCS bowls since 2007. But conference realignment has cost him both of those schools. The WAC currently consists of eight schools in 2012. However, Hawaii, Nevada and Fresno State are leaving for what will be the new Mountain West/Conference USA conglomerate in 2013.

In the late 1990s, Benson oversaw the first super conference when the WAC expanded to 16 teams. The arrangement quickly became too unwieldy. In 1999, eight schools broke off to form the Mountain West.

Benson is a proud former shortstop at Boise State. He is expected to take office at the New Orleans-based Sun Belt on April 1, the week the city is hosting the Final Four.

This is utterly bad for the WAC if true. Benson's McGuyver'd that conference from getting destroyed countless times throughout its history, and it's unlikely that anyone with any sort of competence is going to want to take this job. If Benson leaves, the WAC is likely mumped unless they can somehow poach someone decent like Tom Burnett from the Southland Conference. This also likely means that there have been behind the scenes machinations with the new Mountain West-Conference USA merger that poached the last few WAC teams on the wagon--namely Utah State, San Jose State, Louisiana Tech, and possibly New Mexico State. That leaves Idaho, maybe NMSU, UT-San Antonio, and Texas State ( ) holding their dicks.

Idaho is basically mumped unless the MWC-CUSA merger decides to be charitable and put them in their western expansion, which is unlikely for a number of reasons. They could possibly steal a Sun Belt bid since they were there before. NMSU also used to be in the SBC and had a "rivalry" with North Texas back in the day, so they're likely a safe bet to merge with the SBC if the Mount USA merger doesn't take them. TXST and UTSA have to pray that the merger gets a couple of Sun Belt teams poached and that the SBC extends a life raft to them. North Texas will likely want to cockblock the Texas twins unless circumstances necessitate taking them for UNT's survival, but a majority could overrule them regardless. However, if UNT gets taken into the MWC-CUSA merger, then the Sun Belt may just decide to expand eastward and take FCS teams from that area like Georgia Southern instead of the Texas twins...although it's hard to think they'd just give up media markets in Texas that easily. If the Texas twins can't find a conference home, I really don't know how they'll survive the transition to FBS...especially not Texas State (UTSA has a better media market, our admin is reactive unlike UTSA's proactive group, Austin doesn't want to cover us much, etc.). Neither can survive being an independent for long. The NCAA can't necessarily force them back down to FCS this year because they've already recruited towards the FBS scholarship limit, but this certainly doesn't look good for them.

What will likely decide everything is whether the MWC/CUSA merger expands to 18 or 24. They have 16 right now, 8 in western states and 8 in eastern states. If the merger goes 18, they likely take Louisiana Tech for the east and Utah State or San Jose State for the west. The Sun Belt would then decide with whom they would want to merge, if any--UTSA, NMSU, TXST, Utah State and Idaho being the most likely candidates, in that order. San Jose State would have to hope for a full merger between the SBC and the WAC if they get left out of the MWC-CUSA merger or they're looking at FCS play within a few years.

If the MWC-CUSA merger goes 24, things get more interesting. SJSU, USU, NMSU, and Idaho would get added to the west without much of an issue. Figuring out the east isn't as easy. Louisiana Tech is a lock, then the most likely candidates seem to be North Texas, FAU, FIU, or if things get really weird, some team(s) from the MAC to help Marshall out a little bit. On the outside looking in for the merger are Texas State and UTSA--who might be able to get La Tech, UTEP, Rice, and maybe Tulane to lobby for them--and the generally successful but market-poor Sun Belt programs of Troy, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee. Louisiana Tech has some serious hatred going on with ULM and ULL and will scream bloody murder at any attempt to include them, and South Alabama just moved up so they're not going to get a look.  Appalachian State has talked about moving up and would be a prime target for the east, but they have no media market and they may not be able to move up in time for the merger. In terms of media markets, the merger would be smart to take some combination of 3 out of the 5 Texas and Florida schools. IMO though, the most likely combination is La Tech, UNT, FAU and/or FIU, UTSA, MAC school like Ohio/Temple/MiamiOH, TXST, in that order. Any WAC schools left out in this equation (likely both Texas schools, but most likely Texas State between the two ) would have to go begging to hang out in Sun Belt purgatory in order to to avoid the inevitable program suicide that would come with FBS independence--and ultimately, a drop back down to FCS.

tl;dr: WAC folds, Texas State gets boned out of an FBS bid or spends the next 10 years in Sun Belt obscurity. FML.

The Sun Belt really isn't any worse than the WAC. It's probably better, actually.

[Panjandrum]

Some news out of the bargain bin of FBS

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/34838955

      

Karl Benson expected to become new Sun Belt boss




WAC commissioner Karl Benson is expected to take the same position with the Sun Belt Conference, CBSSports.com has learned.

Benson, 60, has been in his current position since 1994. The recent instability of the league may have led to his decision to pursue the Sun Belt job. Current Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters is retiring later this year.

A formal announcement on Benson is expected Thursday.

Under Benson's watch both Boise State and Hawaii played in BCS bowls since 2007. But conference realignment has cost him both of those schools. The WAC currently consists of eight schools in 2012. However, Hawaii, Nevada and Fresno State are leaving for what will be the new Mountain West/Conference USA conglomerate in 2013.

In the late 1990s, Benson oversaw the first super conference when the WAC expanded to 16 teams. The arrangement quickly became too unwieldy. In 1999, eight schools broke off to form the Mountain West.

Benson is a proud former shortstop at Boise State. He is expected to take office at the New Orleans-based Sun Belt on April 1, the week the city is hosting the Final Four.

This is utterly bad for the WAC if true. Benson's McGuyver'd that conference from getting destroyed countless times throughout its history, and it's unlikely that anyone with any sort of competence is going to want to take this job. If Benson leaves, the WAC is likely mumped unless they can somehow poach someone decent like Tom Burnett from the Southland Conference. This also likely means that there have been behind the scenes machinations with the new Mountain West-Conference USA merger that poached the last few WAC teams on the wagon--namely Utah State, San Jose State, Louisiana Tech, and possibly New Mexico State. That leaves Idaho, maybe NMSU, UT-San Antonio, and Texas State ( ) holding their dicks.

Idaho is basically mumped unless the MWC-CUSA merger decides to be charitable and put them in their western expansion, which is unlikely for a number of reasons. They could possibly steal a Sun Belt bid since they were there before. NMSU also used to be in the SBC and had a "rivalry" with North Texas back in the day, so they're likely a safe bet to merge with the SBC if the Mount USA merger doesn't take them. TXST and UTSA have to pray that the merger gets a couple of Sun Belt teams poached and that the SBC extends a life raft to them. North Texas will likely want to cockblock the Texas twins unless circumstances necessitate taking them for UNT's survival, but a majority could overrule them regardless. However, if UNT gets taken into the MWC-CUSA merger, then the Sun Belt may just decide to expand eastward and take FCS teams from that area like Georgia Southern instead of the Texas twins...although it's hard to think they'd just give up media markets in Texas that easily. If the Texas twins can't find a conference home, I really don't know how they'll survive the transition to FBS...especially not Texas State (UTSA has a better media market, our admin is reactive unlike UTSA's proactive group, Austin doesn't want to cover us much, etc.). Neither can survive being an independent for long. The NCAA can't necessarily force them back down to FCS this year because they've already recruited towards the FBS scholarship limit, but this certainly doesn't look good for them.

What will likely decide everything is whether the MWC/CUSA merger expands to 18 or 24. They have 16 right now, 8 in western states and 8 in eastern states. If the merger goes 18, they likely take Louisiana Tech for the east and Utah State or San Jose State for the west. The Sun Belt would then decide with whom they would want to merge, if any--UTSA, NMSU, TXST, Utah State and Idaho being the most likely candidates, in that order. San Jose State would have to hope for a full merger between the SBC and the WAC if they get left out of the MWC-CUSA merger or they're looking at FCS play within a few years.

If the MWC-CUSA merger goes 24, things get more interesting. SJSU, USU, NMSU, and Idaho would get added to the west without much of an issue. Figuring out the east isn't as easy. Louisiana Tech is a lock, then the most likely candidates seem to be North Texas, FAU, FIU, or if things get really weird, some team(s) from the MAC to help Marshall out a little bit. On the outside looking in for the merger are Texas State and UTSA--who might be able to get La Tech, UTEP, Rice, and maybe Tulane to lobby for them--and the generally successful but market-poor Sun Belt programs of Troy, Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee. Louisiana Tech has some serious hatred going on with ULM and ULL and will scream bloody murder at any attempt to include them, and South Alabama just moved up so they're not going to get a look.  Appalachian State has talked about moving up and would be a prime target for the east, but they have no media market and they may not be able to move up in time for the merger. In terms of media markets, the merger would be smart to take some combination of 3 out of the 5 Texas and Florida schools. IMO though, the most likely combination is La Tech, UNT, FAU and/or FIU, UTSA, MAC school like Ohio/Temple/MiamiOH, TXST, in that order. Any WAC schools left out in this equation (likely both Texas schools, but most likely Texas State between the two ) would have to go begging to hang out in Sun Belt purgatory in order to to avoid the inevitable program suicide that would come with FBS independence--and ultimately, a drop back down to FCS.

tl;dr: WAC folds, Texas State gets boned out of an FBS bid or spends the next 10 years in Sun Belt obscurity. FML.

Sorry, 42.  Blame Mike Slive.

[WillieWatanabe]

Chip Brown @ChipBrownOB

A source in the Big 12 tells Orangebloods.com the combined exit fees of Missouri and Texas A&M will total between $31 mil and $34 mil.

[Panjandrum]

Chip Brown @ChipBrownOB

A source in the Big 12 tells Orangebloods.com the combined exit fees of Missouri and Texas A&M will total between $31 mil and $34 mil.

 

[steve dave]

$16 million per... will take I guess

[Rage Against the McKee]

I was really hoping for it to be more like $20 million per.

[steve dave]

I was really hoping for it to be more like $20 million per.

I knew not to hope that high.