FB: American Southwest Conference

[DE Wesley Fan]

Congrats to LC on a well played game.  Was very impressed with your running game and your game plan took good advantage of our weaknesses.  Honestly I felt like you played a better all around game, we were just able to make the big plays when we really had to.  Was also impressed with your stadium (except for the one-sided seating which for the life of me I never understand), and will give you credit for having some of the best concession food too   Everybody down there was very nice (even after we won!), and we appreciated the hospitality.  Good luck the rest of the way.

[Kelly Boggs]

Hey DE Wesley Fan, sorry I never got back to you before the game. I was out all day and did not see your request for info until after the game. Concerning the stadium, it is still in flux. It is a pay-as-you-go situation and eventually there will be stands for the visitors along with other necessary amenities. That said, while it will be much better when everything is in place, it is a wonderful venue to from which to watch a game.

I was also pleased with the crowd Saturday evening. Folks in Louisiana are, by-and-large, crazy about LSU and Central Louisiana is still getting up to speed on the wonderful reality that is DIII. I was concerned that the Tigers playing Auburn on television might cause the turn-out to be a little on the slim side. However, that was not the case. From my vantage point I would say the stands were filled to about 80% capacity.

Hope the Wolverines have another fine season.

[DE Wesley Fan]

Kelly - no worries, we actually found LA very easy to get around and had no problems getting to the right place.   While I don't love sitting on "the other side" it was nice to get to interact with your fans, especially since they were so friendly, and we wouldn't have had that opportunity otherwise.  You guys should be proud of what you've built and of the team you're building - you've got some really good players who are a lot of fun to watch.

[umhb2001]

Sul Ross peeps, where you at??? Big game this week!

[crufootball]

Sul Ross peeps, where you at??? Big game this week!

I have been on this board for a while and can't remember that many SRS fans, does anyone else know of any posters?

[d3Kyle]

Sources tell me that Mississippi College will leave Division III and head back to Division II beginning the 2014-15 school year ... Like McMurry, they have requested to remain a part of the ASC for 13-14; the ASC accepted that request from McMurry last go-around, but the Choctaws might meet more opposition this time; as the perception around the conference was that McMurry had a leg up immediately with JUCO transfers and incoming freshmen.

MC is set to join the Gulf South Conference, which I am told has extended the invitation to the school, and the school accepted.

You can follow me on Twitter - don't know how much more info I'll have on it http://twitter.com/kylerobarts

[Ron Boerger]

Here is Kyle's breaking story:

http://www.d3sports.com/notables/2012/09/mississippi-college-chooses-d2

Will drop the ASC to six FB teams, though they will have two years to find another before losing the Pool A once MC leaves. 

[jknezek]

Time for the ASC and the SCAC to have football combination talks? I don't think I'd want to be the SCAC teams facing that kind of competition, but its getting hard to see what other options exist. There just isn't a density of D3 teams in the area at this time.

[hickory_cornhusker]

Time for the ASC and the SCAC to have football combination talks? I don't think I'd want to be the SCAC teams facing that kind of competition, but its getting hard to see what other options exist. There just isn't a density of D3 teams in the area at this time.

I know the travel wouldn't be ideal but if the SCAC doesn't want to work together Huntingdon could use a home. Even just as an associate for football. It would maintain the AQ for the ASC.

[d3Kyle]

Time for the ASC and the SCAC to have football combination talks? I don't think I'd want to be the SCAC teams facing that kind of competition, but its getting hard to see what other options exist. There just isn't a density of D3 teams in the area at this time.

I know the travel wouldn't be ideal but if the SCAC doesn't want to work together Huntingdon could use a home. Even just as an associate for football. It would maintain the AQ for the ASC.

Huntingdon headed to USA South next year

[d3Kyle]

confirmed by MC web site - http://www.mc.edu/news/mississippi-college-takes-steps-to-rejoin-ncaa-division-ii/

[Pat Coleman]

Good job getting that for us five hours early!

[K-Mack]

Good job getting that for us five hours early!

No doubt. Breaking news is one of the things that's hard for us to do a lot of since all the writers and staffers have other jobs or business. It usually takes connections, time and work to break stuff. Good one here.

I see I'm not the first to suggest it, and unless I'm forgetting what Trinity and Austin's plans are, seems like affiliate football membership with the ASC is automatic if they want it and the ASC wants to keep its AQ. The two schools regain playoff AQ access, and conference awards, etc. and the ASC gets an eighth school to protect from another defector costing the AQ. The ASC has enough core members that adding affilates for football only would mean the ASC wouldn't have to lose its bid and wait two years to gain it back (hope I'm wording that correctly).

Only roadblock I see to that is if the schools don't want it. Austin left the ASC once already, but we'll see if they would rather be in a football conference and swallow their pride, or try to get eight random games a year. Trinity I'm guessing would welcome it since it scheduled UMHB, TLU and HPU this year ... fear of associating with not-like institutions or competitive disadvantages wouldn't seem to factor in. Games against teams in Texas make sense. Trinity and Austin would actually probably have some non-con dates open up if they went ASC.

100% speculation on my part. Makes too much sense.

If this were D-I, Wesley would join the ASC as an affiliate member for football. Geography, schmeography.

[d3Kyle]

Good job getting that for us five hours early!

No doubt. Breaking news is one of the things that's hard for us to do a lot of since all the writers and staffers have other jobs or business. It usually takes connections, time and work to break stuff. Good one here.

I see I'm not the first to suggest it, and unless I'm forgetting what Trinity and Austin's plans are, seems like affiliate football membership with the ASC is automatic if they want it and the ASC wants to keep its AQ. The two schools regain playoff AQ access, and conference awards, etc. and the ASC gets an eighth school to protect from another defector costing the AQ. The ASC has enough core members that adding affilates for football only would mean the ASC wouldn't have to lose its bid and wait two years to gain it back (hope I'm wording that correctly).

Only roadblock I see to that is if the schools don't want it. Austin left the ASC once already, but we'll see if they would rather be in a football conference and swallow their pride, or try to get eight random games a year. Trinity I'm guessing would welcome it since it scheduled UMHB, TLU and HPU this year ... fear of associating with not-like institutions or competitive disadvantages wouldn't seem to factor in. Games against teams in Texas make sense. Trinity and Austin would actually probably have some non-con dates open up if they went ASC.

100% speculation on my part. Makes too much sense.

If this were D-I, Wesley would join the ASC as an affiliate member for football. Geography, schmeography.

In my experience with the ASC, the perceived reason for the departure of Austin, Schreiner and TLU were for academic reasons. Those three schools had more similar admission standards to each other than that of the remaining ASC schools. Obviously, these types of decisions SHOULD trump what schools do with their athletic programs. With the SAA and USA South growing it will be interesting to see if the SCAC and ASC and possibly Trinity do to keep an AQ. However, I think (personal opinion) that several ASC schools will be looking to see if McMurry and MC can pull of their respective D2 moves well. Don't know how the Choctaws will structure their D2 move, but McMurry's model is a tuition discount / walk-on dependent model which has been successful for several existing D2's. There are rules as to how much financial aid an athlete through the NCAA Clearing House at the D2 level if they are a walk on. Thus creates more of a full-paying customer than general students who can tap in to federal, state and institutional aid. If you can create a program that attracts 50-100 walk-ons a year, revenue is generated to offset the athletic scholarships aka tuition discounts ... all this depends on each institution of course.

The other line of thought everyone needs to consider is that this is now the culture of college athletics. All this D1 conference jumping is trickling down in the "what have you done for me lately" society. I think we'll see more conference swaps, and institutional exits from various divisions and athletic conferences in the very near future.

[DavidNichols]

Here is the "Official" release from the Mississippi College Sports Information and Public Relations department:  http://gochoctaws.com/news/2012/9/27/ADMIN_0927123204.aspx