Texas A&M- Texarkana transitioning to D2 for 2027

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

I agree. UMHB is a better fit for the LSC. I just see them more ready to make the jump to D2 than any of the D3 schools mentioned. Don’t know how prepared financially UMHB is to making the jump to LSC.

If this were 10+ years ago with ACU, Tarleton, Commerce, and Incarnate Word around I would say definitely not. It will still cost to compete in the LSC but not as much as I would think it would in the past. Competitive teams and football talent is way down these days and also more teams are not funded at full strength in the LSC. Sul Ross was able to beat Western New Mexico and Eastern New Mexico and I believe UMHB was able to handle Sul Ross so I dont think the transition would be a wipe out but obviously wont be challenging Angelo State anytime soon either. Another question would be how equipped would UMHB for the NIL/Portal game and scholarship game?

Just for reference. UMHB (Belton, Tx) is closer to Kingsville and Canyon (WT) than they are to Harding (Searcy).

[OldBison]

Actually Searcy is only 25 minutes (drive time) further from Belton than are Canyon, TX and Portales, NM. In the GAC East UMHB would be closer to other GAC opponents ( Southern Arkansas, UAM, Ouachita, Henderson) than they would to some of their other LSC opponents (I.e., Sul Ross, Western NM, Central Washington, Western Oregon).

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Actually Searcy is only 25 minutes (drive time) further from Belton than are Canyon, TX and Portales, NM. In the GAC East UMHB would be closer to other GAC opponents ( Southern Arkansas, UAM, Ouachita, Henderson) than they would to some of their other LSC opponents (I.e., Sul Ross, Western NM, Central Washington, Western Oregon).

I think the assumption is if the LSC is able to add one or two more schools then Central Washington and Western Oregon would be given the boot which would leave Western New Mexico as the longest drive out there. Western New Mexico should be return to sender to RMAC if the LSC does add multiple football schools. All bets are off if some of the remaining LSC senior member schools decide to give FCS a shot. If one goes, then more are likely to follow.

[OICfootball]

Texarkana along with East Texas Baptist tried to get into the GAC already.

Multiple sources told The Oklahoman the push to have the Oklahoma Legislature step into the conference membership business came after presidents of the GAC’s Arkansas members declined to allow Northeastern State and Oklahoma Christian, along with two out-of-state schools, into the league. OC and one of the out-of-state schools do not sponsor football programs.

[Tech Boys]

Of course Northeastern State and Oklahoma Christian were going to be denied and it should not have been a surprise to the Okie schools who helped write and agreed to the core sport bylaw. If TAMU-Texarkana and East Texas Baptist were the out-of-state schools, it makes sense that they would not be accepted either. The GAC likes doing things in pairs and one of this pair isn't ready yet.

[LukeMcConnell1]

The Oklahoma Conference deal is being pushed by OC. The sponsor of the bill is an OC grad as well.

GAC sources have told me if there were two or four football ready schools looking to join the GAC, "that would likely pass." The fact NSU and ETB haven't been invited as two "football ready schools" tells me NSU is just along for the ride and not actively pursuing GAC membership. That's just a guess on my part.

[Mavchamp]

I think as far as the number of sports offered.....ETBU is ready for D2.

I also think they are ready facilities wise in all sports. Especially basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer and softball. All have brand new facilities or newly renovated facilities. Football stadium is in great shape, it's just small. There is room for 2500 seated and about 4,000 if you count the hill. Expansion is sorely needed.

ETBU's work lies in the financials of moving up..... if that's what they desire. From what I understand...... the current sports budget sits at about $5.4 million.

I think that's too low for the GAC....and it's WAYYYY too low for the LSC.

I'm thinking ETBU may have to take the NAIA route until the GAC is ready to expand. That would also allow them to beef up the financial side.

The B.H. Carroll Seminary moved to ETBU after Christmas and started this Spring and was expected to bring about 200 graduate students with it.

That addition will put ETBU right at 2,000 to 2,100 students by next fall. A significant increase in revenue.

Going to be interesting.

[OldBison]

I know this is all just conjecture and none of it may happen soon but there does seem to be some changes on the way. So many moving parts. I think something will need to happen first to force the GAC to change:

1. Oklahoma legislature moves the bill along opening a door for some or all of Oklahoma schools to form their own D2 conference that doesn’t have a core sports requirement.
2. The GSC breaks apart sending DSU to look for a conference.
3. Oklahoma schools form their own D2 conference and SNU and Oklahoma Baptist decide to stay with GAC adding DSU and ETBU to form a new10-team GAC.

i agree that Northeastern is just taking a wait-and-see approach. Northeastern, DSU, ETBU and eventually AM-Tex benefit from what ever movement occurs.

[Tdobson]

How many d2 schools are in Oklahoma?

[Finchwidget]

How many d2 schools are in Oklahoma?

6 in the GAC + 3 in the MIAA + 2 in the LSC = 11 total

[Tech Boys]

If just ONE (1) Okie school decides to not join this OIC, it's all over before it starts. D2 requires a new conference to have 10 full active members. There is also no guarantee that D2 will accept the new conference and if they do it will be a 5 year wait for the AQ. Saving on travel and missed class time gets repeated a lot but an OIC really would not save any of that, at least for the GAC schools. You would now be looking out of state for every OOC opponent and at 10 members that is a high OOC number. Some schools have teams competing in their current home conference that would be homeless with this move. I just see way too many logistical issues to be able to pull this off.

[Finchwidget]

If just ONE (1) Okie school decides to not join this OIC, it's all over before it starts. D2 requires a new conference to have 10 full active members. There is also no guarantee that D2 will accept the new conference and if they do it will be a 5 year wait for the AQ. Saving on travel and missed class time gets repeated a lot but an OIC really would not save any of that, at least for the GAC schools. You would now be looking out of state for every OOC opponent and at 10 members that is a high OOC number. Some schools have teams competing in their current home conference that would be homeless with this move. I just see way too many logistical issues to be able to pull this off.

Matt Brown of the Extra Points blog actually had a follow-up blog post on the Okie conference about a month or two ago. He said the bills language would allow university presidents to vote on inviting anyone else they wanted, Okie or not, so if one or two Okie schools decide to pass on the opportunity, it might not be completely dead in the water.

In that same post though, he mentioned that an all-Okie conference isn't a shared sentiment among all the schools, saying "Some are not hostile to the effort, some really like their current situations…and some are desperate for a change.", so whiffing on a couple of schools in the bill is very much a legitimate possibility

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Matt Brown of the Extra Points blog actually had a follow-up blog post on the Okie conference about a month or two ago. He said the bills language would allow university presidents to vote on inviting anyone else they wanted, Okie or not, so if one or two Okie schools decide to pass on the opportunity, it might not be completely dead in the water.

In that same post though, he mentioned that an all-Okie conference isn't a shared sentiment among all the schools, saying "Some are not hostile to the effort, some really like their current situations…and some are desperate for a change.", so whiffing on a couple of schools in the bill is very much a legitimate possibility

Central Oklahoma is already on record that they are happy in the MIAA and would not join an all Oklahoma conference. They are already winning championships or are doing really well in several sports.

[LukeMcConnell1]

Central Oklahoma is already on record that they are happy in the MIAA and would not join an all Oklahoma conference. They are already winning championships or are doing really well in several sports.

Yeah, I don't think UCO is even a part of the discussions on this one. Conversations I've had lead me to think OC and Cameron are the ones driving this bus. But without football for those schools and Rogers, I just don't think it's gonna happen.

[OldBison]

It seems the bill’s language leaves a lot of flexibility for the Okie schools at all levels and all conferences. I’m not saying any of this is happening soon. I’m just saying the GAC needs to be looking down the road at potential new members if some of the Okie schools defect, the GSC folds and some D3 programs are ready to move up.