“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” - Proverbs 16:18

This proverb remains timeless. It’s as relevant today as the day it was written. We witness continual reminders of the proverb when watching college athletics. Those who think they can never lose will relax and get beat by someone working harder. Coaches are constantly warning their players to avoid such dangers.

In the Texas Non-FBS ranks alone, we are witnessing pride’s destruction in the decline of two prominent conferences in real time. Last week, I wrote about where the ‘Baptist 4’ from the American Southwest Conference might land and discussed whether the Lone Star Conference is in talks with any of those teams in last Friday’s Blitz.

Action Network's Brett McMurphy’s report on Monday regarding Cal Baptist and Utah Valley's potential move to the Big West Conference extracted two more bricks from an already crumbling Western Athletic Conference. Here’s a quick recap on how the historic conference reached this point. 

The fall began slowly, with Lamar returning to the Southland Conference after one season in the WAC, while UIW chose to stay in the Southland instead of accepting a bid from the WAC. Then, Sam Houston and New Mexico State departed for Conference USA, and Stephen F. Austin and UTRGV returned to the Southland, and the WAC found itself on shaky ground. Grand Canyon is leaving the conference for the Mountain West, and Seattle will depart for the West Coast Conference after this academic year.

It is unclear whether CBU and UVU will leave in July 2025 or 2026. Nevertheless, the WAC will have five members remaining: Abilene Christian, Tarleton, UT Arlington, Southern Utah, and Utah Tech. Even the most passionate supporters of the tradition-rich Western Athletic Conference understand that its final days are approaching. 

Industry sources think Southern Utah and Utah Tech will join the Big Sky Conference, as they are logistically aligned within its footprint. The only question for the three Texas schools is when, not if, they will join the Southland Conference. After all, they are a perfect fit for a league that prides itself on being a gas tank away from following your favorite team on the road.

The WAC administration never expected Sam Houston and New Mexico State to leave, which caused other schools to reexamine their allegiance to the conference. When Grand Canyon announced its departure, the conference went on life support, and Tarleton has made no secret of its desire to join an FBS conference if invited.

Sources indicate that Tarleton president Dr. James Hurley is willing to partner with the Southland on scheduling alliances. Many believe the Tarleton faithful realize they are likely headed to the Southland until they can jump to FBS. The Tarleton fan base is a proud bunch, but they understand the inevitability of moving to Southland for what they hope will be a short period of time. They are likely to accept a move to the SLC begrudgingly.

However, pride might be the reason sources have said that ACU and UTA treat the Southland as if the conference were nonexistent. It’s understandable to a point. After all, I often wrote about the Southland’s potential demise and problems a few years ago. 

The Mavericks were a founding member of the SLC in 1963 and remained loyal to the conference until departing for the WAC in 2012. UTA spent nine years in the Sun Belt Conference before returning to the WAC in 2022. Many in their administration and fan base view returning to the Southland as a step back.

Many in and around ACU also view the Southland as a regression. The Wildcats were one of the ‘Texas 4’ to leave the Southland for the new and reimagined Western Athletic Conference. The Wildcats are highly resistant to taking what they view as a step backward – many of ACU’s faithful desire to reach FBS someday. 

The issue is that ACU and UTA are assessing the SLC based on a perception of the conference that was valid for many years. It’s a perception Southland Commissioner Chris Grant recognized when he was appointed commissioner in June 2021. He vowed at that time to combat that perception, and he has made strides in that direction. 

The WAC has never lived up to the lofty expectations of being a two-bid league in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and an FCS powerhouse. WAC football had only one season before the football schools formed the United Athletic Conference and have not been close to being recognized as a two-bid league by the basketball committee.

Meanwhile, Grant has the Southland Conference thriving. UIW is a premier FCS program. Adding ACU, UTA, and Tarleton would make the SLC one of the premier conferences in FCS, considering the Wildcats and Texans made the FCS playoffs last year and won a playoff game for the first time in program history. It would also maintain regional rivalries that have existed for years and that fans crave. Yet, sources close to the situation said there haven’t been any recent discussions between the schools and the SLC.

It’s time those discussions begin. Destruction will arrive sooner rather than later for the remaining WAC schools, so why wait? It’s not easy to swallow your pride, but refusing even to discuss a potential return to the Southland for ACU and UTA is a recipe for disaster. Maybe Tarleton will be the first to move, and the rest will follow. Perhaps all three seek an invite from the Atlantic Sun Conference, with whom they are currently aligned for football. 

SFA and UTRGV faced similar circumstances before choosing to return to the Southland. This decision has worked well for both, and the number of fans unhappy with the move is decreasing. A move to the SLC would benefit all three schools' athletic departments and budgets. It’s not easy to set your pride aside and acknowledge you may have been wrong to follow the green grass the WAC provided. Hopefully, the presidents, athletic directors, donors, and fans at ACU and UTA will soon accept a return to the Southland Conference.

After all, destruction is near.