Posted on: Friday, September 26, 2003

WAC waiting on TCU's next move

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

Perhaps not since running back LaDainian Tomlinson was threatening to take Texas Christian to an undefeated season and the conference to a Bowl Championship Series payday has the Western Athletic Conference watched the Horned Frogs with such interest.

Back then, in 2000, the WAC had its eye on a share of what would have been a $12 million pie. Now, it watches with interest in where its future might be.

The way the dominoes are starting to lean could make TCU the linchpin in what happens to the WAC, no small consideration for the University of Hawai'i and Rice, which might be in their last Aloha Stadium meeting as conference opponents tomorrow.

With the Big East preparing to answer the Atlantic Coast Conference's raid of Miami and Virginia Tech with an announcement of its own changes before Thanksgiving, TCU looms as the school to watch.

Whatever TCU does — and staying in Conference USA or going to the Mountain West shape up as its two leading options at the moment — figures to have repercussions.

What the Horned Frogs would really like to do is crash one of the BCS conferences — preferably the Big 12 and replace the embarrassment that has been Baylor. But that's unlikely to happen. And chances are the Big East isn't going to reach into Texas anytime soon, either.

So, that leaves the Horned Frogs with some big decisions. They can stay in CUSA when Cincinnati, Louisville, DePaul and Marquette probably get invitations to go to the Big East in 2005 (Army is leaving to become an independent).

That could mean sitting tight while Central Florida and Marshall of the Mid-American Conference come aboard — with CUSA possibly even adding from among Southern Methodist, Tulsa or Rice as replacements.

Or, TCU could find itself with an offer to become the Mountain West's much-speculated ninth team. Executives familiar with the MWC say the conference has struggled to find an "unofficial" consensus on expansion and, if the choice is to add just one school, TCU, with a nationally ranked football team and entree to the Dallas-Fort Worth market, has the most to offer.

The WAC, too, has approached TCU, but the Horned Frogs didn't spend upwards of $1 million to exit the conference three years ago just to make a U-turn now.

At the moment, the best scenario for WAC stability might be for TCU to go to the MWC. If TCU bolts, there would be less incentive for SMU, Tulsa or Rice to jump to CUSA.

Meanwhile, for the next month at least, a lot of eyes will be on what TCU does.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.