I never had any interest in C-USA, but I must admit the new C-USA/MWC merger intrigues me.  Or did this completely fall apart?

I'm pretty sure the whole thing has fallen apart. I think what finally sealed it was the new sixth bowl tie in for the Big East and the top Mid-Major team when the playoffs happen.  It's essentially all of the benefit of what they had, only they now get to play a (probably) better Big East team, with a better payout.

Here's a better idea: why don't the four worst leagues in college football join together and make a new league, each having their own division? Conference USA can float around and sputter all they want, their about to be irrelvant here in about 2-3 years anyway.

Midwest Division (MAC)
Southeast Division (Sun Belt)
Moutain Division (MWC)
West Coast Division (WAC)

Semifinal matchups MAC vs. Sun Belt, MWC vs. WAC
Championship game played in St. Louis. Don't cross the river unless you have to, just like the old days.

I'd still like to see a new league made up of the best of the MAC, some regional C-USA schools, and a few others.  You could have a conference with, Marshall, Toledo, NIU, WMU, East Carolina, UAB, USM, Appy State, and maybe Delaware or James Madison.  The latter two, of course, would have to upgrade to FBS.  The other option I see for Ohio is to try to negotiate for a BE offer.  The new BE is looking more and more like a conference Ohio could compete in and one that might want OHIO to round out their football lineup.  It would also be an upgrade in basketball.  I certainly hope that the Convo brain trust and the guys and gals in Cutler are not just sitting back and playing prevent defense.  

NO!!!!!

Hell to the no!

Non AQ Conferences-
MAC- current home
Sun Belt- wants to be the MAC of the South
CUSA- a cluster bomb of mediocre teams spread out to ridiculous lengths. 
WAC- DOA
MWC- too far

no amount of reswizzling of these teams would add to the attractiveness of a new conference without the revenue increasing by 10x. not happening. Medicore + medicore does not equal excellence.


(n)AQ Conference-
Big East- a cluster equal to CUSA, but worth moving to IF (big if) their new TV contract is still as attractive.

Power5 Conferences-
B1G- best fit geograhpically
ACC- solid second option
SEC- different culture
Big XII- would be a stretch
PAC12- too far

obviously we have gaps with these 5  but I'm only speaking of their attractiveness to us, not vice versa.


Summary-
In my opinion there is no retooling of any of the non AQ conferences that would ever make it attractive enough without substantial increases in revenue, the nBE currently has enough revenue to make the move in spite of all their downfalls. In terms of Power5 it would be any if they had us but B1G and ACC would be the most logical, hypothetically speaking.

What . . . Akron and EMU aren't the cream of the crop academically?  Surely, sir, you jest.