D1

[Herb Street]

Since the teams did move to the WAC, wouldn't it have been a "no brainer" to go there? Remember "no brainers" for our administrators seem to be difficult.

[WT_TKW]

I hadn't really thought about how far away the schools are, so I looked them up. I included some from the old days.

ACU - 261 miles
Commerce - 406 miles
Tarleton - 367 miles
Angelo - 280 miles
UTPB - 236 miles
A&I - 635 miles
Incarnate Word - 481 miles
Lamar U - 662 miles
New Mexico State - 382 miles
ENMU - 106 miles
WNMU - 510 miles
SFA - 538 miles
SH - 541 miles
U of North Texas - 335 miles
OU - 297 miles (we played them in softball last fall)
McNeese State - 714 miles
Dixie State - 821 miles
E Ky - 1132 miles

New LSC Members -

CWU - 1630 miles
WOU - 1732 miles
Simon Fraser - 1865 miles

[Wildcat Khan]

I hadn't really thought about how far away the schools are, so I looked them up. I included some from the old days.

ACU - 261 miles
Commerce - 406 miles
Tarleton - 367 miles
Angelo - 280 miles
UTPB - 236 miles
A&I - 635 miles
Incarnate Word - 481 miles
Lamar U - 662 miles
New Mexico State - 382 miles
ENMU - 106 miles
WNMU - 510 miles
SFA - 538 miles
SH - 541 miles
U of North Texas - 335 miles
OU - 297 miles (we played them in softball last fall)
McNeese State - 714 miles
Dixie State - 821 miles
E Ky - 1132 miles

New LSC Members -

CWU - 1630 miles
WOU - 1732 miles
Simon Fraser - 1865 miles

I'm not going to look it up, but I know the Big Sky would be closer for the 3 new members of the LSC. That would be less money for travel, but a lot more for scholarships and still have some flights like to Northern Arizona. Simon Frasier also has YVR right there, while you have about an hour drive to PDX for WOU and 90 minute drive from SEA or 30 minutes from YKM (small regional airport) for CWU. I'm a little curious about drive times for the other schools to airports.

[Herb Street]

I hadn't really thought about how far away the schools are, so I looked them up. I included some from the old days.

ACU - 261 miles
Commerce - 406 miles
Tarleton - 367 miles
Angelo - 280 miles
UTPB - 236 miles
A&I - 635 miles
Incarnate Word - 481 miles
Lamar U - 662 miles
New Mexico State - 382 miles
ENMU - 106 miles
WNMU - 510 miles
SFA - 538 miles
SH - 541 miles
U of North Texas - 335 miles
OU - 297 miles (we played them in softball last fall)
McNeese State - 714 miles
Dixie State - 821 miles
E Ky - 1132 miles

New LSC Members -

CWU - 1630 miles
WOU - 1732 miles
Simon Fraser - 1865 miles

[Wildcat Khan]

If we can find another conference, there is no other conference accepting and the LSC and GNAC had a scheduling alliance in place. What do you want us to do, play each other 3-4 times a year as no other D2 football schools close by? There are no D2 football schools in CA or AZ or ID or Montana. Remember also CWU joined the NCC for its two last seasons for similar reasons and was NCC when they played GVSU in the playoffs SR finals.

[Herb Street]

If we can find another conference, there is no other conference accepting and the LSC and GNAC had a scheduling alliance in place. What do you want us to do, play each other 3-4 times a year as no other D2 football schools close by? There are no D2 football schools in CA or AZ or ID or Montana. Remember also CWU joined the NCC for its two last seasons for similar reasons and was NCC when they played GVSU in the playoffs SR finals.

[Wildcat Khan]

Even in the GNAC there were trips over 1,000 miles as APU is in the LA area and even though CWU bussed to HSU, in the playoffs it would be a plane flight due to the distance. I wouldn't be surprised to see the three schools try to schedule an FCS opponent money game yearly or bi-yearly. The GNAC is strong in all other sports, ironically with a longer trip to Alaska for two games.

The only feasible thing would maybe be if about 6 California JuCo schools could be become D2 football schools, but I don't see that ever happening. Moving down also really isn't an option as the D3 schools and NAIAA schools kicked WWU, WOU, and CWU out for being public schools and not private. At that time SFU moved into the CIS from NAIAA and CWU, WWU, and WOU all moved to D2. None of the schools have the money to move up either.

[WT_TKW]

I don't think all of those will play football. The WAC website is a mess, I got most of the teams from Wikipedia, including E. KY and Dixie State. There's also one in AR.

I was shocked when the new LSC teams were announced because they are so far away, but we had been playing some of them anyway. We had to replace D1 juggernauts like ACU, IW, Tarleton, and Commerce. It might be fun to go back to playing New Mexico State, though with our current coaching staff we would lose most games.

I suggested a long time ago that the entire LSC should just move up, it would have kept the rivalries, including the 4 teams that left for D1.

[BuffaloChip]

I would be shocked if WT decided to move to FCS D1. Shocked, I tell you, shocked! I believe our 2022/2023 athletic budget will be @ $13,000,000. A strong D2 budget. I've been told that a move to the Southland would require a $20M budget and the WAC a $30M budget to competitively compete for conference championships.

As far as WT is concerned, nothing is going to change until the fundamental turmoil in college athletics plays out. Until the 65 P5 schools (including Norte Dame) decide to expand their numbers to 96 FB schools and add another 32 non-FB schools (the Gonzagas) to the P5 milieu or new P8 fold, and the BIG shakeout begins, everything else is moot. Billions and billions of TV money never to be shared with the lesser brethren are the only things that will matter. Money talks and for those left behind, money will be saying "good bye."

When, not if, the BIG shakeout rattles college atletics, the Tarletons, Commerces and ACU's of the world will join the New Mexico States, Uteps, and Missouri States of the world on the outside faces forever pressed against the window. When the NCAA is forced to reorganize as a smaller, lesser organization, more in tune with the needs of students and athletes than with NIL dollars and agents, $10M a year coaches, and billion(s) dollar TV deals.......then WT might take a hard look at what smaller creature rises from the ashes, and...... "move up.".

There's going to be a lotta noses bent out of shape. Egos crushed. Fantasies brought back to reality. Dreams of David slaying Goliath just that, dreams. Best laid plans gone awry. All gone, forever and ever.

[Wildcat Khan]

I would be shocked if WT decided to move to FCS D1. Shocked, I tell you, shocked! I believe our 2022/2023 athletic budget will be @ $13,000,000. A strong D2 budget. I've been told that a move to the Southland would require a $20M budget and the WAC a $30M budget to competitively compete for conference championships.

As far as WT is concerned, nothing is going to change until the fundamental turmoil in college athletics plays out. Until the 65 P5 schools (including Norte Dame) decide to expand their numbers to 96 FB schools and add another 32 non-FB schools (the Gonzagas) to the P5 milieu or new P8 fold, and the BIG shakeout begins. Billions and billions of TV money never to be shared with the lesser brethren.

When, not if, the BIG shakeout rattles college atletics, the Tarletons, Commerces and ACU's of the world will join the New Mexico States, Uteps, and Missouri States of the world on the outside faces forever looking in. When the NCAA is forced to reorganize as a smaller, lesser organization, more in tune with the needs of students and athletes than with NIL dollars and agents, $10M a year coaches, and billion(s) dollar TV deals.......then WT might a hard look at what creature rises from the ashes.

There's going to be a lotta noses bent out of shape. Egos crushed. Fantasies brought back to reality. Dreams of David slaying Goliath. Best laid plans gone awry. All gone, forever and forever.

To add more to that, the Big 10 in 2021 despite only having Michigan in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 got the most of any conference despite how poorly they did. Until they get a rule about having to go .500 in conference to even be considered for an at large bid conferences like the Big 10 and Big 12 will bring in the most even when they don't play well. What does the MAAC get for St Peters making the sweet 16? 3 shares. The Big 10 gets 6 for their sweet 16 teams so far and 12 for those already out of the tournament. By comparison, the WCC last year with 2 teams and one making the title game got.... 6 shares.

As long as the P6 schools can put 70-80% of their conference into the field the mid-major conferences don't have much of a chance in sharing the money even if they manage to make the title game. That's also one of the reasons Gonzaga stayed in the WCC instead of moving to the MWC, they get a larger pot than the rest of the conference and would have lost that money in the MWC so this year even though the rest of the WCC got 3 shares compared to MWC's 4, they will becoming home with more money from the shares that Gonzaga earns.

As long as the at large field is 80-90% power conferences, the smaller conferences lose out in the money to re-invest. This is even before you figure in NIL and how it will effect recruiting in the future.

You also hit on why CWU, SFU (although they likely have to stay D2 being in Canada), and WOU won't be looking to the FCS anytime soon. The amount spent on traveling 4-5 games to Texas and New Mexico a year is less than to be in the FCS even in a travel friendly Big Sky I'd bet.

[BuffaloChip]

To add more to that, the Big 10 in 2021 despite only having Michigan in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 got the most of any conference despite how poorly they did. Until they get a rule about having to go .500 in conference to even be considered for an at large bid conferences like the Big 10 and Big 12 will bring in the most even when they don't play well. What does the MAAC get for St Peters making the sweet 16? 3 shares. The Big 10 gets 6 for their sweet 16 teams so far and 12 for those already out of the tournament. By comparison, the WCC last year with 2 teams and one making the title game got.... 6 shares.

As long as the P6 schools can put 70-80% of their conference into the field the mid-major conferences don't have much of a chance in sharing the money even if they manage to make the title game. That's also one of the reasons Gonzaga stayed in the WCC instead of moving to the MWC, they get a larger pot than the rest of the conference and would have lost that money in the MWC so this year even though the rest of the WCC got 3 shares compared to MWC's 4, they will becoming home with more money from the shares that Gonzaga earns.

As long as the at large field is 80-90% power conferences, the smaller conferences lose out in the money to re-invest. This is even before you figure in NIL and how it will effect recruiting in the future.

You also hit on why CWU, SFU (although they likely have to stay D2 being in Canada), and WOU won't be looking to the FCS anytime soon. The amount spent on traveling 4-5 games to Texas and New Mexico a year is less than to be in the FCS even in a travel friendly Big Sky I'd bet.

I edited some of my first "draft."

[Wildcat Khan]

I edited some of my first "draft."

It doesn't change the fact that a 77 NET Rutgers and a ND team (yes, they did well for their seed) that was a comparable resume to BYU got in, yet Dayton and SMU with better resumes than both were left out. The power leagues (can include Big East) drive viewers, which in turn drives who's included. As long as they give the nod to the P6 schools over a better resume from a mid-major, they tilt the money to go to the P6 conferences from those that might deserve it. Also how is the #3 team in the NET in Houston a 5 seed? The announcers watching the game said "This is not a 5-seed" with how they were playing. It should be no surprise they beat the properly seeded Illinois (15 NET) how a 1-seed should beat a 4-seed. At least a bad seed you can play your way out of though.

Right now BYU and pre-season top 25 St Bonaventure are still alive in the NIT

[Pounder]

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

It doesn't change the fact that a 77 NET Rutgers and a ND team (yes, they did well for their seed) that was a comparable resume to BYU got in, yet Dayton and SMU with better resumes than both were left out. The power leagues (can include Big East) drive viewers, which in turn drives who's included. As long as they give the nod to the P6 schools over a better resume from a mid-major, they tilt the money to go to the P6 conferences from those that might deserve it. Also how is the #3 team in the NET in Houston a 5 seed? The announcers watching the game said "This is not a 5-seed" with how they were playing. It should be no surprise they beat the properly seeded Illinois (15 NET) how a 1-seed should beat a 4-seed. At least a bad seed you can play your way out of though.

Right now BYU and pre-season top 25 St Bonaventure are still alive in the NIT

Agree with Rutgers. Dayton and SMU should be in. Notre Dame finished 2nd in the ACC. BYU is a little of a stretch there. You cant go 2-6 against the top 4 in the WCC with a Quad 4 loss to Pacific and be seriously considered. BYU still being alive playing mid major teams on their home floor isn't that great of an accomplishment. At the same time San Francisco shouldnt have sniffed the tournament. They went 0-5 against Gonzaga and St. Mary's and only tournament team wins on their resume were against Davidson and UAB which are hardly juggernauts. They also had a Quad 4 loss.

Gonzaga would probably finish 12-8 in the BIG 10 or BIG 12. Every other team .500 or less.

100% agree about going over .500 in the conference. Getting in with a 7-11 conference record is ridiculous.

They should have all conference champs get in as automatic qualifiers and winners of the conference tourneys get an automatic NIT invite. Ridiculous that small school teams only lose one or two conference games and are knocked out by a team having a hot night.

[Herb Street]