1) Appalachian State
2) Georgia Southern
3) Jacksonville State

Add 4 to insulate the conference against further raids. With 14, we could afford to lose two and still maintain a championship game. My assumption is that they'll all be move-ups, that we won't get too far north, and that nobody is interested in going all the way out to New Mexico State.

With that said, my candidates in order:

1. Georgia Southern
2. Appalachian State
3. James Madison
4. Lamar

Ideally, I'd be looking for another Florida school to give FAU a travel partner for hoops, etc. But I don't see candidates.

Alabama
Michigan
LSU
USC (the one out west)

(05-20-2012 02:41 PM)RaiderATO Wrote:  Alabama
Michigan
LSU
USC (the one out west)

You know, Michigan and USC are out of the footprint... :-)

faulkner state

If Florida A&M had the money they would have moved up 8 years ago. That was the only thing keeping them out of the sun belt at the time.

Jacksonville

Jacksonville U or Jacksonville State???

(05-21-2012 07:23 AM)voss749 Wrote:  Jacksonville U or Jacksonville State???

Don't bother questioning David K.

He's either the funniest guy on here or he's the worlds least offensive troll.

(05-21-2012 08:46 PM)RaiderATO Wrote:  

(05-21-2012 07:23 AM)voss749 Wrote:  Jacksonville U or Jacksonville State???

Don't bother questioning David K.

He's either the funniest guy on here or he's the worlds least offensive troll.

Jacksonville U I would take as humor. Jacksonville State is actually a serious idea.

Here's a novel idea.

No one.

Once UTA is added, we've got 12..a great number for basketball.

10 is a very good number for football. Play 9 league games. Everyone plays everyone.

If there were REALLY attractive candidates, I'd say add them. But, with TSU, GSU and USA all transitioning up, that's enough transitional teams for now.

Then in two years, you revisit. Unless you lose two more teams then you have to do it sooner.

(05-22-2012 08:40 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  Here's a novel idea.

No one.

Once UTA is added, we've got 12..a great number for basketball.

10 is a very good number for football. Play 9 league games. Everyone plays everyone.

If there were REALLY attractive candidates, I'd say add them. But, with TSU, GSU and USA all transitioning up, that's enough transitional teams for now.

Then in two years, you revisit. Unless you lose two more teams then you have to do it sooner.

You're probably right. 2013 will probably just have 10 football schools. My guess is the SBC will add 2 more schools for 2014 or 15, assuming no one else gets poached. Benson seems like he wants a title game and divisional play to help reduce travel costs. This is probably happen over the next 2-3 years.

Benson said they'll decide this week about going to 12 in football.

Really attractive candidates? You mean like Applachian State and Georgia Southern?

(05-22-2012 10:34 AM)voss749 Wrote:  Really attractive candidates? You mean like Applachian State and Georgia Southern?

No. I mean teams that won't give the perception to the rest of the country that we're a 1-AA league just moving up.

I think GSU and App could compete in our league. That's not the point.

The point is we've already got three transitional. Adding more just adds to the perception the Sun Belt sucks, regardless of who the 1-AA is.

Whats the difference between 3 and 5? Except we will have 3 so-so ones and 2 Really good ones that we should have gotten in the first place.

The sun belt perception wasnt great before we had all the new teams. FIU and North Texas were garbage teams with great markets now they will be garbage teams with great markets in the C-USA. FIU and North Texas are the UAB of the 21st century.

Appalachian State had better attendance than FIU and North Texas. More people on average went to Applachian States FCS football games than FIU's bowl game.

The sun belt will improve reputation by having strong programs in our conference. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern are strong programs.