Texas A&M-Texarkana to join LSC, start football program

[Finchwidget]

https://www.tamuteagles.com/general/...20250904njop5c

Texas A&M-Texarkana announced today that they've begun planning construction on a football stadium and secured an invitation to join the LSC. No timeline for when they'd begin LSC play, but they have a stated goal of starting football by fall of 2027. There was strong rumors of them moving to D2, but it looks like it's official now.

This would put the LSC at a whopping 19 members, which I believe would make it the largest NCAA conference at any level, with 9 football programs in-conference. I imagine CWU and WOU are getting nervous.

[Inkblot]

I'm guessing they'll be applying next February.

[canadarican]

I imagine CWU and WOU are getting nervous.

Gulf South will take them ;)

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Wow! I thought for sure they would be a better fit for the GAC especially if the Oklahoma schools ever split off and formed their own conference.

Agree with Finch that it looks like Central Washington and Western Oregon are going to have some difficult scenarios to prepare for soon unless a LSC school or two surprises us and jumps for FCS.

Another note. It would seem logical to have the non football playing schools go back to a heartland type conference and keep the LSC football schools.

[BuffaloChip]

Wow! I thought for sure they would be a better fit for the GAC especially if the Oklahoma schools ever split off and formed their own conference.

Agree with Finch that it looks like Central Washington and Western Oregon are going to have some difficult scenarios to prepare for soon unless a LSC school or two surprises us and jumps for FCS.

Another note. It would seem logical to have the non football playing schools go back to a heartland type conference and keep the LSC football schools.

I'm still waiting for Cameron to restart football. They were admitted to the LSC with that proviso. Still waiting. hahaha

[cwfenn]

Gulf South will take them ;)

Well if noted Atlantic seaboard schools Cal and Stanford can...then CWU and WOU can!

[tsull]

Good for Texarkana, it's up to WOU and CWU to forge their own paths. As noted, I wouldn't be against an independent schedule with a combo of D2/D3/NAIA/FCS teams scheduled. I've been shouted down for suggesting this, but it's better than the other option and that's cutting the sport. WOU is determined to stay D2 and not return to NAIA, I guess they like the branding? As if the NCAA is a good brand these days. We're 20+ years into D2 and have yet to make any playoffs in football, women's basketball, volleyball. We had a nice decade run in men's hoops awhile back, baseball has faded. We need to be D2 more than just in name.

The alums and fans need to push keeping football as I don't trust our school or athletic administration. They are in the wilderness when it comes to managing athletics, IMO.

[Finchwidget]

Another note. It would seem logical to have the non football playing schools go back to a heartland type conference and keep the LSC football schools.

Completely agree. However, any Heartland Conference v2.0 that were to break off to form this would lose access to autobids for their first two years, since they would be considered a new conference by the NCAA. I imagine things would have to get pretty contentious between the football and non-football schools in the LSC for them to consider that, à la the old WVIAC.

[MeanMachineOffense]

CWU and WOU don't need to get nervous until UT Dallas or someone with a half decent team or huge enrollment joins to add another football team.

Losing them would be a detriment in football that would really hurt strength of schedule and without some kind of replacement, and Sul Ross & Texarkana ain't it and won't be it for a very long time.

Or is Dallas Baptist getting a team? There's been rumors of that. That might change the math a lot on this?

[texcap]

I'm still waiting for Cameron to restart football. They were admitted to the LSC with that proviso. Still waiting. hahaha

Exactly what I thought when I read the title!

[Techster88]

This University was a satellite of East Texas State and at one time considered relocating East Texas State to Texarkana from Commerce. In the day only offered junior and senior level courses paired with Texarkana Community College for first two years.

Once A&M took over they started adding more and more programs outgrowing the original location relocating and turning into a full four year university.

The school is small but growing exponentially. A&M funded is the key here.

I see a couple of hurdles from the outset.

1 Support for football

This Is a huge undertaking for such a small university and they lack the facilities to start with no stadium no training facilities no locker rooms etc literally ground zero

2 Having grown up in the area Texarkana has not grown much for a reason. The leadership blocks opportunities

HEB just got their rejection recently

it will be a hard sell support a team and that 40% of Texarkana is in Arkansas and unless they are alums won’t support a Texas school

sounds crazy but it is what it is

3 No timetable

Saying you are going to start a program and actually starting a program is two completely different things

i wouldn’t be so hip to add another school to the LSC on word and handshakes

All that being said, if they do add football TAMU Texarkana will continue to grow into a nice small university with five to seven thousand students.

IOW, if I were Central Washington or Western Oregon I would not loose sleep over a contingent long term plan years into the future if ever

[Finchwidget]

This University was a satellite of East Texas State and at one time considered relocating East Texas State to Texarkana from Commerce. In the day only offered junior and senior level courses paired with Texarkana Community College for first two years.

Once A&M took over they started adding more and more programs outgrowing the original location relocating and turning into a full four year university.

The school is small but growing exponentially. A&M funded is the key here.

I see a couple of hurdles from the outset.

1 Support for football

This Is a huge undertaking for such a small university and they lack the facilities to start with no stadium no training facilities no locker rooms etc literally ground zero

2 Having grown up in the area Texarkana has not grown much for a reason. The leadership blocks opportunities

HEB just got their rejection recently

it will be a hard sell support a team and that 40% of Texarkana is in Arkansas and unless they are alums won’t support a Texas school

sounds crazy but it is what it is

3 No timetable

Saying you are going to start a program and actually starting a program is two completely different things

i wouldn’t be so hip to add another school to the LSC on word and handshakes

All that being said, if they do add football TAMU Texarkana will continue to grow into a nice small university with five to seven thousand students.

IOW, if I were Central Washington or Western Oregon I would not loose sleep over a contingent long term plan years into the future if ever

Fair points on the first two, but they do have a timetable. Their press release says they plan to begin play in fall 2027 and hope to have their stadium finished by 2028.

[Techster88]

Fair points on the first two, but they do have a timetable. Their press release says they plan to begin play in fall 2027 and hope to have their stadium finished by 2028.

You are correct there is a timetable. I can see this happening but not as quickly as projected. Land to build a stadium should not be a problem as A&M purchased a swath of land when they relocated the University.

Best case scenario is they have a team and facilities in a five year period. Anything prior to that will be a bonus.

Gotta have women’s flag football as well if they are actively pursuing upholding title. 9 and justifying their case for building a 6000 capacity stadium

[LSC Fan]

You are correct there is a timetable. I can see this happening but not as quickly as projected. Land to build a stadium should not be a problem as A&M purchased a swath of land when they relocated the University.

Best case scenario is they have a team and facilities in a five year period. Anything prior to that will be a bonus.

Gotta have women’s flag football as well if they are actively pursuing upholding title. 9 and justifying their case for building a 6000 capacity stadium

Unless A&M Texarkana is part of the PUF like Tarleton, PVAM, Collie Station, Galveston, the McAllen center or their medical and Ag extension branches, they WILL NOT get help from BOR. Technically, Legislative appropriated money can’t be used for athletic facilities either unless it’s used as classroom like a field house being labeled a health center and this last capital budget cycle that was just approved, none of our schools save Tarleton , PVAM or Collie Station got one capital dollar designated for our needs. And when we do, it’s pennies compared to the dollars the systems darlings get along with the mother ship. Let’s grow the College Station campus to 85K and show them ‘sips in Austin!

The only way this will happen in this time frame is if Texarkana has a Daddy Warbucks or they have a wealthy alumni network. Texarkana isn’t really known for either although Ross Perot was born and raised in Texarkana. Other that that, they have a cool place in the middle of town where you take a picture standing in Texas and Arkansas. That’s about it.

[MeanMachineOffense]

The only way this will happen in this time frame is if Texarkana has a Daddy Warbucks or they have a wealthy alumni network. Texarkana isn’t really known for either although Ross Perot was born and raised in Texarkana. Other that that, they have a cool place in the middle of town where you take a picture standing in Texas and Arkansas. That’s about it.

They must know something we don't. They already have an agreement with Red River Credit Union for naming rights.