When the broke, scandal-ridden Southwest Conference fell aparteight years ago, SMU athletics found refuge and a home in theWestern Athletic Conference.
During the past eight years though, the conference has gonethrough so many changes that fans have begun to describe theconference as “WACky”
Tuesday, SMU Athletic Director Jim Copeland confirmed that theconference might just get a little wackier.
Copeland verified the rumors that SMU has spoken on severaloccasions with Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky about apotential move for the Mustangs.
“Our main focus,” Copeland said, “is that wewant to be somewhere that we fit geographically.”
Currently, WAC foes include San Jose State, Boise State andHawaii — far from any kind of Southern comfort.
The jump to Conference USA would also shed a fresh light on theSMU vs. TCU rivalry, not to mention bring back a classic SWCmatch-up.
“We love the competition and the rivalry we already havewith SMU,” TCU Athletic Director Eric Hyman said.
The University of Houston, also a former SWC member, and the NewOrleans-based Tulane University, are currently in C-USA, aswell.
The move by SMU would also entice fellow WAC schools Rice andTulsa to make the jump as well.
Hymann said, “It’s a terrific school for academicsand athletics as a whole. With the school’s continueddedication to football under Coach Phil Bennett, football willcontinue to grow as well.”
A league with SMU, TCU, Tulane, Houston, Rice and Tulsa wouldcreate as close of a group to the old SWC as anyone could hopefor.
Add in long shots like the University of North Texas leaving theSun Belt Conference, and the Big 12 potentially ridding itself ofbasement-dweller Baylor, and a C-USA western division looks veryenticing for the Ponies.
“A league with central geography and traditional rivalswould be good for two reasons,” Copeland explained. “Itwould cut travel costs for the Athletic Department and it would beeasier for fans to hop on a bus and get to the games.”
This was the luxury of the Southwest Conference for many yearsfor SMU, playing teams such as Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Techevery year.
The regional rivalries were heated, competitive and, maybe bestof all, within driving distance for fans.
But with the loss of television revenue, and athletic scandalswith the paying of players at various schools (including practicesthat led to the NCAA’s hitting SMU with the “deathpenalty”), the conference was forced to fold.
But with the ball of new conference tie-ins already rolling,programs such as Rice, Houston and SMU can perhaps renewfriendships with old foes.
The move, a seemingly perfect fit for SMU, is still on hold,though.
Any moves would depend on what happens with the Big Eastconference, which was raided earlier this year by the AtlanticCoast Conference of members Miami (Fla.) and Virginia Tech.
The Big East hopes to lure in current C-USA members Louisville,Cincinnati, DePaul and Marquette.
With all the break-ups and conference infidelities, what itboils down to is the haunting thought of becoming the next SWC forthe WAC and Conference USA.
The two are now fighting for survival, and one will come out ontop. This makes SMU and TCU the central figures in the battle. ForSMU though, what matters is location.
“Whatever happens nationally will happen, we’relooking for compatibility, whether it’s the western divisionof C-USA, or the eastern division of the WAC,” Copelandsaid.
Beyond the conference shift, another looming questionawaits.
With old rivalries renewed, and away games around an hour flightout of Love Field, will SMU fans once again go wacky for theirMustangs?
