If SMU Is Invited to Pac 12 . .

[cajun55]

I like the stature of the AAC as well. I really like what uptown Nola did this year, added even more legitimacy to the AAC stock and brand. Check this out - we finished @ AP 16 in Napier's final season at Louisiana. 16. Which Bowl were we invited to? NOLA Bowl. Again. Fast forward to 2022, Tulane finishes @ AP 16. Where did Tulane bowl? The f'n Cotton Bowl v USC, and win.

You are correct however our best chance to get in the upcoming 12-team playoff may actually be the SBC. The Sun Belt has made huge strides and we are a loyal core program. For the first time in a long time the conference we are in is going in the right direction. We have a huge regional rivalry matchup tonight in basketball for first place!

We should always strive for better but with our budget as it is now I don't think we can really ask to be a in much better stable conference situation at the moment.

[cajungrad2001]

You are correct however our best chance to get in the upcoming 12-team playoff may actually be the SBC. The Sun Belt has made huge strides and we are a loyal core program. For the first time in a long time the conference we are in is going in the right direction. We have a huge regional rivalry matchup tonight in basketball for first place!

We should always strive for better but with our budget as it is now I don't think we can really ask to be a in much better stable conference situation at the moment.

Exactly plus the SBC just received a raise from ESPN through the tv contract for one . Also most of the games on the schedule can be done by bus AAC can't say that their conference is spread all over the country. IMO the AAC will end up looking like CUSA in about 5 years or more. AAC lost most of their power with Houston , Cincy and Houston leaving and if SMU goes to the PAC 12 who's left in the AAC besides tulane and houston?
SBC is growing and getting stronger day by day and when the playoff system goes to 12 teams the SBC IMO run neck to neck with a depleted. big 12 and pac 12 conference . With Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC and USC AND UCLA going to the BIG 10

[Big Buds]

Should we make strong push to join AAC if SMU is indeed invited to join the Pac 12? Certainly it would be expensive at first to join AAC. However looking long term, the scheduling and revenue upside seems much greater than SBC. If there is an opening, UL should take a closer look at pursuing AAC membership.

Hell to the no! That will become CUSA 4.0. The SBC is in a much stronger position.

[HoustonCajun]

Exactly plus the SBC just received a raise from ESPN through the tv contract for one . Also most of the games on the schedule can be done by bus AAC can't say that their conference is spread all over the country. IMO the AAC will end up looking like CUSA in about 5 years or more. AAC lost most of their power with Houston , Cincy and Houston leaving and if SMU goes to the PAC 12 who's left in the AAC besides tulane and houston?
SBC is growing and getting stronger day by day and when the playoff system goes to 12 teams the SBC IMO run neck to neck with a depleted. big 12 and pac 12 conference . With Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC and USC AND UCLA going to the BIG 10

For sake of comparison,

SBC AAC

Louisiana Tulane
USM Rice
ULM Tulsa
Ark State Memphis
Texas State UTSA
USA N. Texas
Troy SMU

GA State USF
GA Southern FAU
Coastal Charlotte
ODU UAB
James Madison Temple
App State Navy
Marshall ECU
Witchita State - basketball

The Western Division of both conferences where we play favors the AAC. Outside of USM, no one in the SBC excites our fans. In the AAC, we would play Tulane, Memphis, Rice, UTSA, N. Texas and Tulsa in the Western Division every year. A much better conference and more exciting for our fans and not much of a travel difference. Also, better recruiting cities for UL and more exposure playing in New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Memphis and Tulsa.

In all the SBC, the only teams that excite me are USM, App State and Marshall and I suspect a great majority of our fan base as well. Just look at our attendance. AAC divisional games plus Navy, ECU, USF at home that would be a major plus for attendance. And, we would be associated with higher academic universities. Perception is huge and the AAC has a much better perception than the SBC and would definitely change the perception of Louisiana, especially around the state.

This is not likely to happen as the AAC would probably not see Lafayette as a major market and UL would not want to spend the money to make such a move. Too bad, because it would be a big step up for UL, IMO, even without Houston, Cincy and UCF.

[Big Buds]

For sake of comparison,

SBC AAC

Louisiana Tulane
USM Rice
ULM Tulsa
Ark State Memphis
Texas State UTSA
USA N. Texas
Troy SMU

GA State USF
GA Southern FAU
Coastal Charlotte
ODU UAB
James Madison Temple
App State Navy
Marshall ECU
Witchita State - basketball

The Western Division of both conferences where we play favors the AAC. Outside of USM, no one in the SBC excites our fans. In the AAC, we would play Tulane, Memphis, Rice, UTSA, N. Texas and Tulsa in the Western Division every year. A much better conference and more exciting for our fans and not much of a travel difference. Also, better recruiting cities for UL and more exposure playing in New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Memphis and Tulsa.

In all the SBC, the only teams that excite me are USM, App State and Marshall and I suspect a great majority of our fan base as well. Just look at our attendance. AAC divisional games plus Navy, ECU, USF at home that would be a major plus for attendance. And, we would be associated with higher academic universities. Perception is huge and the AAC has a much better perception than the SBC and would definitely change the perception of Louisiana, especially around the state.

This is not likely to happen as the AAC would probably not see Lafayette as a major market and UL would not want to spend the money to make such a move. Too bad, because it would be a big step up for UL, IMO, even without Houston, Cincy and UCF.

SMU in this scenario is in the PAC.

The SBC is a better football conference and has a better shot at the CFP. Stay the course.

[Policarp]

It seems almost crazy to think this but Sun Belt 2024 and beyond is the G5 place to be........UNTIL.....the home schedule dates/times for football come out then the whining about our poor Sun Belt home games blows out of proportion for the next 6+ weeks.

[Duckster]

Agree we will have same opportunity to make the CFP from SBC as from AAC or MWC. Also agree Houston, Cinn, & UCF were AAC top tier programs. Just comparing our home football conference games this coming season (ULM, GA St., TX St, USM) vs. potential four of Tulsa, Memphis, Tulane, UTSA, UNT, or Rice, and sometimes Navy playing in Cajun Field there's an upgrade in AAC. And think about basketball, that's another step up in competition. I'm not totally down on SBC, its exciting to have So. Miss in same conference. SBC has come a long way in 20 years and believe UL has something to do with that. Looking at the lay of the land, seems the long term ceiling for AAC is higher than SBC for UL even with conference realignment continuing to churn in the years ahead.

[ZoomZoom]

The pecking order then and now remains the same until the SBC overtakes the AAC.

[BabbForHeisman]

A move to the AAC assumes things work the way they’ve always worked. Teams with upward mobility ambition work their way up to bigger name conferences until they get where they want to be.

That era is basically over with the most recent set of moves. Staying in Sun Belt is the way to go. The remaining G5 teams are just going to continuously shuffle around, and Sun Belt is in the strongest posture for the next 5-10 years.

That said, if attendance is the end all be all, then the AAC makes more sense because those names (and a new conference) will excite the casual fan base.

[Million$Mullet]

If the sbc sticks together then yes I agree it will be the place to be in the long run. I just have a feeling the eastern teams will eventually split off and form their own conference.

[BabbForHeisman]

If the sbc sticks together then yes I agree it will be the place to be in the long run. I just have a feeling the eastern teams will eventually split off and form their own conference.

The bottom line is that we need to decide where we want to be in 20 years.

Is it:

A) Competing in the sunbelt, whatever iteration of that exists, maybe dominating and sniffing the CFP every 3-5 years

Or

B) Scratching and clawing our way toward being in the right place at right time for a P5 (Big 12 or otherwise) invite.

If the answer is B, then you move.

[CajunNation]

If the sbc sticks together then yes I agree it will be the place to be in the long run. I just have a feeling the eastern teams will eventually split off and form their own conference.

They will not form another conference. Nobody is doing that. The NCAA has made it almost financially impossible to do that. However, we do have to worry about one thing.

Big 12 raids the AAC again, remaing AAC western schools join the MWC, eastern AAC schools then add all of the eastern SBC schools.

The SBC western division schools will add 1, 2 or 3 of the best available and call it a day. I'm thinking latech and MT/WKY.

Texas State
Louisiana
Louisiana Tech
ULM
Arkansas State
Southern Miss
South Alabama
Troy
Middle Tennessee
Western Kentucky