http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-state-sport...ment-10318

Quote:Georgia State has accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference, a person inside the conference with knowledge of the situation said on Saturday. They will become members in 2013.

The university was contacting donors on Saturday, asking them to attend a special event at 2 p.m. Monday at the Georgia Dome. An athletic department spokesperson declined to comment earlier today about the press conference.

Great move for Georgia State. Great to see Bill Curry get back coaching in FBS again.

I think a point to be made about Georgia State with regards to competing with Georgia and Georgia Tech, with Georgia Tech offense running the old Navy system, a lot of skill position players just aren't interested in running that. GSU will be able to pick up some of those guys I would think.

(04-07-2012 02:36 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Great move for Georgia State. Great to see Bill Curry get back coaching in FBS again.

I think a point to be made about Georgia State with regards to competing with Georgia and Georgia Tech, with Georgia Tech offense running the old Navy system, a lot of skill position players just aren't interested in running that. GSU will be able to pick up some of those guys I would think.

725 players from Georgia on FBS Rosters
GA and GT account for about 160 to 170 of those.
That leaves 550 players going out of state to play FBS football.

(04-07-2012 12:43 PM)panama Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 10:46 AM)jmufan Wrote:  Maybe so, but I remember last year, they only drew 3 to 4,000 for one of their games. This is also the team that lost to a couple of NAIA teams and I believe a non-scholly team. Not saying that is a predictor for the future, but the kind of talent they were suppose to have vs how they play are two different things. I do wish them well, because I really do think it would be the right move for them.

We have never drawn less than 11k. Again we will be fine. FCS doesnt do well in big cities in the South. I am looking forward to our conference schedule as well as our OOC home schedule.

Georgia State football is still pretty new.

I remember how UCF when they first started their program had trouble drawing over 15,000 consistently. Its going to take Georgia State a while to get the numbers up but the potential is enormous with a large local alumni base.

And as I said numerous times in the all things Georgia State thread is the SBC is the most sensible way to go. If the alliance turns out to be a winner then 5-10 years down the road Georgia State will be ready. Georgia State is a program that will get better in FBS. There is just too much talent in Georgia for them not to.

If the alliance breaks down CUSA should go after Georgia state.

I don't mean this in a derogatory way, but does Ga. State plan on upgrading any of their facilities?

Obviously the Georgia Dome is nice, but I looked at the rest of the major sports facilities and they are terrible.

I don't think they are going to need to upgrade their basketball arena, they are downgrading their basketball program while moving their football program to FBS. Then again, their basketball program may fair better in the Sunbelt since basketball isn't all that great.

(04-07-2012 02:48 PM)panama Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 02:36 PM)stever20 Wrote:  Great move for Georgia State. Great to see Bill Curry get back coaching in FBS again.

I think a point to be made about Georgia State with regards to competing with Georgia and Georgia Tech, with Georgia Tech offense running the old Navy system, a lot of skill position players just aren't interested in running that. GSU will be able to pick up some of those guys I would think.

725 players from Georgia on FBS Rosters
GA and GT account for about 160 to 170 of those.
That leaves 550 players going out of state to play FBS football.

I'm not disputing that at all. I'm saying that GSU will be attractive to guys that want to stay at home but don't want to play GT's system.

I am curious to find out who else the SB invites. I am assuming that this invite is for all sports, if so, that means the SB will have 13 basketball schools and 10 football schools.

(04-07-2012 04:37 PM)jmufan Wrote:  I am curious to find out who else the SB invites. I am assuming that this invite is for all sports, if so, that means the SB will have 13 basketball schools and 10 football schools.

Would you be in favor of JMU playing in the SB jmufan?

Don't know, JMU is between two very possible FBS conference and doesn't really fit the geographical mold of either except maybe the MAC (more so than the SB). I applaud GAST for taking that step to FBS. As far as JMU, it wouldn't bother me and I would support the university either way. To be honest, I would prefer the MAC over the SB, and that is probably because of how close JMU is academically to other MAC schools such as Ohio and Miami (OH).

Actually, jmufan, it will be 11/12 for all sports. Only UALR does not play football, and Denver is already out the door:

UALR/Arkansas State
Louisiana-Monroe/North Texas
South Alabama/Louisiana-Lafeytte
Western Kentucky/Middle Tennessee
Georgia State/Troy
Florida Atlantic/Florida International

Any addition for football would certainly be in the East if geographic divisions are desired.

Thanks for the correction. I looked up realtimerpi.com and must have miscounted.

EDIT: actually, according to the SB conference website, there are only 9 current schools that play football in the conference. http://www.sunbeltsports.org/standings/S...&SPID=1808 They are: Arkansas State, Western Kentucky, Louisiana-Lafayette, FIU, North Texas, ULM, Troy, Middle Tennessee, FAU. GSU will make 10 football schools. With Denver leaving, that will keep them at 12 basketball schools.

(04-07-2012 04:56 PM)jmufan Wrote:  Thanks for the correction. I looked up realtimerpi.com and must have miscounted.
EDIT: actually, according to the SB conference website, there are only 9 current schools that play football in the conference. http://www.sunbeltsports.org/standings/S...&SPID=1808 They are: Arkansas State, Western Kentucky, Louisiana-Lafayette, FIU, North Texas, ULM, Troy, Middle Tennessee, FAU. GSU will make 10 football schools. With Denver leaving, that will keep them at 12 basketball schools.

You forgot South Alabama. They are moving up this year and have been a long time member of the Sun Belt so they are basically grandfathered into FBS football (similar to Western KY a few years back). That now makes 11.

(04-07-2012 04:56 PM)jmufan Wrote:  Thanks for the correction. I looked up realtimerpi.com and must have miscounted.

EDIT: actually, according to the SB conference website, there are only 9 current schools that play football in the conference. http://www.sunbeltsports.org/standings/S...&SPID=1808 They are: Arkansas State, Western Kentucky, Louisiana-Lafayette, FIU, North Texas, ULM, Troy, Middle Tennessee, FAU. GSU will make 10 football schools. With Denver leaving, that will keep them at 12 basketball schools.

South Alabama is transitioning to FBS and will also play football in the Sun Belt.

ahh, I did forget them, thanks.