ETBU announced an enrollment of 2,024 for the fall.

First time they have ever crossed the 2000 threshold.

Good news when there isn't a lot of good news for small college enrollments.

Quote from: Ron Boerger on July 27, 2026, 06:25:18 PMUpdate from the ASC front office, courtesy today's D3.ticker

Quote

• Now at six full members, what is the league's ideal size? "It's probably that 10 to 12 sweet spot. I think that we'll focus on footprint like institutions. I think that that was probably, if I could put a finger on one of the challenges maybe the ASC had in the past was the private and public challenges. So they're really looking at like institutions, footprint, how we grow within that kind of space. I think that that's doable. I think that if you build something people can get excited about, a lot of what's happened in the past that we can move forward from. ... We want to try to look at how do we get as close to a tight footprint as we can get? Not that we're close minded on other folks, but that we really want to look at what's the impact on adding institutions, where they're located and how far our student-athletes are going to have to travel."
• One key item the league can improve upon is the ASC's brand beyond just athletics, to focus on and share the impact student-athletes and alumni are having on campus and in their communities. In her first year, Schuemann has been focused on building a strong structure. That means adding a second full-time staffer, reviewing all documents and procedures and more. "I think in the next year or so, it's really about building a league people can get excited about, making sure that our operations and our structure is sound so that going into 26-27, we're very clear about who we are and where we're going. And then moving into strategic planning and looking at the next five years and what does that look like for us. And then conversations surrounding membership."

The full ~15 minute interview (which I did not listen to) is on YT:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kueEmAY3_YE

I agree 100% that shes going to take a shot at some of the NON-FOOTBALL SCAC schools....Travel for some of them would exponentially be cheaper and shorter distances in the ASC Vs SCAC.

HOWEVER....ASC Football is going to be a HARD (almost impossible) sell for most SCAC football schools.  They have no interest in competing Vs. HSU and UMHB.  I don't think any of them "fear" (lack of a better word) the other 4 ASC football schools.  Why would any SCAC football school give up a possible conference championship and AQ into the playoffs to getting two blowouts to the Purples?  They won't.

Centenary is the only one that would MAYBE consider ASC football....but it's still a huge long-shot IMHO.  The biggest draw to the ASC for Centenary would possibly having travel partnerships with ETBU and Letourneau since all three schools are within 50 miles of one another.

But no one else in the SCAC IMHO has any interest in ASC football.

Her best bets?

Wayland Baptist-  They are awful in the Sooner football conference.  Why not be awful in the ASC for much cheaper and with schools more similar to you.  Are they willing to go to non-scholarships? 

Nelson University-  All those trips to New Mexico and Oklahoma and Louisiana have to be getting expensive.  Being in Waxahachie they are almost in the dead center between the ASC's West Texas Schools and ETBU....and much closer to those in CENTEX.  But are they even interested?

Louisiana College- Would be a hard sell.  They seem to be thriving in the Sooner Football conference...and they haven't been too shabby in the Red River conference.  NAIA has been good to them competitively.  Not going to be easy to get them back.

Texas College-  They are awful....at just about every sport.  They are financially strapped.  They are tiny... and they live in the shadow of UT-Tyler, TJC, and Jarvis Christian.

Sul Ross-  Will they ever tire of getting their brains bashed in for every sport in D2?  Time will tell. 

Mississippi Christian-  Will alum accept no football to remain D2 or will the demand for football to return lead to a return to D3?  Seems unlikely.....but not impossible.

Belhaven- Being in the USA South for football makes no sense geographically.  But....maybe all those long road trips are better than losing by 60 to HSU and UMHB.  Besides... their coastal conference could be looking into football in the future at some point.  Long shot.

But like someone said...but a public conversation by the conference is progress.  The ASC office has a long history of remaining silent and sitting on their hands while they bleed out.

Quote from: crufootball on July 15, 2026, 08:23:58 PM

Quote from: Mavchamp on July 15, 2026, 06:08:11 PM

Quote from: crufootball on July 15, 2026, 03:16:35 PM

Quote from: Mavchamp on July 14, 2026, 06:04:44 PMHPU and ETBU will be buried if Trinity, UMHB, and Hardin Simmons were in conference together with them.

May as well just go to NAIA if you ever want to have football success again. 

If—and I think it's a very unlikely scenario—Trinity were to join the ASC in any fashion, I could see ETBU benefiting almost as much as it might lose in the new NPI landscape. Trinity's addition would provide the conference with greater long-term stability while also giving every member another high-quality NPI game on its schedule

Historically, defeating Trinity, HSU, and UMHB has been a challenge for nearly every program. However, if ETBU could finish 8-2 in a conference that included those 3, you would have to think they would have a legitimate chance at an at-large bid.

Looking at ETBU's 2026 schedule, replacing Louisiana Christian with Trinity would make an 8-2 record difficult but not impossible. During ETBU's strongest stretch from 2015–2019, the Tigers consistently fielded competitive teams but often seemed to have one not great loss that kept them from finishing with a more impressive record. If they can avoid that stumble while navigating a stronger conference schedule, an 8-2 finish could put them squarely in the at-large conversation.

Hard to imagine ETBU finishing (8-2) in an ASC that has Trinity, UMHB, and HSU in it.  The Tigers are (3-53) Vs. UMHB and HSU.   They only have one game with Trinity.  (7-3) would be possible....but they would desperately need an upset to achieve that (8-2) mark.

I admire how consistent the purple schools have been the last 25+ years....they have owned the conference.  I just wish other conference members (ETBU) could become more competitive (ETBU) and occasionally get a big win over HSU (ETBU) and UMHB (ETBU) to keep things exciting (ETBU).

 

Consistency is the thing about the powers of any sport that I think does not get enough attention, yes it is great to be the best for a season or two but for any team that can remain near/ be on top and almost always meet expectations is more impressive to me.

As for ETBU, it clearly wouldn't be easy BUT if they could play consistent enough to be more confident they could go 7-0 against everyone else then stealing a game against the other 3 isn't so big a hill. UMHB couldn't beat HSU, Trinity, Linfield, Wesley or UWW until they did.

ETBU needs a few things to consistently compete with the purple schools.  This is just my opinion.....

1.  Coaching consistency.  This is the biggest thing IMHO.  HSU and UMHB have each only had 2 HFC in the last 25 seasons.  ETBU has had 7 in the same amount of time.  The coaching stability of the purple schools is HUUUGE.  Meanwhile the Tigers are changing every 3 years or so.  Hard to get any kind of consistency with that.

2.  Be better about recruiting local talent.  ETBU is only 25 miles from Carthage which is by far the Goliath of 4A football in Texas.  Longview is a 6A power and is only 20 miles away.  While Marshall HS isn't on the level of Longview and Carthage....they are a consistent 5A playoff team.  Toss in Tearkana, Tyler, and Shreveport....there's a bevy of talent in the backyard.  But you look at the roster....you mostly see Dallas and Houston area kids coming to ETBU.  They need to do better about homegrown talent.

3.  ETBU has athletic facilities that would make a lot of D2 schools jealous in the area of basketball, baseball, and softball.  While Ornelas Stadium is serviceable.....its clear after looking at the rest of the athletic facilities that the football stadium is an afterthought.  I don't even think the stadium is a bad facility....but when compared to the rest of the campus, it's pretty forgettable.  Then look at what UMHB has...and well....there ya go.  An investment in Ornelas Stadium is needed.

4.  Lastly...but not least....is a commitment from administration.  When you look across ETBU's athletic programs....you see relatively recent NCAA playoff success in Mens Basketball, women's basketball, baseball, and especially softball.  Football hasn't had a conference championship since 2015.  They haven't played in a playoff game since 2003.  I already stated their record Vs. HSU and UMHB. It's almost like they have resigned themselves to, "well...we just aren't a football school".  Not saying that's the case....just saying it FEELS that way.  We seem to be competitive in most sports....but in football it's blowout after blowout year after year by the two giants.  Granted...this is somewhat of a generic thing to list while the 3 previous are pretty concrete.  But there needs to be an overhaul of thought in football.

I'm hopeful this season....not so much that this is a potential playoff season...but that we could at least come away with a strong season to build on..... and maybe we can hang tough with the two Goliaths of the conference.

Quote from: crufootball on July 15, 2026, 03:16:35 PM

Quote from: Mavchamp on July 14, 2026, 06:04:44 PMHPU and ETBU will be buried if Trinity, UMHB, and Hardin Simmons were in conference together with them.

May as well just go to NAIA if you ever want to have football success again. 

If—and I think it's a very unlikely scenario—Trinity were to join the ASC in any fashion, I could see ETBU benefiting almost as much as it might lose in the new NPI landscape. Trinity's addition would provide the conference with greater long-term stability while also giving every member another high-quality NPI game on its schedule

Historically, defeating Trinity, HSU, and UMHB has been a challenge for nearly every program. However, if ETBU could finish 8-2 in a conference that included those 3, you would have to think they would have a legitimate chance at an at-large bid.

Looking at ETBU's 2026 schedule, replacing Louisiana Christian with Trinity would make an 8-2 record difficult but not impossible. During ETBU's strongest stretch from 2015–2019, the Tigers consistently fielded competitive teams but often seemed to have one not great loss that kept them from finishing with a more impressive record. If they can avoid that stumble while navigating a stronger conference schedule, an 8-2 finish could put them squarely in the at-large conversation.

Hard to imagine ETBU finishing (8-2) in an ASC that has Trinity, UMHB, and HSU in it.  The Tigers are (3-53) Vs. UMHB and HSU.   They only have one game with Trinity.  (7-3) would be possible....but they would desperately need an upset to achieve that (8-2) mark.

I admire how consistent the purple schools have been the last 25+ years....they have owned the conference.  I just wish other conference members (ETBU) could become more competitive (ETBU) and occasionally get a big win over HSU (ETBU) and UMHB (ETBU) to keep things exciting (ETBU).

 

Quote from: jekelish on July 14, 2026, 07:07:08 PM

Quote from: Mavchamp on July 14, 2026, 06:04:44 PMHPU and ETBU will be buried if Trinity, UMHB, and Hardin Simmons were in conference together with them.

May as well just go to NAIA if you ever want to have football success again. 

I hate to say it because I know some folks at HPU and they're good people, but I don't see any D3 path for them outside of NAIA if the ASC goes away. (Not that NAIA is bad; I have some deep connections to that level, and respect the heck out of the schools at the level that do things well, as well as the national office. But it's obviously not ideal for a small school trying to hold on from an enrollment standpoint, in this day and age.)

If the ASC fails I think HSU and UMHB would be forced to join the LSC.  They may not want that...but I don't see anywhere else they could land.  I think they would be pretty competitive.  Maybe not playoff worthy...but I think they would be in the top half of the conference annually with occasional playoffs possible.

I think both ETBU and HPU would most likely end up in the NAIA in the Sooner Conference.  I'd like to think the SCAC would take them...but it seems unlikely.  ETBU could easily be travel partners with Centenary and Letourneau.  HPU wouldn't have that luxury due to geography. 

I agree HPU would likely be out of D3 is the ASC crashed.

ETBU could be a long shot for the SAA if they are desperate for members. Travel would suck.   

I don't think ETBU would consider LSC....doesn't make geographical sense.  But the GAC would be a long shot.

Like I said..... the ASC could end up being a collection of schools that don't really want to be together...but are forced to remain together in order to remain in D3.

The only other possible option would be for a new conference to be formed for orphans that don't want ASC, SCAC, or SAA baggage.

The baptist bond will be tested in coming years.

HPU and ETBU will be buried if Trinity, UMHB, and Hardin Simmons were in conference together with them.

May as well just go to NAIA if you ever want to have football success again. 

Quote from: MCScots2013 on July 10, 2026, 02:43:18 PMThat could very well be the case. Selling beer at athletics events changes the "in the business of" requirement for host liquor liability on their College's general liability and makes it a true exposure and need for Liquor Liability insurance. I know that's crazy expensive in SC, but no idea about Tennessee.

When many of the current SCAC schools were leaving the ASC..... I had heard RUMOR that one of the many sticking points between some of the schools was alcohol sales at athletic events.  I can't substantiate that AT ALL.  That's why I call it rumor only.  But there's also a chance that it actually was one of the grievances.

No idea.

But I wonder if that would be a sticking point for other conferences with a mix of private Christian and state schools in them.  Not to mention that even withing Christian circles the view on alcohol consumption varies widely from denomination to denomination.

I'm assuming the SAA is open to that.

Quote from: crufootball on July 11, 2026, 10:38:04 AM

Quote from: Mavchamp on July 09, 2026, 08:37:45 PM

Quote from: MCScots2013 on July 09, 2026, 07:50:27 PMI think the issue at hand is the total number for the SCAC when accounting for non-football schools. Unless they want to be the D3 SEC with 16 schools, the total number is  getting big. Someone needs to try to make that SCAC move asap because they shut that door. I think the ODAC has 14 schools (not checking their website), so I guess there is Region 3 precedence.

But, yeah...if ex-D3's came back it could help a lot.

Call me a pessimist....but I think the ASC on life support again when this 10 year "deal" is done.

All six members should be thinking long-term if they are wise.

The good news:  Necessity may force them together long term....even if they don't like it.

There's always a chance that the SCAC will have no interest in taking McMurry and Schreiner back in 10 years.  If that's the case...both could be stuck with the ASC unless they look else where.

Trinity may not want the ASC..... and the ASC may not want Trinity.  But.... they may have to live with each other.

HSU and UMHB may not want to move to D2...but if they ASC falls apart.... will they have any options?

And HPU and ETBU have got to decide if they remain faithful to the Baptist Four or if they decide to go every many for themselves and start looking at SCAC, D2 or NAIA.

And like mentioned....Sul Ross coming back could be huge....even if it's a long shot.

Recruiting the Sooner Conference

But it could be interesting..... all the talk of life support in 10 years (and it's still very real).... but the ASC could end up being an alliance of the unwanted and unwilling if the SCAC say thanks but no thanks to everyone.

Trinity
UMHB
HSU
ETBU
HPU
McMurry
Schreiner


A conference that hardly anyone would be happy about being in....but survives due to necessity. 

Recent history seems to scream that long-term in college football is 5 years at most so I would say that the ASC members will happily take a 10 year deal that hasn't even started yet. Now could something happen in that 10 years that makes the deal invalid, of course, but until then it would seem that all of the members have looked around and said this is the best option presented to them.

True.....I guess this is as good as it can get when you have two conferences that have absolutely no interest in working together to create some stability.

It'll be interesting to see if Trinity considers the ASC in the near future...and would the ASC even be interested.

Quote from: MCScots2013 on July 09, 2026, 07:50:27 PMI think the issue at hand is the total number for the SCAC when accounting for non-football schools. Unless they want to be the D3 SEC with 16 schools, the total number is  getting big. Someone needs to try to make that SCAC move asap because they shut that door. I think the ODAC has 14 schools (not checking their website), so I guess there is Region 3 precedence.

But, yeah...if ex-D3's came back it could help a lot.

Call me a pessimist....but I think the ASC on life support again when this 10 year "deal" is done.

All six members should be thinking long-term if they are wise.

The good news:  Necessity may force them together long term....even if they don't like it.

There's always a chance that the SCAC will have no interest in taking McMurry and Schreiner back in 10 years.  If that's the case...both could be stuck with the ASC unless they look else where.

Trinity may not want the ASC..... and the ASC may not want Trinity.  But.... they may have to live with each other.

HSU and UMHB may not want to move to D2...but if they ASC falls apart.... will they have any options?

And HPU and ETBU have got to decide if they remain faithful to the Baptist Four or if they decide to go every many for themselves and start looking at SCAC, D2 or NAIA.

And like mentioned....Sul Ross coming back could be huge....even if it's a long shot.

Recruiting the Sooner Conference

But it could be interesting..... all the talk of life support in 10 years (and it's still very real).... but the ASC could end up being an alliance of the unwanted and unwilling if the SCAC say thanks but no thanks to everyone.

Trinity
UMHB
HSU
ETBU
HPU
McMurry
Schreiner


A conference that hardly anyone would be happy about being in....but survives due to necessity. 

Any chance the SAA would be interested in Bekhaven?  Would Belhaven be interested in the SAA?

The travel they undertake for the USA South is pretty extreme.

Gotta wonder if Belhaven is happy with USA South for football....lots of travel for them.  Makes you wonder if the SAA or SCAC would be options for them.  Travel to the ASC would be no better than USA for them.

I'm simply not sold on the stability of the ASC.....at least not anything past this 10 year deal.  My guess is that those 2 schools will be looking to go back to the SCAC first chance they get.

ASC's best chance for long-term survival is picking off some NAIA teams from the Sooner Conference.  Gotta wonder if the BGCT might pressure Wayland to join the other Baptist schools.  Nelson (SAGU) makes geographical sense.  Getting Louisiana college back.  Maybe waiting and seeing is Sul Ross will give up on D2 and drop back down.  Maybe the same with Missippi College.

All of those seem like long shots right now.  But I realize things can change quickly.

But I predict in 10 years..... we will have the Baptist Four in the same mess they were in last season.  No D3 conference wants them and all four are either toying with moving to NAIA or going up to D2 (LSC/GAC).

HPU and ETBU should start sending Christmas cards to the commish of the SCAC now.

With Southwestern and Millsaps headed to the SCAC..... that conference has solidified itself for the foreseeable future.  They will have 8 football schools if Gallaudet sticks around....and still safe with 7 if they don't.

The moves drop the SAA down to only 6 football schools and Trinity out on an island all alone.  Does the SAA raid the USA South for schools like Belhaven and others?

Does Trinity stick with the SAA?  Or do they call the SCAC?  Or maybe even the ASC?  I don't know the history...but apprarently there's some bad blood between Trinity and (especially) the SCAC....but the ASC as well.

Seems like having Trinity...if for no other reason than to get to 7 teams...would be a good addition.

It's not like anyone else is calling the ASC to join.

Really need Sul Ross and Wayland to come calling.

The carousel is dizzying.   

Quote from: MCScots2013 on July 02, 2026, 10:45:40 AMI hear you on the academics, but let's go back to the geography question. Wouldn't an all-Texas league with Centenary, Millsaps, Lyon and Hendrix in the SAA (or pick another name) makes sense?  What's the bad blood between the Texas schools that seem to make this impossible?

There are a lot of us that wonder about the bad blood between some of the Texas Schools.  We get very vague and non-specific reasons....nothing concrete. 

Instead of having a single solid football conference.....we have 2 football conferences both teetering near disaster with only 6 schools a piece.  Which means no wiggle room for anyone moving around.

Anyone that trusts this 10 year deal the ASC has is short-sighted IMHO.

Anyone that thinks the SCAC is stable long-term with Millsaps and Gallaudet is foolish.

Be it academics....or politics....or sourness about the domination by the purple schools (HSU and UMHB).... it's astounding to me we can't make things work in order for all to benefit from the stability.

They seem to play nice in all other sports.

Looking at a map.....there IS a core of D3 schools in the Ark-La-Tex/Ark-La-Miss that simply makes TOO MUCH geographical sense:

Millsaps
Lyon
Hendrix
Centenary
ETBU
Belhaven
Rhodes

7 schools all within a 200-250 mile radius of one another.

What would really help things....would be for some schools to return to D3 to solidify some of these gaps.

Louisiana Christian (NAIA)
Sul Ross (D2)
Wayland Baptist (NAIA)
Mississipp Collegei (D2- restart football)

Who knows what the future holds.  Lots of things in motion.

But the SAA, SCAC, and the ASC perhaps need to learn to work together better in order to survive.  Survival may need to trump the differences in which we are using to separate ourselves. 

Interesting seeing Nelson on the HS schedule.

I sure wish we could convince them to make the jump from the SAC/NAIA to the ASC.

Same with Wayland.

The travel budgets for the SAC must be brutal.

Quote from: crufootball on May 15, 2026, 09:17:19 AM

Quote from: Mavchamp on May 14, 2026, 05:53:09 PMDid everyone in the ASC get a 10 game schedule?  I believe they did.

It's a step in the right direction.

I hope the ASC isn't standing pat with just six and coasting until either someone else joins or revert back to panic mode when someone jumps ship.  History has shown that both are likely to happen sooner than later.

Maybe Sul Ross and Texas Wesleyan will tire of being bottom feeders in the LSC after a while.
Maybe Wayland Baptist will start feeling the financial crunch to move from NAIA to D3 and join the other Baptist
Maybe others from the SCAC will move over (Centenary?)
Maybe Mississippi College alum will grumble enough that football will reinstate and a return to D3.
Belhaven going all the way to Virginia and North Carolina for conference games is wild...an opportunity?
Maybe a new program is on the way that will join

Anyhow..... we're in a much better place than we were this time last year.  But definitely not safe.  Hopefully more work is being done that we don't know about.

Have you seen these schedule somewhere?

Last I heard/seen HSU was struggling to find a 10th game, HPU posted a conference only schedule a couple of days ago to X and I assume you have insight into ETBU.

9/5 at Lyon   
9/12 at Belhaven
9/19 vs. Centenary   
9/26 Vs.Texas Lutheran   
10/3 at Louisiana College
10/10 vs. Schreiner
10/31 Vs. McMurry   
11/7 vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor

Once the HPU and HSU games are nailed down....that would make a 10 game schedule for ETBU.

Gotta be happy about the schedule being a 90 % D3 schedule.  I can't even remember the last time that happened.  I'd rather have a competitive game Vs. an NAIA team than a blowout loss to a D2 school....which ETBU has a history of.