SMQ: Thinking radically about college football realignment in age of coronavirus
By Zach Bigalke
Gulf Coast Conference
- Teams: Louisiana, LSU, Tulane, Houston, Rice, Texas A&M, Texas State, UTSA
- States included: 2 (Louisiana, Texas)
- Current P5 teams: 2 (LSU, Texas A&M)
Like the Oil Country Conference, the advantage of the Gulf Coast Conference is that it spans just two states. It also combines two powerhouses on either side of the equation to serve as the anchors of a league dominated by potentially emergent forces. With only those two Power Five opponents, though, the league requires quick development from those upstarts to remain relevant long term.
LSU and Texas A&M are those anchors. Houston has the potential to grow quickly as a scrappy third challenger, as does Tulane if it can effectively capture the New Orleans market. UTSA offers intriguing potential, especially given the advantage of playing in the Alamodome against big draws like the Tigers and Aggies.
One figures it would take a couple of years for the Cougars or Green Wave or Roadrunners to realize their full potential. Even then, the advantages of a league that can largely be navigated by bus cannot be overstated. The longest trip in the Gulf Coast Conference measures less than 510 miles between San Antonio and New Orleans, putting it roughly on par with the Great Lakes Conference in terms of its geographic compactness.