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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/nointro-225 on 2024-05-26 21:04:53+00:00.

You may be thinking, “wait, a realignment post that isn’t about superconferences, relegation, or FBS at all?” For me at least, this is a nice change of pace. With the news of Stephen F. Austin leaving the WAC and the conference seemingly on life support (for like the 4th time in the last 20 years…), I wanted to post about my predictions on the ramifications. Currently there are 4 remaining football schools in an alliance with the ASUN, and 7 schools total:

  • Abilene Christian
  • California Baptist
  • Southern Utah
  • Tarleton State
  • UT Arlington
  • Utah Tech
  • Utah Valley

I honestly don’t see these schools sticking around for long, so where do they go? Here are my predictions/wishes for what happens now.

Abilene Christian, Tarleton State, and UT Arlington to the Southland:

While the WAC struck against the Southland hard a few years back, we’ve seen several of these teams find their way back. I think having the remaining 3 Texas schools return as well would be a good move as well. ACU would mirror SFA’s move and return to their old conference. Tarleton, with their FBS dreams likely dashed following Missouri State’s CUSA spot, would likely want a conference home with regional opponents. UT Arlington, while not having football, also returns to the conference for the first time since 2012. This would leave the Southland with 12 football/15 total schools.

  • Abilene Christian
  • Houston Christian
  • Incarnate Word
  • Lamar
  • McNeese State
  • New Orleans*
  • Nicholls
  • Northwestern State
  • Southeastern LA
  • Stephen F. Austin
  • Tarleton State
  • Texas A&M-Commerce
  • Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*
  • UT Arlington*
  • UTRGV

Utah Tech, Utah Valley, and Southern Utah to the Summit/MVFC:

I am mainly basing this off Southern Utah’s time in the Summit League from 1997-2012, along with the fact that I don’t see the Big Sky taking the 3 schools in the near future. This move would give the Summit 12 full time members.

  • Denver
  • Kansas City
  • North Dakota
  • North Dakota State
  • Omaha
  • Oral Roberts
  • St. Thomas
  • South Dakota
  • South Dakota State
  • Southern Utah
  • Utah Tech
  • Utah Valley

The only problem with this move is that the Summit doesn’t sponsor football. Enter the Missouri Valley Football Conference. While tied to the MVC, this conference is football only, and includes the Dakota schools who are primarily Summit League members. With Utah Tech and Southern Utah needing a home for football, the Dakota schools may vouch for them to join the football conference. The increased distance and travel costs may pose a challenge for this move however, and I am not sure how realistic it may be.

  • Indiana State
  • Illinois State
  • Murray State
  • North Dakota
  • North Dakota State
  • Northern Iowa
  • South Dakota
  • South Dakota State
  • Southern Illinois
  • Southern Utah
  • Utah Tech
  • Youngstown State

California Baptist to the WCC:

While not a football related move in the slightest, I didn’t want to leave out the final member of the WAC. Grand Canyon and Seattle recently moved to the WCC, and I was surprised that Cal Baptist was left out of the move. I may be missing something, but the school seems to match the profile of the conference well, small western private school and all that.

  • Cal Baptist
  • Gonzaga
  • Loyola Marymount
  • Pacific
  • Pepperdine
  • Portland
  • Saint Mary’s
  • San Diego
  • San Francisco
  • Santa Clara

What happens to the UAC?

While the WAC and ASUN were in a football alliance the past few years, the destruction of the WAC would leave the ASUN with 4current/5 future football members, short of the 6 required for an automatic playoff spot. One idea is that the ASUN could look to the other FCS alliance, the OVC-Big South. While it started out with 6 OVC and 4 Big South members, only 2 Big South teams (Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb) are left. With the OVC adding an additional member as well, they need the Big South less than they had in the past. Because of this, the ASUN may look to add the 2 Big South schools for football in order to get over that 6-member threshold.

  • Austin Peay
  • Central Arkansas
  • Charleston Southern
  • Eastern Kentucky
  • Gardner-Webb
  • North Alabama
  • West Georgia

I’m not sure how realistic this all would be, this is coming from a casual fan of a few Southland schools. If I’m wrong about any predictions I’d love to hear about it in the comments!