SLC: UTSA Set for 2013

[TexasTerror]

Looks like UTSA has resigned to the fact they will have to play a SLC schedule and join the conference. The league now faces an interesting issue since we are now looking at 10 teams (A&M-CC and UT-Arlington, the only ones without football).

More discussion under...

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/UTSA_football_plans_to_join_Southland_in_2013.html


Following two years as an independent in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), the Roadrunners are tentatively slated to join the Southland Conference in 2013.

“I think it's pretty much set,” UTSA athletic director Lynn Hickey said.

“We have agreed to put them in beginning in 2013,” SLC commissioner Tom Burnett said. “We don't have (dates) yet, but hopefully we will lock those in soon.”

The Roadrunners would be eligible to compete immediately for the conference championship, which brings an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

Does the league split into two five-team divisions? Or does everyone play everybody?

SLC Texas Division
UTSA
Lamar
SHSU
SFA
TXST

SLC East Division
Nicholls
SLU
UCA
NWST
McN

I've said this before, but under this format, I think that each team in the SLC Texas and the SLC East should get a set rival in the other division (McN-Lamar, SFA-NWST, Nich-TXST are 'locks'). Not sure what you do with SLU, SHSU, UCA and UTSA. Then, you play eight games. Four division games, rival game, plus three out of division foes. Rotate that team you miss, but it can never be the rival game.

Thoughts??

[BEAR]

I thought TXST was going FBS? xeyebrowx What will that do to it?

[TexasTerror]

I thought TXST was going FBS? xeyebrowx What will that do to it?

With the moratorium in place, I know for a fact that TXST will probably be in the league through '12. Now, if they stick around through '14 would be interesting. Perhaps both TXST and UTSA will leave together ahead of the '15 season.

What will be funny is that Joe Bobcat Fan will be ticked they are still in FCS the longer it goes and from reading the comments Joe Roadrunner is ticked their school is going SLC and should stay FCS independent (they are not too educated it seems).

[chrisattsu]

I agree with TT, I imagine that Texas States in the league until at least 2012. We will need to have our conference lined up and have to give notice before we make the reclassification.

The Roadrunner fans that I have talked to both in person and online (utsa-roadrunners and spurstalk) hate the idea of staying the SLC. They would rather go independent. They think it would be an awesome way to transition their program, and play whoever they want.


xoopsx

[DG Cowboy]

Sure, go FBS. Just look how well that has worked out for LaTech, ULM, ULL, Ark St, etc. Took ten years of 3 home games a year to get a decent home schedule and they still have problems playing SLC teams. The reasoning seems to be, if I am an average fish in a small pond, I should become a small fish in a big pond and have one glory game every 6-7 years. Caveat emptor!

[centexguy]

I wonder if the SLC threatened to kick UTSA out of the conference completely if they decided to go independent in football? I think the SLC is in for a big shakeup after the moratorium ends.

[slycat]

Sure, go FBS. Just look how well that has worked out for LaTech, ULM, ULL, Ark St, etc. Took ten years of 3 home games a year to get a decent home schedule and they still have problems playing SLC teams. The reasoning seems to be, if I am an average fish in a small pond, I should become a small fish in a big pond and have one glory game every 6-7 years. Caveat emptor!

Heres one reason they want to go.


Wood Selig, Western Kentucky's athletic director, said, "We had been successful, even won a national championship in 2002. But we realized that the return on our investment was not all that great at the I-AA level."

Selig said that after the switch, the team exponentially increased its season-ticket sales, jumping from 1,800 to 9,100.

"The surprise was the national notoriety and attention. We're going to have half of our games televised this year and 53 million homes for our game against Tennessee," Selig said.

"You're on TV, you're on (ESPN's) 'SportsCenter,' on the ticker. ... You're part of the mainstream of college football."

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/09/05/0905texasstate.html

[PantherRob82]

haha, getting smoked by Tennessee has to bring a lot of great recruits. :D

[DG Cowboy]

Well, if it works for Tx St, great, but I really don't think the extra 7,300 WKU fans are going to continue buying season tix for a reduced home schedule and a perennial losing record. All WKU sports were big-time except for football being the only laggart. To say the other sports at McNeese or Tx St are all bigtime now and nationally recognized, as in the NCAA basketball tournament, is not accurate. If it is what Tx St, UTSA, and maybe Sam want, then go for it. I believe in being happy, and I don't believe anyone should be held back from greater things that they are willing to work for. Good luck!

[TexasTerror]

I wonder if the SLC threatened to kick UTSA out of the conference completely if they decided to go independent in football? I think the SLC is in for a big shakeup after the moratorium ends.

I am pretty certain the SLC told UTSA that they were going to do something to them if they did not commit to '13 and '14 scheduling. The Commish has said he does not want a ULM situation again and the third year is the proper year to move into the league (see SLU - not LU).


The Roadrunner fans that I have talked to both in person and online (utsa-roadrunners and spurstalk) hate the idea of staying the SLC. They would rather go independent. They think it would be an awesome way to transition their program, and play whoever they want.

Can you post some links to any threads about this situation on those boards? I'd be interested, besides the article - in seeing what they have to say. I know they can not be happy - but being an FCS independent (and probably an independent for all sports) when the future is not clear - is not in their best interest.

[TexasTerror]

Well, if it works for Tx St, great, but I really don't think the extra 7,300 WKU fans are going to continue buying season tix for a reduced home schedule and a perennial losing record. All WKU sports were big-time except for football being the only laggart. To say the other sports at McNeese or Tx St are all bigtime now and nationally recognized, as in the NCAA basketball tournament, is not accurate. If it is what Tx St, UTSA, and maybe Sam want, then go for it. I believe in being happy, and I don't believe anyone should be held back from greater things that they are willing to work for. Good luck!

Correct.

Texas St-San Marcos fans can talk about WKU all they want, but it's a bad comparison. WKU was VERY strong in both basketballs and were good in plenty of non-revenue sports (check out their Vic Bubas Cup record).

TXST can not say they've been as consistently strong in FB, MBB, WBB or even baseball (sorry - NCAAs guys - you haven't been there often). WKU can say that about the first three and have turned the tide over the last five years in the final.

[MaximumBobcat]

We'll be fine. xcoffeex

[msusig]

We'll be fine. xcoffeex

I guess I'll be the first MSU fan to wish both UTSA and Texas State good luck in their move up. I don't think it is going to be as great as they are thinking it is going to be, but who cares. Some colleges just move up before they are ready. All I care about is MSU winning where they are at. McNeese just gets a chance to beat two more FBS teams and then brag about it when we do. xthumbsupx

[centexguy]

I am pretty certain the SLC told UTSA that they were going to do something to them if they did not commit to '13 and '14 scheduling. The Commish has said he does not want a ULM situation again and the third year is the proper year to move into the league (see SLU - not LU).



Can you post some links to any threads about this situation on those boards? I'd be interested, besides the article - in seeing what they have to say. I know they can not be happy - but being an FCS independent (and probably an independent for all sports) when the future is not clear - is not in their best interest.

Terror, take a look here: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134758

[BearsCountry]

I really don't think the extra 7,300 WKU fans are going to continue buying season tix for a reduced home schedule and a perennial losing record.

Umm WKU's home schedules are way better now than they were back in the Gateway.

[TexasTerror]

I guess I'll be the first MSU fan to wish both UTSA and Texas State good luck in their move up. I don't think it is going to be as great as they are thinking it is going to be, but who cares. Some colleges just move up before they are ready. All I care about is MSU winning where they are at. McNeese just gets a chance to beat two more FBS teams and then brag about it when we do. xthumbsupx

I'm sure that TXST will continue their "rivalry" with Texas Southern if they go FBS! But, we all know that the Pokes would beat them as would the Colonels! xthumbsupx

[chrisattsu]

Can you post some links to any threads about this situation on those boards? I'd be interested, besides the article - in seeing what they have to say. I know they can not be happy - but being an FCS independent (and probably an independent for all sports) when the future is not clear - is not in their best interest.
TT,

Here are couple of fun threads. You see the true colors of their fans. They have no desire to support their team UNLESS it is in their terms. One guy in the Express News discussion says that you can cancel his season tickets if they go SLC.

Posting three different websites on a fourth shows me that that I really need to spend less time on the computer... :(

What Conference once UTSA hits D1?
http://utsa-roadrunners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42

UTSA plans to join SLC in 2013
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134758

Comments from the yesterday's San Antonio Express News
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/UTSA_football_plans_to_join_Southland_in_2013.html ?c=y&viewAllComments=y

[DG Cowboy]

I guess I'll be the first MSU fan to wish both UTSA and Texas State good luck in their move up. xthumbsupx

I resemble that remark!;)

[DG Cowboy]

Umm WKU's home schedules are way better now than they were back in the Gateway.

Right, they have a built in Sun Belt schedule with folks who have problems with SLC teams. The old Gateway, now MV, is better top to bottom than the Sun Belt. Take Troy out of the Sun Belt and you're looking at maybe one upset a year? ULM-Bama, Ark St-A&M, MTSU and somebody (Vandy?) Give the SLC teams that many scholarships and see if we wouldn't fade against the FBS teams in the 4th quarter. MSU-UNCCH, UCA-Hawaii. Everything is relative and perception is reality, so it is what it is.

[DG Cowboy]

McNeese just gets a chance to beat two more FBS teams and then brag about it when we do. xthumbsupx

Despite Tx St's recent success against McNeese, I don't think any of the three, except Sam, would risk a loss to MSU if they went FBS. Sam will play anybody, to their credit. They have never dodged potential losses.

[MaximumBobcat]

Despite Tx St's recent success against McNeese, I don't think any of the three, except Sam, would risk a loss to MSU if they went FBS. Sam will play anybody, to their credit. They have never dodged potential losses.

There's no reason for TxSt to continue playing the Louisiana SLC schools when one of the main reasons that the school wants to move up, is so that they can play more Texas schools that our students have heard of.

If we do play a FCS, I'd bet that it would be Sam Houston, SFA, Texas Southern, etc.


I'm sure that TXST will continue their "rivalry" with Texas Southern if they go FBS! But, we all know that the Pokes would beat them as would the Colonels! xthumbsupx

lol TT. I think we'll be ok. beat em both last season...let's add more scholarships for the bobcats and see what happens. Why did you guys bring up this hypothetical stuff on a Saturday during football season anyway? Time to get back to watchin some football... :D

[TexasTerror]

If we do play a FCS, I'd bet that it would be Sam Houston, SFA, Texas Southern, etc.

Like WKU v EKU - the rivalries between TXST and SFA/SHSU will go to the wayside until they are all at the same level. I think we'll see TXST vs TSU.

I don't think it'll be gone too long. SHSU is trying to follow. Whether or not we are successful depends on what our President does to support the AD, instead of making the opertions of the department difficult.


lol TT. I think we'll be ok. beat em both last season...let's add more scholarships for the bobcats and see what happens. Why did you guys bring up this hypothetical stuff on a Saturday during football season anyway? Time to get back to watchin some football... :D

The UTSA news came out on Friday and it's just spilling into the weekend. Hopefully this thread does not get too buried, because this is a subject that should be fun for those of us SLC followers to contribute to!

[DG Cowboy]

There's no reason for TxSt to continue playing the Louisiana SLC schools when one of the main reasons that the school wants to move up, is so that they can play more Texas schools that our students have heard of.

If we do play a FCS, I'd bet that it would be Sam Houston, SFA, Texas Southern, etc.



lol TT. I think we'll be ok. beat em both last season...let's add more scholarships for the bobcats and see what happens. Why did you guys bring up this hypothetical stuff on a Saturday during football season anyway? Time to get back to watchin some football... :D

Right now you are FCS and start with Angelo State, a D II. Why would we think you would play down for an opener as an FBS vs. FCS. You'd think after 20 years your students would have heard of McNeese, but you are right about getting out of the SLC and never playing McNeese again.

[TexasTerror]

Right now you are FCS and start with Angelo State, a D II. Why would we think you would play down for an opener as an FBS vs. FCS. You'd think after 20 years your students would have heard of McNeese, but you are right about getting out of the SLC and never playing McNeese again.

DG Cowboy - got to remember that their fans are not familiar with the SLC because until the last 3 or 4 years, they were buried in the cellar for bout 20 or so years (after Lamar left the league). Fans never showed up and Bobcat Stadium resembled a YMCA flag football game crowd outside of matchups against TAMU-Kingsville.

Takes a few years to get used to teams and for the Bobcats, most of their fans are new to their own alma mater's squad and definitely, league.

[DG Cowboy]

DG Cowboy - got to remember that their fans are not familiar with the SLC because until the last 3 or 4 years, they were buried in the cellar for bout 20 or so years (after Lamar left the league). Fans never showed up and Bobcat Stadium resembled a YMCA flag football game crowd outside of matchups against TAMU-Kingsville.

Takes a few years to get used to teams and for the Bobcats, most of their fans are new to their own alma mater's squad and definitely, league.

My bad. I reckon Tarleton State will take our place. Our loss, but we'll survive.

[TexasTerror]

Now that the games have occur ed this week and we can probably get better discussion on this subject matter - what's the thoughts if UTSA, TXST and Lamar all stick around in '13 and '14?

Do you play EIGHT or NINE conference games?
And how do you do it? And if you say, eight - do you allow the 'ninth game' to be scheduled as OOC if the two schools desire it?

[DG Cowboy]

I say play all 4 in your East or West Division. Then play four of the other five on a home and home rotation. We could have an annual rival game, but outside of Lamar-McNeese and SFA-NW, I don't know who would pair off and everyone be pleased. Won't be doing it for long apparently.

You think if we would wear shoes, not marry our cousins, and quit keeping alligators for pets the UTSA people would like us better?