No offense, but you're comparing apples and oranges here. There is no direct correlation between CUSA 3.0 sucking and the Sun Belt being better/worse than CUSA.
Fans believe CUSA sucks b/c we came from a conference that went to/won multiple BCS games, consistently had multiple teams ranked in the Top 25, got multiple OOC bids in basketball, won multiple baseball national championships, and garnered many other accolades. We thought CUSA would be that but with regional rivals. It hasn't been that by a long shot.
When you look at those things... yes, the Sun Belt still sucks... but CUSA is a lot closer to the Belt, than we wanted it to be. Fans hate CUSA b/c we were sold a bill of goods. Couple that with our commissioner that is significantly worse than Mr. Peanut was for the WAC/Belt.
Not a good idea to feed the trolls.
When we were in the WAC, we played against the likes of Boise in their prime, Nevada in their prime, Hawaii in their prime, Fresno in their prime, and towards the end Utah State became a good team. Since joining CUSA, the only game anybody cares about is Southern Miss, and they are a shell of their former selves. As far as conferences go, there’s nobody in the Sunbelt that excites me to play every year either. Wouldn’t mind a series with ULL every 5 or so years and ULM every 10 or so years, if at all. CUSA is still an all around better conference to be in over the SunBelt, but the rivalries haven’t happened like I hoped they would.
So if I understand you correctly, LA Tech's best days are in the rearview mirror based on the decline of the schools in CUSA. If only one school in the conference is of interest to a fan base, that can't bode well for the future. I wouldn't mind a series with LA Tech scheduled 2 years on -2 years off - 2 years on - 2 years off........ I think both fan bases would prefer that than games against Grambling/UMass (Tech) or Texas Southern/Liberty (UL).
Appy State has a good program. Potentially, they could have a Top 5 program from the combined Belch, CUSA, and MAC programs. That's what, 36 schools total, something like that? Arguably they are already in the Top 10 among that group easily. Troy is another Top 10 program. I thought Ga Southern would climb the ladder, and they did win 9 games last year, but that was a pitiful performance in tigger town.
From CUSA there is USM and Marshall, Tech and potentially UNT, maybe UTSA, er, kind of, maybe. The Florida twins have a lot of intangibles going for them, but I suppose, many of those same things can be a detriment.
The MAC is an "old" league, i.e. many of those schools have been together for many decades. They are in a pretty good football region, recruiting should be good. But, Miami (O), the "cradle of coaches" has disappeared, and others just have never amounted to anything. NIU has carried the torch the past 15 years.
I probably left someone out. Point is, none of these conferences have anything to boast about. They all suck.
Week 2 is gonna be awful for CUSA. Might win a couple of games, and that includes us besting the G Men.
80s era, when we played NLU at end of the season, those were barnburners.
To get fans in the stands, why not play Lafayette and Monroe in alternating years? Both sets of fans could/would travel and the players will naturally be up for these games.
Nothing at all against Grambling (I recall actually taking a class there under Dr. Mangham), but I just don't see how Tech can gain by playing them or starting a series.
@ dawg80, App State, Boise, Troy, GA Southern, Tech?, could have the core of a "Spoiler Conference". That could generate a lot of excitement in NCAA football. Basically, the conference where any of the P5 schools on any given Saturday could get embarrassed.
Honestly I’m fine with going back to the system where we transfer in a second string QB from a more elite school. It’s a pretty easy sell. “Hey Mr 2nd string QB from a Big10/12 team. Wanna actually play?” Yes, we lost some games with Jeff and Cody, but damn...the games were more fun to watch. I’ll just go ahead and say it J’mar is one of the worst QBs that we’ve had in awhile.... Yes, “apathy” is the right word to use. It’s just impossible to care.
I have come around on the ULL matchup. Still struggling to think about us playing LaMon. If our choices are UMASS and Grambling or S. Alabama and ULL, I would pick the latter. Have we completely given up on trying to get home and home series with teams like BYU? Why not reach out to old conference mates like Fresno, Utah St, or San Jose? The fans may not travel well, but at least there is some history and maybe even animosity built up.