UTSA set to join Conference USA

There had been rumors for the past few days that a big announcement would be made next week regarding UTSA’s conference affiliation. Well, the UT System Board of Regents posted their Agenda for next week’s meeting, and all the way buried on page 137 are the words all of us were hoping for.

“U. T. San Antonio: Authorization to accept invitation from Conference USA and to negotiate and finalize terms for athletic conference membership, including possible future membership in a new athletic conference”

“The Chancellor concurs in the recommendation of the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs ad interim, the Vice Chancellor and General Counsel, and President Romo that authorization be granted to The University of Texas at San Antonio to accept an invitation from Conference USA (CUSA) to become a member, and to negotiate and finalize terms for athletic conference membership. Approval of U. T. San Antonio’s entrance in CUSA also includes approval of admittance to the potential new conference.”

The agenda does not indicate which year UTSA would be scheduled to join, but it would likely be for the 2013-2014 season, with UTSA playing the 2012-2013 season in the WAC.

It sounds an awful lot like Louisiana Tech, Utah State and San Jose State will be bailing on the WAC to join the new super conference as well. (EDIT: Thanks to forerunner, the third school they’re referring to was Hawaii.)

“U. T. San Antonio is not scheduled to officially join the WAC until July 1, 2012. However, since U. T. San Antonio accepted the invitation to join, three member institutions have declared their intent to leave. As a result, the WAC will have only four remaining institutions that participate in FBS football.”

It also goes into some detail on the impending merger between the Mountain West Conference and Conference USA, although it does not say to what extent or at what time the merger will become official.

Lastly, the agenda states that there will be no exit fee paid to the WAC, but that there is a $2 million initiation fee to join CUSA.

I’m sure we’ll be hearing more on this in the next days and weeks, so check back here often, as well as on the Rowdyville forums where you can discuss the news with other Roadrunner fans.

Published by

Darrell Williams

Darrell started writing about UTSA football before it was even a thing, then he took a few years off, and now he's back.

4 thoughts on “UTSA set to join Conference USA”

  1. Great get Darrell. CBSsports.com giving you credit for the scoop. Awesome day to be a runner. CUSA here we come!!!!!!!

  2. According to CBS, UTSA is not joining WAC. The article doesn’t even mention 2012 – will UTSA be an independent FBS team or stay in FCS?

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