Spoke with someone in the know at Texas State. Apparently Tech was the 3rd choice by the league.(minus louisiana schools) Ohio or liberty was the preferred choice however would require a eastern team to move. The western choice was GA Southern however App state and JMU refused to vote on that. It became a pissing match between both sides so the whole deal got blown up. Not sure how true that is but the guy who told me knew about Texas State to the Pac-12 move all the way back in December.
No more Eastern Schools unless its to reach 18 or 20, providing a new media deal.
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Several of those Eastern schools can compete with Liberty’s athletic budget thanks to their high ass student fees for athletics. The Western schools, not just Louisiana ones but Arky State and Southern Miss as well, don’t have that luxury.
That said, I do think Liberty could have raised the athletic brand of the SBC much better.
They are a school that cares about athletics heck probably more than its academics. Tech is a going to get its pee pee slapped like the rest of the state for running a 10 mill deficit. The 3 louisiana schools might have the lowest budget in the Belt in 2026.